Reyes wants Montano as Best Director

Jose Javier Reyes secretly wished that Cesar Montano would win as best director in Satuday night's Gabi ng Parangal of the 32nd Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF) held at the Aliw Theater, CCP Complex. Joey won for his work in Star Cinema's Kasal, Kasali, Kasalo starring Judy Ann Santos and Ryan Agoncillo. Cesar was nominated for his efforts in Ligalig, which he also starred, co-written and co-produced. "Yung pagkapanalo ng best director, hindi ko ini-expect. I was actually secretly hoping that Cesar would win because I knew that he did a very good job. So when I won, it was very, very overwhelming," said Reyes, who was still carrying his best director trophy, to PEP (Philippine Entertainment Portal) right after the awards night. He then added, "These things [trophies] are nice to hold and nice to put on shelves, but this is not the point why I make movies. I love making movies and I love the people I make movies with. These are nice icings to the cake, but this is certainly not the cake." The writer-director, who also won for best story and best screenplay for the same film, wanted to make it clear that he is thankful for the recognition. "I'm definitely thankful. I think I am so blessed. At the time when I was questioning myself whether I should stick it out in this industry or not, suddenly God gives me these answers. So I think I'm very happy," Reyes said. This is actually the third time Reyes won as MMFF best director. He got his first award in 1993 for Star Cinema's May Minamahal and the second time was just last year for Canary Films' Kutob. Interestingly, in the three time that he won, none of Joey's films were awarded the Best Picture. In 1993, Reyna Films' Kung Mawawala Ka was the winner (May Minamahal was 2nd best picture). Last year, it was Blue Moon (Kutob was placed only third Best Picture). This year, although Kasal, Kasali, Kasalo got the most number of awards - 10 trophies to be exact, including Best Actress for Juday and Best Supporting Actress for Gina Pareño - it only came second to Enteng Kabisote 3. The third installment of Vic Sotto's family adventure movie franchise, which did not win any other award, won Best Picture by virtue of its success at the tills. Apparently, as announced by host Edu Manzano, one of the criteria in choosing this year's best films, is the box-office returns which comprises 40 percent. So, the three top-grossers in this year's film festival - Enteng Kabisote 3, Kasal, Kasali, Kasalo, and Shake, Rattle & Roll 8 - automatically won the three best picture trophies at stake. Angelica Jones, who is in the cast of Enteng Kabisote 3, accepted the trophy on behalf of the film's producers - Sotto and Orly Ilacad. Sotto did not show up at the awards night, while Ilacad had already left when the Best Picture trophy was presented. This new "40 percent box-office returns" ruling came as a surprise to everyone, including Reyes who presented the awards for Best Picture with Boots Anson Roa and Iza Calzado. "It was only when Edu explained it as an addendum. But then I saw the pattern when we were reading the winners," Res replied when asked if he was aware of such criteria. "Honestly, I wouldn't mind if Kasal, Kasali, Kasalo lost to Ligalig. Because the Best Picture going to Ligalig will certainly boost Cesar's good movie," shared Direk Joey. (Ligalig is currently ranked number eight at the box-office.) The director further stated: "Enteng Kabisote is way up there in the stratosphere. It does not need any further boosting. As a matter of fact, it is perhaps the only film in the festival which is parang the Star Wars of Philippine movies. It's a very viable franchise, eh. I really wished that Ligalig or ZsaZsa Zaturnnah would have been given a greater boost in the box-office by being honored with awards. But, you know, as the jurors said, they only followed rules." Kasal, Kasali, Kasalo, Ligalig, and ZsaZsaZaturnnah Ze Moveeh are the three filmfest entries given Rated A by the Cinema Evaluation Board (CEB). Reyes was asked by PEP if he is willing to direct a movie intended for MMFF next year knowing that the criteria for judging the Best Picture award already includes the box-office returns and do not actually give much weight on the merits of a film. He answered: "You know it's hard to say whether you'll join or not. Maybe at this point, I don't know. Maybe ang isang kailangang gawin ng Metro Manila Filmfest is to be more definite about their rules." He also added: "Maybe meron kailangang reassessment to be done especially for next year. We cannot say that this is a learning experience because this is the 32nd time that it [MMFF] is being done. So maybe, they really should sit down and talk to the people of the industry to really know the mechanics to go about it. My God, kung kami pumarada ng anim na oras mula Quezon Circle hanggang Mall of Asia hanggang Aliw Theater, siguro naman kailangan din dinggin nila ‘yung aming pangangailangan." He also reiterated his opinion that the entries in the MMFF should not be shown simultaneously. "I was very vocal from the start na hindi dapat siyam [na pelikula ang] sabay-sabay na ipinalabas. Dapat naglabas ng anim at naglabas ng tatlo para mas malaki ang chance ng mga producer na makabawi. Hindi yung siyam na kinalat mo. Ang lalabas niyan, may hahakot ng pagkarami-rami at may malulugi nang talagang malala, and that is what happened [this year]. It is very evident, may mga nalugi," Reyes stressed. "Sa bawat producer na nalugi, ilang trabaho na ang mawawala sa susunod na taon? Sa bawat producer na hindi naibalik ang kanyang investment, ilang pelikula pa ang gagawin niya o hindi niya gagawin sa susunod na taon? Ilang tao ang mawawalan ng trabaho dala niyan?" In the end, Joey refused to call his victory a bittersweet one. "It will only be bitter if you allow it to be bitter. I'd rather take it with a sweet. After all, the New Year is coming and I'm going to Bora [Boracay] tomorrow morning [today] so I'm gonna be happy," Reyes said. - Philippine Entertainment Portal