We had no showbiz connections when I was growing up — unlike now when I am so into it, while a sibling and some relatives married into showbiz families.
But even then, I’ve always been a Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF) observer. For reasons I never understood, we always got season’s passes to the annual filmfest. In fact, I got to enjoy the bounty (read: free passes) even of the tail end of the original Manila Film Festival (but with Mayor Ramon Bagatsing already as city mayor).
After school, I’d swoop down on my homework and off to the movie houses we went to watch Vilma Santos’ Dyesebel — with the fakest rubber fish tail (even the beloved Batangas governor will agree with this observation), Ramon Zamora’s Pedro Penduko and the FPJ-Joseph Estrada team-up in Ang Agila at ang Araw.
Early into my career, I was put in as a member of the board of judges. I quit after five years, had a 17-year hiatus and now I am back in the board and went through the eight mainstream entries, plus the five indie movies that competed in a separate Best Picture category.
Through the years, whether I was in the board or not, I often had quarrels with the Metro Manila Film Festival committee over rules and regulations that are forever changing. My battle cry was always to just stick to the film quality and the intention of the movie.
But in the past, there were themes that entries had to observe — like environmental that drove Roderick Paulate to produce and star in a film (Engkanto) where he and his co-stars were all covered in green (they were supposed to be plants). While I appreciated their obedience, it didn’t make the grade because the film looked strange when viewed alongside with movies where the screen characters looked human.
Roderick’s entry was practically ignored and if ever he protested over the results, I don’t blame him since his was the only film that bothered to follow the rules. I think that was the last time the MMFF went thematic since this rule would never work in a film festival where variety is necessary.
Of course, most ludicrous was the 40 that became 50 percent box-office take requirement for selecting Best Picture. But that nightmare is all over.
When I sat down for my first meeting with the people in-charge of this year’s festival at the Club Filipino last Dec. 8, I was relieved to discover that the officials this time from the Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA), the organization behind the MMFF, were reasonable people and, more importantly, knew how to listen to suggestions from film industry members. And so off with the crazy 50 percent box-office and 50 percent artistic merit requirement to determine the Best Picture winner. It’s now 70 percent artistic merits and 30 percent values, which to me is very reasonable.
I really would like to thank the people who were in-charge of the festival from the side of the MMDA: Chairman Francis Tolentino, head of secretariat Connie Gonzales and her staff Norie Tutay, Ivy Daliva and Chuchi Sugitan. Thank you also to the people from the canvassing firm Alba, Romeo and Co. who supervised the voting process.
From the film community there was respected producer Jesse Ejercito, Quezon City Mayor Herbert Bautista and one of the leaders of the local theater owners and operators Dominic Du, who was the trouble-shooter for any kind of problem.
Of course, there was Presidential Spokesman Edwin Lacierda, who sat patiently through each film despite his dizzying workload in Malacañang, in his capacity as chairman of the board of jurors. He was very democratic in all his dealings with us members.
And so here are my cohorts, or rather, fellow members in the panel of judges: Film director and MTRCB vice chair Emmanuel H. Borlaza, industry pillar Marichu Maceda, journalist Deedee Sytangco, cinematographer Dick Trofeo, actor Robert Arevalo, stage actress May Paner (a.k.a. Juana Change), public school teacher Arnold Cabaluna, student Justine Zared Binos, bus driver Milton Medina and Baby Villegas, a successful career woman who is the daughter of the esteemed founder of the Manila Film Festival, the late beloved Mayor Antonio J. Villegas.
The last four names represented what we may call the people’s vote. They were all pre-selected by their respective cities and are accomplished in their respective fields. They also went through a film appreciation seminar under Mowelfund head Boots Anson-Roa. Having these respected citizens of society was a better alternative to the previous 50 percent box-office gross ruling to determine the Top 3 Best Picture winners.
I sincerely want to thank the current MMDA administration for correcting MMFF’s past mistakes and for involving and being one with the local motion picture industry in running this year’s very successful film festival. This is what democracy is all about.