MMDA launches 2014 Metrofest

MANILA, Philippines - The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) recently launched the annual Metro Manila Film Festival Philippines (MMFFP) simultaneous with an appreciation dinner for winners of last year’s film festival.

The event held at the Club Filipino in San Juan City was highlighted by the awarding of cash incentives to the winner as well as the first tranche of funds to beneficiary organizations.

MMDA chairman Francis Tolentino (photo), concurrent head of the MMFFP, said he is optimistic that this year’s festival will be more exceptional because the film fest marks its 40th year since its start in 1974.

“I am inviting again all the local producers, directors and independent filmmakers to participate and come up with high-quality movies that we can all be proud of and at the same time offer entertainment to the movie-going public during the Christmas season,” Tolentino said.

“The deadline for submission of entries for the mainstream category is on June 14,” he added.

Last year’s MMFFP raked in close to P1B in revenues, making it the most successful and highest-earning festival in its 39 years of history.

The MMFFP executive committee has expressed gratitude to the moviegoers for their unwavering support and patronage to the local movie industry, particularly during the annual festival.

Apart from inspiring and motivating Filipino production outfits to create more films in spite of stiff competition from foreign movies, the cash incentives will also enable the MMFFP beneficiary-organizations to undertake training for socio-cultural and development programs for its members, which will provide more livelihood and employment to artists, technical and other creative workers of the entertainment sector.

Beneficiaries include the Movie Workers Welfare Fund, Film Academy of the Philippines, Motion Picture Anti-Film Piracy Council, Film Development Council of the Philippines and the Optical Media Board.