Here's how to watch this year's Metro Manila Film Festival online

There's no stopping the Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF) from holding its annual event. And it's going online this year.

The yearly December film festival will be seen via the streaming platform Upstream in partnership with the Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA), and Globe Telecom Inc.

The streaming website will be officially launched on November 14, and viewers can access the participating movies starting on December 25.

“What we've been working on for months is finally out! Now, we can breathe. Upstream is now announced as the new content hub for the streaming platform in partnership with GMovies as the ticketing gateway,” wrote filmmaker Erik Matti on Facebook.

“This is a leap of faith to what could be the future of a healthier film and entertainment industry.”

To watch the movies, viewers will need to purchase virtual tickets for P250 per film through Globe's GMovies.

They will then use the code provided to access the movies via the Upstream app available for download on Android and iOS devices.

Four movies are locked in to join this year's festival: Ang Mga Kaibigan ni Mama Susan, Magikland, Praybeyt Benjamin 3, and The Exorcism of My Siszums.

Additional four movies will be added and announced in November to complete the festival's so-called “Magic 8.”

Now in its 46th year, the MMFF is staged yearly to highlight select local movies, shown in commercial cinemas across the country.

This will be the first time, however, that the festival will be screened online as social gatherings and events remain prohibited because of COVID-19.