Scene from “Rewind” —STAR CINEMA/YOUTUBE
The number of Filipinos watching locally produced movies in cinemas has greatly decreased, and cinema-watching is now limited to those who belong to the A and B socioeconomic classes, and a small portion of C, according to Film Development Council of the Philippines (FDCP) Chair Jose Javier Reyes.
In a recent media gathering, Javier said the agency has come up with a preliminary survey on the viewing habits of the Filipino audience, and has already sent the result to major film producers and the Cinema Exhibitors Association of the Philippines. A “more extensive” one will be released in December, he added.
Sadly, the survey revealed that those in the D and E socioeconomic classes are no longer watching movies in the cinemas. “Actually, even the number of audiences from the C market has decreased. We only have those from C1, and not even C2 and C3. In other words, it has become very limited,” he began.
“Which explains why the biggest hits of the Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF) these past years are for these specific markets. ‘Deleter’ was the biggest hit in 2023. Its audiences are those who can afford it. That rings an alarming bell because instead of paying P500 to see it in theaters, they just wait for it on streaming apps,” the FDCP chief said.
Another information culled from the survey is that “return viewers” no longer exist, added Reyes. “Back then, when you really liked a movie, you’d see it in cinemas several times. These days, people will watch it once and just wait for it to be streamed. That greatly affected ticket sales,” he explained.
Appeal of love teams
Reyes then explained the recent unexpected box-office success of “Un/Happy for You,” starring Joshua Garcia and Julia Barretto, as well as that of “Rewind,” featuring couple Dingdong Dantes and Marian Rivera. “We are guessing that the audience missed the JoshLia tandem. That’s why it earned P1 billion. We all know that Julia is with somebody else now, but people wanted more of them. Dingdong and Marian have not had a movie in so long. ‘Rewind’ is a family movie—it even has Jesus there—and it was shown during Christmas. It’s the perfect storm.”
Reyes also touched on what he said was “the power of word of mouth.” He explained: “We are guessing that people went to the cinemas for the JoshLia film because it’s a good story. We’ve also discovered (from the survey) that the biggest promo is word of mouth. You start weak in the box-office, but when word of mouth starts working, people will flock to the cinemas to see you. It’s just sad that the number of viewers has decreased greatly.”
Jose Javier Reyes, Film Development Council of the Philippines
chair —FDCP/FACEBOOK
Reyes then tried to explain the relationship of film producers to their audiences by describing it as a chicken-and-egg situation. “If you show cheap movies, people will not watch. They are now used to seeing on Netflix those Koreanovelas with really high production values. They will no longer spend to see a cheap one that’s likely been shot in seven days, or even three days. They now demand a certain level of production value,” he began.
“On the part of the producers, why would they spend P25 million on a film if they’re not sure they’d get it back? This is really a chicken-and-egg situation,” Reyes said.
Beyond PH market
“What’s important now is to think of a market much larger than the Philippines. You have to think globally without sacrificing being a Filipino. Let’s look at ‘Granny,’ as an example. It never pretended to be anything else but a Thai film, but it carries a universal theme. The story is king—it’s what really matters.”
Reyes was referring to the recent hit, Pat Boonnitipat’s “How to Make Millions Before Grandma Dies.”
The media gathering was to announce the activities that the FDCP has lined up for its Philippine Film Industry Month (PFIM) this September. Carrying the theme “Tuloy ang Tradisyon ng Pelikulang Pilipino,” the celebration began with the screening of the 1980 period drama “Aguila” and a mini-exhibit for its director, National Artist for Film Eddie Romero, at Metropolitan Theater on Sept. 1.
From Sept. 4 to Sept. 27, the agency will screen classic films by 11 National Artists at the cinematheque centers in Manila, Iloilo, Negros, Davao and Nabunturan, with accompanying talkbacks.
The films are the following: “Aguila” by director Romero; “Anak Dalita” by Lamberto Avellana; “Bulaklak sa City Jail” by Mario O’Hara and starring Nora Aunor; “Genghis Khan” by Manuel Conde; “Karnal” by Marilou Diaz-Abaya and written by Ricky Lee; “Manila by Night” by Ishmael Bernal; “Maynila sa Mga Kuko ng Liwanag” by Lino Brocka; “The Moises Padilla Story” by Gerry de Leon; and “Perfumed Nightmare” by Kidlat Tahimik.
The following events are lined up for September: the PFIM Gala Night at Teatrino Promenade on Sept. 13; the launch of the “Films for Peace” series on Sept. 14; The Film Education Convention on Sept. 17 and Sept. 18; the Sine50: Pelikula ng Bayan Screenings and Film Talks from Sept. 18 to Sept. 24; the Sine Kabataan Short Film Lab and Festival from Sept. 20 to Sept. 22; the Film Pitch (a collaboration with the Directors’ Guild of the Philippines) on Sept. 27; and the PFIM closing ceremony, also on Sept. 27. INQ