In just a few days, the world will be celebrating Christmas in very different ways. Here in the Philippines for one—the country known for having the longest holiday celebration—the contrast from Christmases past is truly very stark.
Unlike before, cities and homes hardly glitter with holiday décor; malls aren’t crowded with the happy buzz of shoppers; and the usual parties and reunions aren’t allowed, when all these sights and feels should have been afoot as soon as the ber-months began. Sadly, the global crisis that is the Coronavirus Pandemic has not let up in the last nine months, with the newly approved vaccine only being given to volunteers this past week.
With most Filipinos still advised to stay home to keep safe, Christmas will certainly be somber this year but with at least one tradition pushing through albeit in a different form.
On December 25, the long-cherished tradition of watching original Filipino movies will go on as before with the Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF) unfolding on digital for the very first time. Through the gargantuan efforts of the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA), the MMFF Executive Committee, Globe Telecom Inc. and homegrown streaming platform Upstream, a total of 10 titles will be available for viewing from Christmas Day through January 7, 2021, making the 46th edition of the MMFF possible.
What’s more, given the MMFF’s digital platform this year, even Filipinos outside the country can enjoy watching the entries the same time they run in the Philippines.
Including several titles originally meant for what should have been the first Summer MMFF this year, the expanded selection further assures viewers to find their favorite genre among finalists. Like before, the entries were chosen based on the following criteria: excellence (40 percent), commercial appeal (40 percent), Filipino sensibility (10 percent), and global appeal (10 percent).
Optimistic to gain the public’s patronage, the MMDA and MMFF invite Filipinos all over the world to download as early as now the Upstream and GMovies applications. These are the newest transactional video-on-demand (VOD) platform and an online cinema ticketing platform, respectively, which will stream the official entries. [See sidebar for instructions on how to purchase tickets].
“The film industry continues to grapple with the effects of Covid-19 but it should not dampen the Filipinos’ spirit of watching Filipino movies during the Christmas season. This year, we are bringing the MMFF tradition in every Filipino home not just here in the country but all over the world via digital screening for the first time,” MMDA chairman and concurrent MMFF chairperson Danilo Lim noted at the festival’s launch.
He was also happy to announce that while complying with health and safety protocols, the Parade of Stars and the Gabi ng Parangal (Awards Night) will also go on as before, albeit via the same manner. Take note then that that the glittering parade will be streamed on December 23, 1 p.m. while the announcement of winners will take place on December 27 at 7 p.m. on the MMFF’s official Facebook page.
And in the spirit of bayanihan, it has also been announced that the proceeds from the film festival will be allocated to help movie workers who were most affected by the pandemic and the historic changes in Philippine TV history.
All that said, The Sunday Times Magazine likewise maintains its tradition to spotlight all the official entries to the Metro Manila Film Festival, which now more than ever truly need the Filipino’s support wherever they may be.
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‘Magikland’
Director: Christian Acuna
Producer: Brightlight Leisure Productions, Gallaga-Reyes Productions
Cast: Jun Urbano, Migs Cuaderno, Joshua Eugenio, Jamir Zabarte, Dwight Gaston, Bibeth Orteza, Elijah Alejo, Princess Aliyah Rabara, Hailey Mendez and Kenken Nguyad
Synopsis: “Magikland” follows the story of four lonely kids who unexpectedly meet after playing the MagikLand mobile app on Christmas Eve. Not long after, a magical portal opens in their midst through which the children are transported from the real world to the the mystical kingdom of MagikLand.
‘Fan Girl’
Director: Antoinette Jadaone
Producer: Black Sheep and Globe Studios
Cast: Charlie Dizon and Paulo Avelino
Synopsis: The story follows Jane (Dizon), Paulo Avelino’s biggest fan girl. Her obsession with Avelino (as himself) leads her to hide at the back of his pick-up truck and follow him “home.” She ends up in an unfamiliar house in an unfamiliar place with an unfamiliar idol she thought she knew from head to foot, heart and soul.
