The 27th Metro Filmfest ends on a sour note
January 3, 2002 | 12:00am
The 27th Metro Manila Film Festival ends today
on a sour note, unfortunately what with the tart remarks made by Cesar Montano during his acceptance speech at the awards night last week.
Of course, this is not the first time that the festival is being plagued with controversies. In fact, it had weathered bigger battles and more damaging issues in the past.
In spite of all the controversies it generates year after year, I believe that the staging of the annual Metro Manila Film Festival is still good for the local movie industry (It is from the festival that we often get the best harvest of films for the year.)
However, I feel that it needs some changes in its rules and guidelines. Lets start with the process of selecting the festival entries.
Originally, the festival accommodate as many as 12 entries. This was reduced to 10, then to eight until, finally, to six in 1986. The purpose of reducing the number of entries is give each of the participating films a bigger slice of the pie in terms of box-office receipts. The 27th Metro Filmfest, of course, had seven entries and wags to this day insist that this was to accommodate Mikey Arroyos film, Di Kita Ma-Reach.
I dont have any quarrel when it comes to the number of entries. But I dont agree with what Manoling Morato said one time (this was when he was still MTRCB chief and had a say with the festival). According to him, the Metro Filmfest is for kids (working on the assumption that Christmas is for kids and this is the season covered by the festival) and that there should be as many entries for children as possible. (This recently-concluded festival was an exception because it only had one entry for children: Bahay ni Lola which ended up as the top-grosser).
While Ive always said that Morato is an honorable man, we hardly ever share the same beliefs. The Manila Film Festival (the forerunner of the Metro Filmfest) was actually put up by the late Mayor Antonio J. Villegas in1964 as a showcase for Pinoy quality films. No, it was never intended as a festival for kiddie movies. The Manila Film Festival, in fact, was held in mid-June (to coincide with the Araw ng Maynila celebrations) which is part of the rainy season. This was not an ideal time for kids to watch movies because parents naturally didnt want their small children to be wade with them through the flooded streets of Recto and Escolta where most of the cinemas were then located.
The festival was only moved to December in 1976 (by this time, it had already been expanded to the present-day Metro Filmfest) because local producers eventually realized (to the consternation of foreign film distributors) that this is the period when people have the money to watch movies. The festival from then on was held every December. But this wasnt only for the purpose of pleasing the kids.
Now, please dont get me wrong. I am also for entertaining kids on Christmas and other seasons of the year. And I also believe that Christmas is primarily for kids. The film festival, however, is for everyone. I guess the best compromise is to put in two entries a year for children. (If they still dont feel entertained with those two films, then bring them to the carnival!) The rest should be films for thinking, responsible and mature audiences.
I also feel that the festival should trim the list of awards it hands out during the annual Gabi ng Parangal. One category that should go is the Best Story award. The festival already gives an award to the Best Screenplay and that should be enough.
In last weeks Metro Filmfest Gabi ng Parangal, I thought it was ridiculous that esteemed National Artist Nick Joaquin was even made to compete in the awards race. And to everyones horror and disbelief, he lost! (Roy Iglesias and Mother Lilys daughter, Roselle Monteverde brought home the award).
I just hope and pray that nobody produces Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo next year or in the coming years because that would mean putting Jose Rizal in the awards derby. Heres wishing our national hero all the best. (To be concluded)
Of course, this is not the first time that the festival is being plagued with controversies. In fact, it had weathered bigger battles and more damaging issues in the past.
In spite of all the controversies it generates year after year, I believe that the staging of the annual Metro Manila Film Festival is still good for the local movie industry (It is from the festival that we often get the best harvest of films for the year.)
However, I feel that it needs some changes in its rules and guidelines. Lets start with the process of selecting the festival entries.
Originally, the festival accommodate as many as 12 entries. This was reduced to 10, then to eight until, finally, to six in 1986. The purpose of reducing the number of entries is give each of the participating films a bigger slice of the pie in terms of box-office receipts. The 27th Metro Filmfest, of course, had seven entries and wags to this day insist that this was to accommodate Mikey Arroyos film, Di Kita Ma-Reach.
I dont have any quarrel when it comes to the number of entries. But I dont agree with what Manoling Morato said one time (this was when he was still MTRCB chief and had a say with the festival). According to him, the Metro Filmfest is for kids (working on the assumption that Christmas is for kids and this is the season covered by the festival) and that there should be as many entries for children as possible. (This recently-concluded festival was an exception because it only had one entry for children: Bahay ni Lola which ended up as the top-grosser).
While Ive always said that Morato is an honorable man, we hardly ever share the same beliefs. The Manila Film Festival (the forerunner of the Metro Filmfest) was actually put up by the late Mayor Antonio J. Villegas in1964 as a showcase for Pinoy quality films. No, it was never intended as a festival for kiddie movies. The Manila Film Festival, in fact, was held in mid-June (to coincide with the Araw ng Maynila celebrations) which is part of the rainy season. This was not an ideal time for kids to watch movies because parents naturally didnt want their small children to be wade with them through the flooded streets of Recto and Escolta where most of the cinemas were then located.
The festival was only moved to December in 1976 (by this time, it had already been expanded to the present-day Metro Filmfest) because local producers eventually realized (to the consternation of foreign film distributors) that this is the period when people have the money to watch movies. The festival from then on was held every December. But this wasnt only for the purpose of pleasing the kids.
Now, please dont get me wrong. I am also for entertaining kids on Christmas and other seasons of the year. And I also believe that Christmas is primarily for kids. The film festival, however, is for everyone. I guess the best compromise is to put in two entries a year for children. (If they still dont feel entertained with those two films, then bring them to the carnival!) The rest should be films for thinking, responsible and mature audiences.
I also feel that the festival should trim the list of awards it hands out during the annual Gabi ng Parangal. One category that should go is the Best Story award. The festival already gives an award to the Best Screenplay and that should be enough.
In last weeks Metro Filmfest Gabi ng Parangal, I thought it was ridiculous that esteemed National Artist Nick Joaquin was even made to compete in the awards race. And to everyones horror and disbelief, he lost! (Roy Iglesias and Mother Lilys daughter, Roselle Monteverde brought home the award).
I just hope and pray that nobody produces Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo next year or in the coming years because that would mean putting Jose Rizal in the awards derby. Heres wishing our national hero all the best. (To be concluded)
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