Drop in MMFF 2016’s box office sales ‘predictable’

The Metro Manila Film Festival Executive Committee (MMFF ExeCom) has said that the possibility of box office returns declining this year is "predictable and understandable."

ExeCom member and actress Boots Roa-Rodrigo said that without the yearly blockbuster productions to draw in the large crowds, the sales might drop.

"Maaaring gumuho ang kita," Roa-Rodrigo said during a press conference at the Kamuning Bakery in Quezon City on Thursday.

She said that the committee is worried about not earning enough income, a percentage of which goes to beneficiaries of film agencies.

However, she said that they were prepared for that in any case.

"Kung sakali, we are ready for that. Hindi naman namin mamasamain yun," she said.

"Naniniwala kami na 'pag magaling ang produkto mo, it will really just take introducing your products to the market...marketing them well," she added.

The MMFF said it prioritized quality over commercial viability in its criteria this year.

Their choices received criticisms from creators and stars of the excluded films for supposedly favoring indie films over mainstream films.

Among the films that didn't make it to the list of entries were "Enteng Kabisote 10 and the Abangers" and "Super Parental Guardians."

The ExeCom defended the line-up, saying that there was a wide gap in the scores of the shortlisted films and the rest of the entries.

They also said that they did not distinguish between indie and mainstream when critiquing the films. —ALG, GMA News