‘Mang Kepweng: Ang Lihim ng Bandanang Itim’
Director: Topel Lee
Producer: Cineko Productions
Cast: Vhong Navarro, Benjie Paras, Ritz Azul, Ion Perez, Fumiya Sankai and Yamyam Gucong
Synopsis: Mang Kepweng (MK, Navarro) takes on his biggest challenge yet, as villain Maximus Tolonges (Gamboa) uses the power of the black bandana to sow terror in Engkadia. Only MK and his red polka dot bandana can fight Tolonges’ evil plans but only if he returns to his previous humble ways.
‘Pakboys Takusa’
Director: Al Tantay
Producer: Viva Films
Cast: Dennis Padilla, Andrew E., Janno Gibbs, Jerald Napoles, Angelu de Leon, Maui Taylor and Ana Roces
Synopsis: ‘Pakboys Takusa’ is the story of four friends who bonded by their love for women. Photographer Justine (Gibbs), dentist John (Andrew E.), stand-up comecn Bruno (Padilla) and tattoo artist Drake (Napoles) hit on almost every woman they meet until karma catches up with them.
‘Suarez: The Healing Priest’
Director: Joven Tan
Producer: Viva Films and Sarangola Media Productions
Cast: John Arcilla, Allan Paule, Leo Martinez and Jin Macapagal
Synopsis: “Suarez: The Healing Priest” presents the timeline of how the famed priest (Arcilla) discovered his gift of healing. Keeping it secret until he pursued his religious calling, Fr. Suarez’s life was was dotted with controversy, scandals and squabbles with the Catholic Church. He was vindicated of all accusations early this year just before he died on February 4, 2020.
‘The Boy Foretold by the Stars’
Director: Dolly Dulu
Producer: Clever Minds
Cast: Adrian Lindayag and Keann Johnson
Synopsis: Billed as the first Filipino boys’ love (BL) movie, this romantic-comedy tells the story of two senior high school boys, who, through the help of a fortune teller, find each other and their identities while realizing that everyone deserves to be in love.
‘The Missing’
Director: Easy Ferrer
Producer: Regal Entertainment
Cast: Ritz Azul, Joseph Marco and Miles Ocampo
Synopsis: “The Missing” follows the story of Iris (Azul), a 28-year-old architect, who lost her younger sister to a kidnapping syndicate and develops PTSD (Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder) and hallucinations. One day, ex-lover Job (Marco) calls her to do a restoration job in Japan where she begins experiencing hauntings, particularly of angry looking yureis (ghosts).
‘Coming Home’
Director: Adolf Alix Jr.
Producer: Maverick Films and ALV Films
Cast: Jinggoy Estrada, Sylvia Sanchez, Martin del Rosario, Edgar Allan Guzman, Shaira Diaz, Ariella Arida and Jake Ejercito
Synopsis: “Coming Home” is centered around a married couple trying to keep their family together with patriarch Benny (Estrada) estranged as an OFW. His wife Salve (Sanchez) finds out he fell in love with another woman abroad and calls it quits. Ten years later, Benny surprises his family when he comes home one night very sick.
‘Isa Pang Bahaghari’
Director: Joel Lamangan
Producer: Heaven’s Best Entertainment
Cast: Nora Aunor, Phillip Salvador, Michael De Mesa, Zanjoe Marudo, Joseph Marco and Sanya Lopez
Synopsis: “Isa Pang Bahaghari” tells the story of a former seaman (Salvador) long presumed dead who tries to reconcile with his family (Aunor, Lopez, Marudo and Marco) with the help of his gay best friend (De Mesa).
‘Tagpuan’
Director: Mac Alejandre
Producer: Alternative Vision Cinema
Cast: Alfred Vargas, Shaina Magdayao and Iza Calzado
Synopsis: Three rootless lonely souls seek to connect in this movie where Allan (Vargas), a rich businessman, hides his emptiness behind his wealth; Tanya (Magdayao), a product of rape, struggles with her difficult past; and Agnes (Calzado), Allan’s ex-wife, tries to make something out of herself abroad following an oppressive marriage.