Pacquiao film completes Metro Manila Film Fest entries

The new movie of boxing champ Manny Pacquiao was chosen by the executive committee of the Metro Manila Film Festival Philippines as among three best screenplays included in the second batch of entries for the 2007 MMFF to be shown starting January 1 next year. In a press conference, Julie Borje, chairman of the screening committee of the MMFFP, said aside from Pacquiao-starrer 5 Anak ng Kumander, the other movies which completed the total of nine entries for the 2007 MMFF include the movie Banal produced by Comguild and Regal Films produced Desperadas. Latest entry 5 Anak ng Kumander was produced by MP Productions and features Ara Mina, Valerie Concepcion, and Roi Vinzon. Pacquiao’s movie was directed by Jose “Kaka" Balagtas and classified as an action-drama. “We are not simply choosing the good and the best. But we are looking at the scripts holistically. We select on the basis of the film's capacity to be produced and the script's contents. The deliberation has been quite argumentative, but we ended well. These are the last and final three entries in MMFF 2007 to be shown starting January 1 next year," Borje said. Banal, an action-drama movie directed by Cesar Apolinario, stars Marvin Agustin, Dingdong Dantes, Iza Calzado, Jacklyn Jose, Joel Torre, and Pepe Smith. Desperadas, drama-comedy movie directed by Joel Lamangan, stars Ruffa Gutierrez, Carmina Villaroel, Sheryll Cruz, and Janice de Belen. Borje said the 2007 MMFF is composed of two batches, the first with six movies and the second with three movies. Screening will start on December 25 for the first batch and on January 1, 2008, for the second batch. Showing the movies in two batches would allow them to earn more, according to Espiridion Laxa, chairman of the Film Academy of the Philippines. “We earned more from having two batches of entries in the festival compared to one batch. This was proven in 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, and 2006. Last year, we earned P415 million in the festival. We are expecting to earn half a billion this year and it is doable" Laxa said. The executive committee of the MMFF has announced last June 10 the first batch of entries, including six movies, for the festival this year. The latest movies of Senators Ramon “Bong" Revilla, Jr and Jinggoy Estrada were among the six movies, composing the first batch of entries in the festival, chosen by the executive committee of the MMFF as best screenplays for this year. The announcement was made at the Wack Wack Golf and Country Club by Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) chairman Bayani Fernando. Revilla starred in the movie entitled Resiklo produced by the Imus Productions, Inc., while Estrada is the lead actor of Katas ng Saudi produced by the Maverick Films Inc. Fernando said the criteria for the selection of the six best screenplays for the year include 40 percent for the story, creativity, writing excellence, innovativeness, and thematic values; 50 percent for commercial viability; 10 percent for Filipino cultural and historical values. “This year’s entries have all the critical elements that could launch a box-office hit and our beneficiaries stand to gain from these brilliant creations" Fernando said. Fernando, who heads the MMFF executive committee, said the producers participating in the 2007 Metro Manila Film Festival are welcome to throw their criticism to the composition of the MMFF executive committee. “We have rules and regulations that are crafted by the executive committee headed by your’s truly to prevent controversies," Fernando said. "This year the commercial viability is only 50 percent. I hope all the participants know the rules and regulations of the MMFF. Please don’t complain. Your participation is voluntary." Fernando said the MMFF has other plans and other means to make the festival more credible. Fernando said the MMFF is expected to generate considerable increase in gross revenues compared to last year’s P418 million with the participation of 13 potential box office film entries that would make it into the roster of the MMFF. He said this year’s festival is also expected to soar to greater heights insofar as box office attendance is concerned. “This year’s entries have all the critical elements that could launch a box-office hit and our beneficiaries stand to gain from these brilliant creations," Fernando said. Fernando said the MMFF is a breath of fresh air to the dying local movie industry. Its beneficiaries include the Film Academy of the Philippines, the Motion Picture Anti-Film Piracy Council, the Movie Workers Welfare Fund, the Optical Media Board, the Film Development Council of the Philippines, and the Presidential Social Fund. The other movies chosen by the MMFF executive committee as six of the best screenplays for this year: • Bahay Kubo (MAQ Productions, featuring Dennis Trillo, Diamond Star Maricel Soriano, and Jennylyn Mercado) • Enteng Kabisote 4 (OctoArts Films, featuring box office King and Queen Vic Sotto and Kristine Hermosa) • Shake, Rattle and Roll 9, First Episode: Christmas Tree (Regal Entertainment Inc., featuring Manilyn Reynes, Roxanne Guinoo, and Michelle Rikks) • Sakal, Sakali, Saklolo (Star Cinema-ABS-CBN, featuring screen and real-life sweethearts Judy Ann Santos and Ryan Agoncillo)

- GMANews.TV