Actor hopes probe will lead to film industry reforms

MANILA, Philippines – Multi-awarded actor John Lloyd Cruz has expressed hope that the ongoing congressional inquiry into the controversies hounding the 2015 Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF) will lead to lasting reforms in the local film industry.

“Two things can happen: The industry will be divided and break up or this will pave the way for us to show that we can be united in reforming and strengthening the industry,” he said, addressing the hearing of the House committee on Metro Manila development on Wednesday.

The panel, chaired by Quezon City Rep. Winston Castelo, launched the inquiry upon the resolution of Laguna Rep. Dan Fernandez, who questioned the disqualification of the film “Honor Thy Father” from the Best Picture category of the MMFF on the day the festival was launched on Dec. 25.

Fernandez appeared in the film with Cruz, who is also a co-producer.

The last two hearings showed that some members of the MMFF executive committee asked the board of jurors to exclude the film on Dec. 21, apparently without any official decision from the body.

The executive committee made an official decision to exclude the film from the said category on Dec. 25 but only informed its producers the following day.

Among the grounds for the disqualification was that the film was shown publicly prior to the MMFF, a violation of the festival rules.

However, the film’s producers contended that the matter had been resolved beforehand when they submitted affidavits to attest that the screening was for non-commercial purposes as sought by the MMFF executive committee.