MMFF 2016: MOVE OVER, MAINSTREAM FILMS

Shannon Crespo
Dec 4, 2016
2 min read

The 8 full-length films that made it to MMFF 2016 was announced last November 18, a list not everyone was expecting to hit the cinemas nationwide.

This year’s MMFF (Metro Manila Film Festival) lineup is really not something the mass was anticipating. It was unusual by its very nature to not include entries that Filipinos look forward to every Christmas season such as Vic Sotto’s film sequels of Enteng Kabisote, Vice Ganda’s movies, and Mano Po’s film series. Vic Sotto’s Enteng Kabisote 10 and the Abangers and Vice Ganda, together with Coco Martin’s The Super Parental Guidance and Mano Po 7 did not make it to the list this MMFF 2016. As a replacement, independent or mostly known as Indie films were the chosen entries to take over in the upcoming festival.

This new arrangement resulted a clash between mainstream filmmakers and supporters and the independent film enthusiasts. As Regal films mother, Lily Monteverde, strongly disagrees to this year’s decision saying that there is another time for Indie films and that is not during Christmas season. She explained that MMFF film entries should be for children and that it saddens her that this time it will be very different.

The following films that made the MMFF 2016 line up are:

Vince & Kath & James | Directed by Ted Boborol | Starring: Julia Barretto, Joshua Garcia, Ronnie Alonte

Ang Babae Sa Septic Tank 2: #ForeverIsNotEnough | Directed by Marlon Rivera | Starring: Eugene Domingo, Jericho Rosales, Kean Cipriano

Die Beautiful | Directed by Jun Robles Lana | Starring: Paolo Ballesteros, Joel Torre, Gladys Reyes

Title: Seklusyon | Directed by: Erik Matti

Starring: Rhed Bustamante, Phoebe Walker, Elora Espano, Neil Ryan Sese, Ronnie Alonte, Lou Veloso, Dominique Roque, John Vic De Guzman, JR Versales