Jun Robles Lana laments high price of cinema tickets

Jun Robles Lana lamented the high price of movie tickets as the Metro Manila Film Festival 2025 continues its run in Philippine cinemas.

On X (formerly Twitter), the director of "Call Me Mother" said the MMFF used to be the "people's festival," where ordinary workers would take their children to see their idols on the big screen.

"But today, a family of four would need at least P1,500 just to enter the theater, not including transportation or even a single bag of popcorn," he said.

"By pricing the ordinary Filipino out of the theater, the industry hasn't just lost customers, it has lost its soul. Cinema has shifted from a shared national culture to a middle-class privilege."

Movie tickets in Metro Manila range from around P350 to P1,200, depending on cinema type and inclusions.

According to Jun, a "national" film festival cannot be promoted with "prices that exclude the nation." 

"Until we admit that cinema has become a luxury that the 'P500 Noche Buena' family cannot afford, we are simply watching the slow, expensive sunset of Philippine cinema," he said.

Jun is the filmmaker behind "Ang the Breadwinner is..." "About Us But Not About Us," "Die Beautiful," "Barber's Tales," "Kalel, 15," and more.

For decades, the MMFF was the "people's festival." It was the one time of year when ordinary workers took their children to the mall to see their idols. But today, a family of four would need at least ?1,500 just to enter the theater, not including transportation or even a…

— Jun Robles Lana (@junrobleslana) January 1, 2026

—MGP, GMA Integrated News