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| (Image Source: PEP.ph/MMFF) |
The
official entries for the 2017 Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF) were formally announced
with comedy, horror and fantasy headlining this year's lineup of independent
and commercially-viable movies and it was no less than the MMFF Selection
Committee chairman and National Artist For Literature Bienvenido Lumbera who
made the announcement in a press conference held last November 17, 2017 at Club
Filipino, Greenhills.
Last summer, the MMFF selection committee officially announced the first four entries which will be screened from December 25 to January 7, 2018. They are the following:
• Ang
Panday (CCM Creative Productions, Viva Films and Star Cinema), directed by and starring
Coco Martin;
• Ganddarrapiddo!
The Revenger Squad (Star Cinema and Viva Films) starring Vice Ganda, Pia
Wurtzbach and Daniel Padilla;
•
All of You (Quantum Films) starring Jennylyn Mercado and Derek Ramsay; and
•
Meant To Beh (M-Zet Productions, APT Entertainment and Octoarts Films) starring
Vic Sotto and Dawn Zulueta.
As
announced by Lumbera, the other entries that will be showing throughout the
traditional Filipino film fest are as follows:
•
Deadma Walking (Trex Productions) starring Joross Gamboa and Edgar Allan Guzman
•
Siargao (Ten17 Productions) starring Erich Gonzales and Jericho Rosales and
directed by Paul Soriano
• Haunted
Forest (Regal Films) starring Jane Oineza, Maris Racal, Jameson Blake and Jon
Lucas
• Ang
Larawan (Culcurtain Musicat Productions) starring Rachel Alejandro, Joanna
Ampil and Paulo Avelino
These
movies were selected based on the following criteria: artistic excellence (40%),
commercial viability (40%), promotion of Filipino cultural and historic values
(10%), and global appeal (10%). It is expected that this year's filmfest will
bring higher box-office returns compared to last year as the movies selected
for the full-length category are set to cater every type of Filipino audience considering
that some of the indie movies that were shown last year were purely for
cinematic values and nothing else.
Meanwhile,
short film selection committee chairman and acclaimed TV and film director Maryo
J. De Los Reyes officially announced the eight entries in the short film
category which are set to be shown in selected theatres. These films include Anino,
Anong Nangyari kay Nicanor Dante?, Black Market, Crab Mental, Gunita, Isang
Gabi, One Night, Kinalimutan Natin ang mga Bata and Noel.
The
Festival Parade of Stars which is a traditional kickoff event for the MMFF is
slated to be held in the city of Muntinlupa in celebration of its centennial anniversary,
while the much-awaited Awards Night is set for December 27, 2017 at the KIA
Theater. For more updates, follow Metro Manila Film Festival on social media.
