Poe not keen on creating separate film fest for indie films

MANILA, Philippines — Sen. Grace Poe on Tuesday said she is not supporting the recommendation to establish a separate film festival exclusive for independent films.

For Poe, who is also the chair of the Senate Committee on Public Information and Mass Media and former chair of the Movie Television and Review Classification Board, independent and mainstream films can coincide in one festival.

“Hindi na kailangan. Sa tingin ko pwede nang pagsamahin kaya lang siguro yung bumubuo ng executive committee na pumipili ng mga pelikula, maglagay rin tayo ng mga ordinaryong mamamayan. Mga tricycle drivers... teachers... mga nanay,” Poe said.

“Hindi naman lahat kailangan ay sa industriya lang kasi siyempre iba't-iba ang panlasa natin.”

The Senate panel earlier commenced its hearing into the issues hounding the 2016 Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF). This was after Sen. Vicente Sotto III filed a resolution recommending to the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority to create a film festival for independent films which will be shown during longer semestral breaks.

Sotto earlier asked the basis of the MMFF selection committee’s picks for the festival last December as most of them were independent films. He said mainstream films, which he considers more commercially viable were discriminated against.

Poe suggested that the committee should only exercise balance in the selection of MMFF entries. She likened independent films into vegetables which she said should not be forced to children.

“Tingin ko dapat ibalanse ang pagkakaroon ng good quality films at ang pagiging commercially viable nito. We have to still ensure na kikita ang pelikulang Pilipino lalo na at may pinatutunguhan ang kinikita nito sa MMFF. Kaya nga nagkaroon ng MMFF kasi minsn di na tayo makapag-compete sa Hollywood films noon,” the senator said.

“Bakit tayo mamimili na ganitong klaseng pelikula lang? Dapat nga, sabi nga ni Ate Guy, dapat sa iba't-ibang panlasa. Merong drama, may comedy, may action. Hindi naman nangangahulugan na dahil mainstream ay dapat walang mapupulutan na aral dito o hindi maganda ang pagkagawa. Pwede naman talaga ipagsama yan sa isang film festival,” she said.

MMFF selection committee member Mae Paner, also known as Juana Change, however, said that before looking into the balancing issue there is a need to fix the festival first. Paner said that instead of eliminating independent films, their committee suggests that mainstream film producers should create quality family-oriented films.

Paner lamented how mainstream films outshone chosen entries of MMFF, citing that some well-deserving films were removed from the cinema due to the mainstream films also showing at the same time of the festival.

Sotto, on the other hand, vowed to immediately file the Philippine National Promotion Act, which provisions he did not specify.