Future MMFF entries must show finished film, not script

We might have a radically differently Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF) later this year.

The new MMFF executive committee decided that finished films will be submitted as basis for selection to the annual film festival, reports Jojo Gabinete of PEP.ph.

Previously, the official entries of the MMFF, which runs every year from December 25 to January 5, were chosen based on the scripts submitted by movie producers. 

According to its new vision statement, the revamped execom wants the MMFF to be “a festival that celebrates Filipino artistic excellence, promotes audience development and champions the sustainability of the Philippine movie industry.”

“The submission of finished films will open the field and give chances to filmmakers who are not part of giant networks/producers to compete,” Leo Martinez, director general of the Film Academy of the Philippines, told the Inquirer.

On paper, this means the MMFF will be able to choose movies based on quality. 

The change came after the Erik Matti movie Honor Thy Father was suddenly and (questionably) disqualified from the Best Picture category of the MMFF Awards Night last year. 

The names of the new executive committee members were announced last week:

• MMDA Chairman Emerson Carlos
• Jesse Ejercito
• Briccio Santos
• Senator Sonny Angara
• QC Congressman Alfred Vargas
• MTRCB chairman Eugenio Villareal
• Movie producers Moira Lang and Wilson Tieng
• Philippine National Police’s Joel Pagdilao
• Bureau of Broadcast Services’ Jun Romana
• SM Lifestyle Entertainment Inc’s Edgar Tejerero
• Marcus Ng
• Boots Anson-Roa
• Edward Cabagnot.

What do you think of this change, Coconauts?



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