MANILA, Philippines – The “Honor Thy Father” (HTF) team wrote an open letter for the Metro Manila Film Festival Executive Committee.
Undersigned in the open letter posted on their Facebook page are producer Dondon Monteverde, director Erik Matti and co-producer/lead star John Lloyd Cruz.
The letter is in relation to the film’s disqualification from the best picture award in the recent MMFF awards night, saying the committee is “muddling the issue.”
“You did not bring up HTF’s international screenings in the letter of disqualification you sent to us one day before the awarding ceremony,” said in the letter.
The film was disqualified from Best Picture category of the film fest due to their “non-disclosure” of their screening in the opening day of Cinema One Originals film festival in November.
READ: Did Father 'dishonor' MMFF rules?
The "Honor Thy Father" producers explained that the film “was not an MMFF entry when we accepted invitations to screen at international film festivals. You rejected our film in June and invited us to join MMFF in October.”
“It must be hard being in your shoes right now. May we suggest that you do the right thing? Tell the truth. It’s not easy getting your story straight otherwise,” they concluded.
An open letter to the MMFF Executive Committee:Honor Thy Father was not an MMFF entry when we accepted invitations to...
Posted by Honor Thy Father on Tuesday, 29 December 2015
Matti was a no-show at the 41st Metro Manila Film Festival awards night on Sunday, where he won the best director award. However, he was able to express his dismay to the film festival through his acceptance speech read by Shiel Calde.
He pointed out that a lot has changed in the film festival to the point that “hindi ko na halos makilala ang film festival na lagi kong hinangaan at nirespeto.”
READ: Amid MMFF ‘scandal,’ Erik Matti tells filmgoers: You deserve better