Correcting sins of the past

In the last couple of years, I had been warring with the Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF) committee after commercial viability was factored in during the selection of the Best Picture winner. Although there was a respectable panel of judges, their votes and choices counted only for so much. In choosing the Best Picture, 40 percent of the total score came from the movie’s performance at the box-office. That was a win-win situation for the producer: not only did the investor earn so much money, there was also the prestige of bringing home honors as Best Picture.

Sorry to the producer who gambled on a socially-relevant project with an intelligent story, but isn’t necessarily a magnet for moviegoers — usually kids (they’re the crowd during the Christmas season), who have yet to get past their ABCs.

I was not the only one whose mouth was frothing over this ruling imposed by then MMDA and MMFF chair Bayani Fernando. There was also an outcry from the local film industry, except that even raised voices are always drowned out by the noise of the New Year’s merriment and fireworks. With due respect to the previous years’ set of judges, they looked so inutile — and they were aware of that, but were powerless vis-à-vis such ruling by chairman Fernando. I know there was so much demoralization, but at least they were there to defend and push for their choices in the other categories that weren’t tied up with the box-office results. And in due fairness to them, the winners in the other races were deserving and generally acceptable.

That box-office consideration actually put in a very embarrassing position the producer of the Best Picture that won only because of sales. I will not be coy anymore in pointing out what happened to the producers of Enteng Kabisote after they won Best Picture. Don’t look at us. We didn’t ask for this. That was how they felt after the awards night.

And I can’t blame them for trying to get out of that awkward situation by pointing out and explaining the new set of criteria to the press and even to fellow movie practitioners. It was not their fault. They just had the good luck of benefiting from the new rules.

And who are they to complain? An award is an award — plus the honor of being named Best Picture also came with a corresponding cash prize. That’s why I said that theirs’ is a win-win position.

The Bayani Fernando ruling showed its ugly flaws only weeks after the awards presentation. At the end of the festival, the earnings were counted and it turned out that it was Kasal, Kasali, Kasalo that was the top grosser. In the awards contest, it was only second Best Picture, but should have been the first — given its artistic merits, plus performance at the box-office. Unfortunately, the trophies could no longer be recalled because that would have been a repeat of what happened during the time of Burlesque Queen in 1977 — and we are not getting to that anymore.

The new ruling, sadly (and expectedly), became the primary source of the festival brouhaha that year. I just have to say that there are always complaints during the MMFF because money — big money — is involved in this annual filmfest. We’re not just talking of prestige, but recovering investments.

As if there was no howl of protest over the commercial viability ruling, Fernando upped the box-office criterion to 50 percent in determining the Best Picture winner the following year. It was like he was taunting those who raised a fuss about this very unacceptable practice that he introduced to the MMFF.

Some Johnny-come-lately to the festival insisted that the yearly film affair is actually all about box-office sales. I’m telling them again — it’s not. At least, that was not how it was envisioned to be by its founder, the great late Manila Mayor Antonio J. Villegas. This filmfest, which started in Manila 1966, but was wisely expanded to a metro-wide activity by former Pres. Joseph Estrada in 1976 (when he was San Juan Mayor and an active film industry leader) is supposed to showcase the best Filipino films. There was an award for the Top Grosser, but that it was clear that it only involved finances and not the artistic quality of the entries.

The main argument of those who insist on combining artistic merits with that of commercial success is to avoid comments that this film contest has become too elitist. The masses don’t have a voice. Actually, the masses should get insulted because that’s already presuming that they are ignorant when it comes to the arts. Let’s not forget that most of our greatest artists had come from humble beginnings.

Current MMDA boss Francis Tolentino and the new MMFF chairman of the board of judges Presidential Spokesperson Edwin Lacierda had come up with the perfect solution that should please everyone. This year’s panel of judges (their names will not be revealed until awards night) will be represented by a cross-section of society. Aside from film authorities, there will be student, a school professor, a bus driver and a housewife who excels in her area of expertise.

I have faith in this new setup since all the judges from the so-called masses (you see, now we’re into labeling) had been selected by their respective cities. Before they were appointed as part of the jury, the city council that they represent took care of studying their background. They’re not just some people handpicked at random in some Metro Manila sidewalk. They went through a process.

It also has to be pointed out that they went through a film seminar with Boots Anson-Roa, who is the Mowelfund head and a seasoned actress, who also teaches film in top universities today. She knows the craft and has shared her knowledge with the student, teacher, bus driver and the housewife who has great genealogical ties to a great city leader. I almost genuflected in front of her when I was told who her father was. Her old man was actually the classmate in law school of both my Mom and Dad, except that my parents turned into lesser gods — but I love them very much just the same.

As we await the unfolding of this year’s film festival next week I can breathe a sigh of relief — assured of the fact that there are new officials correcting sins of the past.

The Christmas season is supposed to be a blessed event, but had turned wicked in the past decades because of producers fighting during the filmfest. But with Boots Anson-Roa taking an active role in this annual event, I can only hope that the innate goodness of her heart would rub off on everyone else.

This is a tall order, but I expect St. Boots to be able to perform a miracle and turn all MMFF participants into angels — at least, within the time frame of the filmfest.