MMFF 2024 Parade of Stars: How the floats showcased this year’s entries

It was a historic feat for the Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF) as some of the country’s biggest names gathered at the Parade of Stars to promote their respective entries and push for the growth of the local film industry.

The Parade of Stars took place at a 12-kilometer route in Manila on Saturday, December 21, with the stars greeting fans while perched on the floats showcasing a glimpse of the entries’ respective storylines.

Decked in gold and dark blue, the float of “The Kingdom” starring Vic Sotto, Piolo Pascual, Sue Ramirez, Cristine Reyes, and Sid Lucero was the first to traverse the parade’s route. The float resembles the palace of Sotto, Ramirez, Reyes, and Lucero’s characters, giving fans a glimpse of the Kingdom of Malaya, complete with a golden crown, a throne, and the flags of its fictional setting.

With its golden color and papier-mâché guns and other weapons, “Topakk’s” float is an ode to the film’s gloomy, warehouse-esque setting where Arjo Atayde, Julia Montes, Kokoy de Santos, and Lucero’s characters will constantly be at war. As soon as night fell, the float’s centerpiece was lit up with an orange light resembling a fire.

“Uninvited’s” float was reminiscent of a Greek palace which somehow resembles the position of Aga Muhlach’s character in society, as the actor was one of the celebrities who stood in the middle. It also features curved patterns and figures resembling mythical horses.

Elsa (Aicelle Santos) constantly in prayer was the highlight of “Isang Himala’s” float, with the figure of praying hands as the pièce de résistance. Also perched on the float was a banner saying, “Elsa loves you,” showcasing how the citizens of Cupang relied on Santos’ character as a source of miracles.

The float of “Hold Me Close” was an ode to Japan with pink and yellow flowers adorning the vehicle and a makeshift Japanese palace was placed within the driver’s seat. The film revolves around Woody (Carlo Aquino) who meets Lynlyn (Julia Barretto) in Japan, who can discover what lies in a person’s soul through touch.

A makeshift family home-inspired float featuring ornate light fixtures and scarecrows show a glimpse of the story of “Espantaho” which tells the story of Monet (Judy Ann Santos) discovering the dark secrets of her late father Pabling, which haunt her family’s ancestral home. All because of a scarecrow (or espantaho in Filipino), Monet finds herself being undermined by supernatural beings.

The float of Francine Diaz and Seth Fedelin’s “My Future You” takes fans on a dreamy ride, as the float is decked out with pastel balloons resembling clouds and pink sequins. Also seen was the arch lined with pink and purple flowers, which would play a role in the love story of Karen (Diaz) and Lex (Fedelin).

Pink is the central color of “And the Breadwinner Is…” which gives a hint to Bambi Salvador’s personality (Vice Ganda), who does his best to maintain a rosy personality despite struggling to be the sole breadwinner for his family. Aside from Vice Ganda, also spotted were Eugene Domingo, Gladys Reyes, Jhong Hilario, and Kokoy de Santos.

The float of “Green Bones” was filled with different shades of green, and it also included makeshift handcuffs, a lighthouse, and a tree. The handcuffs and lighthouse were an ode to Domingo Zamora’s (Dennis Trillo) story, while the tree is used to showcase the film’s “Tree of Hope” which plays a crucial role in its storyline.

Lined with vines, the float of “Strange Frequencies: Taiwan Killer Hospital” was reminiscent of a haunted house, complete with the intentional use of light shining solely on Enrique Gil, Jane De Leon, MJ Lastimosa, and Rob Gomez. Also seen was the use of rails that were inspired by a Taiwanese temple, an ode to its setting.

The film entries of the 50th MMFF will be screened from December 25, 2024 to January 7, 2025.