"Balik Saya" - this is the tagline of the Metro Manila Film Festival for the year 2022. This year, participants are hoping that moviegoers will enjoy their creations and continue to support the local movie industry. The Festival, going on its 48th year, has 8 films in competition, which is the same number as the previous years. These were shown from December 25, 2022 to January 8, 2023. Do you want to know where to watch MMFF 2022? Competing films will be screened in cinemas all around the country.
History of Metro Manila Film Festival
What is the history of Metro Manila Film Festival? What is the annual film festival held in Manila? Let's take a walk back in memory lane.
In the year 1966, Mayor Antonio Villegas inaugurated the Manila Tagalog Film Fest. The mayor's goal was to show Philippine movies in theaters that only screened foreign films back then. It was a 12-day event which started from June 14 and ended on June 24, which is also "Manila day". There was also a parade done in downtown Manila with the actors of the movies. The then-mayor also banned the screening of foreign movies during this time. Despite the various activities, there was still lack of support, but it was adjusted in the following years.
In the year 1973, the Festival was discontinued due to Martial Law being imposed in September 1972. However, on September 21, 1975, still under the Marcos administration, it was brought back and was even expanded to all other cities in Metro Manila. It also began under the name "1975 Metropolitan Film Festival" but changed to Metro Manila Film Festival in 1977. During the same year, Diligin Mo ng Hamog ang Uhaw na Lupa ("Water the Thirsty Earth with Dew") by Augusto Buenaventura won the award for best film.
In the year 2010, the film festival underwent a lot of changes. It started with the criteria for choosing the Best Picture. Criteria was changed to artistry, creativity, technical excellence, innovation, thematic value, historical value, and global appeal. The jurors also included various Filipinos - from housewives, drivers, to teachers and students. The logo was also changed to the map of Manila.
In 2011, the then-chairman of MMDA changed the name of 'indie films'' to 'New Wave' films to make it sound enticing to the viewers. There was also a new film category to cater to students named "Student Short Film Category". In 2012, the 38th Metro Manila Film Festival recorded the highest earnings out of all the festivals with 767 million pesos.
As it was before, during the course of the Festival, no foreign movies are shown across the Philippines. The only exemption was in 3D theaters and IMAX theaters. Jurors will also be the one to choose which films out of all who participated can be shown in cinemas. Like tradition, there are also different floats to be paraded in downtown Manila where actors and actresses represent the movie they are in. There is also an awards night where the participants, actors, and even the parade floats are voted into.
There are different movies participating this year. Let us discuss their synopsis one by one.
Be careful what you post
The movie Deleter revolves around a content moderator with a traumatic and dark past. This techno-horror movie is rated R-13 by the MTRCB.
Family is not an important thing. It's everything
Family Matters, with a MTRCB rating of G, focuses on a woman who decided to leave her parents for her three siblings to take care of. She hopes to find her one true love in the United States.
Modern Day Heroes
Labyu with an Accent is a story about an emigrant worker living in the United States for 20 years who crosses her path when she comes back home to the Philippines
with a man who juggles a lot of work.
The truth now told
Mamasapano: Now It Can Be Told is based on the 2015 Mamasapano conflict, which resulted in the deaths of 44 members of the Philippine National Police's (PNP) Special Action Force.
A twist of events
The movie, My Father, Myself, that has a MTRCB rating of P, is about the commotion that will happen in a family when the father engages in a physical relationship with their adopted son.
When
My Teacher focuses on the life of a high school teacher meeting and teaching a student who is 70 years old.
Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus
A corrupt police officer and 'sugar baby' forms a relationship in the movie, Nanahimik ang Gabi.
LOVERS TO FRIENDS
2 ex-lovers in the movie, Partners in Crime, get caught up in a crime and they must find their way out of this dilemma.
Now you know what the annual film festival held in Manila, where to watch MMFF 2022 is, and what is the history of Metro Manila Film Festival. It's time to enjoy and watch them all in the cinemas and on online streaming websites soon!
A lot of Filipinos are looking forward to watching these movies after the Metro Manila Film Festival was streamed online last 2020. It really was a hit, as it reached P500M in gross sales for the first few days. The Festival was even extended until January 13, 2023 to cater those who are interested to watch. Likewise, the MMDA aims to launch the Metro Manila Summer Film Festival in April, which is another version of the Metro Manila Film Festival.
Watching movies is very beneficial for every single one of us. It can help soothe and relax its viewers. This form of relaxation allows us to disconnect for a while with reality and put ourselves in a different setting and scenarios. A study conducted at University College London even confirmed that people who usually watch movies have improved their mental focus and their memory. It goes beyond emotional self-care. With this, it helps us gain more insights and new perspectives that can be applied in our own lives, and this year's MMFF has made a great impact on the viewers.
A lot has speculated that less and less will support local films. However, the support shown this year is very much different from this statement. As long as the theme and plot cater to the viewers, next year's Festival will most definitely be a hit as well. Indeed, Filipino film is not dead.
