Time to give indies a big break

I applaud the decision of organizers of the Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF) to also screen full-length independent films and student short films.

The two categories are included in the filmfest’s New Wave Section, which will be shown at Robinson’s Galleria ahead of the mainstream entries.

It’s time we gave indie films the exposure they deserve. Judging from the last Cinemalaya film festival, there is a growing audience for indies, made up mostly of students and young adults.

This is an encouraging development in an industry that appears to have gone stagnant, with fewer films produced each year.

One thing going for indies is that they are cheaper to make than are mainstream films. That’s because they are usually shot digitally, a process that costs less than film. The actors are also paid a pittance, but that hasn’t stopped big-name stars from appearing in indies.

Indies are also the perfect breeding ground for new talent. A growing crop of directors like Brillante Mendoza got their training from independent films.

Filipino-made independent films are consistent winners in international filmfests, showcasing the Filipino’s talent in cinema.

The problem is that indies seldom get booked in commercial theaters, so filmgoers don’t get to appreciate them. Theater owners are not keen on booking indies because they are not big box-office draws. Perhaps the biggest exception is Ang Babae Sa Septic Tank, which made a tidy sum when it was shown commercially.

With its New Wave category, the MMFF is giving the movie public a chance to watch films other than the usual fare of romance, comedy and action dished out by big production outfits.

From more than 30 entries, five have been approved by the filmfest’s selection committee in the full-length feature category: Haruo by Adolf Alix; Ritual by Yeng Grande; HIV by Neal Tan; Dyagwar by Ogie Diaz and Sid Pascua; and Pintakasi by Imee Marcos and Nelson Caguila.

Film director Mark Meily, a member of the filmfest’s executive committee, describes the entries as “not the usual themes and genre movies.”

Seven films have been lined up in the student shorts category: Payaso from La Salle Lipa; Adivino from the Asia-Pacific Film Institute; Sanayan Lang Ang Pagpatay from the Ateneo de Naga University; Biyahe Ni Barbie from the College of St. Benilde School of Digital Arts; Oras from the International Academy of Film and Television in Cebu; Mate from the Colegio de San Juan de Letran; I See Everything from Southville International School; Bagong Ligo from Mapua; Speechless from Miriam College; and Ulan from La Consolacion College.

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Still on the Metro filmfest, controversy shrouds one of entries in the competition proper even before the festival’s opening.

It seems that Tikoy Aguiluz, director of Manila Kingpin: The Asiong Salonga Story, was furious after the film which originally ran for two hours and 40 minutes, was trimmed to just 1:45. Aguiluz is said to have demanded that his name be stricken off the credits.

Laguna Governor ER Ejercito, the film’s producer, will have to resolve the issue before the filmfest opens. Manila Kingpin earned a grade of A from the Cinema Evaluation Board.

The film was shot entirely in black and white in keeping with the mood of the story. Asiong Salonga was a toughie in Tondo in the Fifties who was looked up to be his neighbors as some sort of Robin Hood. Governor Ejercito reprises the role of his uncle, Joseph Estrada as Asiong Salonga.

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It used to be that receiving a FAMAS award was the pinnacle of a Filipino actor’s career. And the FAMAS used to be hot news, with the major TV networks covering the awards night live.

Times sure have changed. The results of the recent FAMAS came out only in Facebook and Twitter, and the event was practically ignored by the mainstream media.