Who really won big at the Metro Manila Film Festival

Is the moviemaking industry of the Philippines an accurate barometer of our national economy’s global competitiveness and the quality of state support? What is the future of Philippine movies as a business? How can we export our films like South Korea, Thailand, Hong Kong, Taiwan and China do? How can we harness the vast potential of cinema to boost national morale, promote arts and culture, and boost the tourism of the Philippines?

Congratulations to the Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF) 2014 organizers, led by Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) chairman Francis Tolentino, for this annual project, which grossed a billion pesos in less than two weeks — a new record —and for its much more credible set of award winners this year.

For me, the real big winners of the MMFF 2014 were 65-year-old business scion Fernando Ortigas for helping bankroll two of the films that were judged the best: Bonifacio: Ang Unang Pangulo starring Robin Padilla and Vina Morales, and English Only, Please starring Derek Ramsay and Jennylyn Mercado.

The next big winners of the MMFF 2014 were ABS-CBN Broadcasting Corporation’s Star Cinema, led by managing director Malou Santos, and smart businesswoman, actress/TV host Kris Aquino, both of whom were behind the two biggest box office hits: The Amazing Praybeyt Benjamin and Feng Shui.

Queen of box office movies Kris Aquino(left) No. 1 filmmaker Star Cinema managing director Malou Santos (right)

Private enterprise in support of the arts

Unknown to most people, Fernando Ortigas of the landed Hispanic Ortigas clan of Greenhills, San Juan City, used his Tuko Film Productions to partner with Philippians Productions to create the historical drama on the life and tragic death of anti-colonial revolutionary leader Andres Bonifacio. This film sought to correct the alleged unresolved murder and injustice suffered by the hero Bonifacio under the hands of the followers of his political archrival, General Emilio Aguinaldo.

Surprisingly, Ortigas is also the businessman of the same Tuko Film Productions that partnered with Quantum Films to produce the surprise box office hit English Only, Please. In September or October 2015, Tuko will partner with Artikulo Uno Productions of another old-rich Hispanic businessman, Eduardo Rocha, to release Heneral Luna starring John Arcilla. This movie will again relive the life and tragic death of revolutionary hero General Antonio Luna under the hands of the men of the controversial General Emilio Aguinaldo, president of the Philippine revolutionary republic.

Due to a combination of its impressive filmmaking prowess and mass media promotions clout through ABS-CBN, Star Cinema’s two films grossed the highest box office sales in the MMFF.

A large part of their box office success can be attributed to Kris Aquino, whose son Bimby is part of one film while she herself co-starred with Coco Martin in the second most successful movie. Aquino is a very smart businesswoman and multimedia strategist, positioning her telegenic son Bimby with the country’s most popular comedian, Vice Ganda, and herself with a top movie actor. When I asked Aquino’s first cousin Mia Aquino Concio about Kris’ talent for promotion, Mia said: “Kris is really very shrewd, she is very intelligent.”

The Top 4 MMFF 2014 box-office hits

Despite a few shortcomings, the MMFF 2014 has emerged as the most successful edition of the 40-year-old event, according to organizers. ABS-CBN News reported that it broke all past box office records after 12 days in movie theaters nationwide.

The MMFF main competition had eight entries grossing P949 million nationwide by Jan. 5, compared to last year’s box-office sales of P936 million for the same 12 days.

According to MMDA chairman Francis Tolentino, the top four movies in box-office receipts were as follows:

No. 1 is The Amazing Praybeyt Benjamin starring Vice Ganda and Bimby Aquino Yap; No. 2 is the horror flick Feng Shui starring Kris Aquino and Coco Martin; No. 3 is My Big Bossing starring comedian Vic Sotto and popular child star Ryzza Mae Dizon; No. 4 is the surprise hit English Only, Please, a romantic-comedy starring Derek Ramsay and Jennylyn Mercado.

A dark-horse entry, English Only, Please surpassed the horror-adventure flick Kubot: The Aswang Chronicles starring Dingdong Dantes, after it won as Second Best Picture on Dec. 27, and after its stars Derek and Jennylyn won Best Actor and Best Actress, respectively. English Only, Please also won Best Director for Dan Villegas, Best Screenplay, Best Original Story, and Best Editor.

A meaningful historical drama film, Robin Padilla’s Bonifacio: Ang Unang Pangulo won the much-coveted Best Picture award, but its box office didn’t go up significantly.

Reforms & strategic vision needed to export local films

The MMFF 2014 seems like a microcosm of the Philippine economy in the 21st century; it has steadily improved this year compared to previous years but still has immense untapped potential and weaknesses.

Apart from many years of insufficient national government support in terms of incentives, tax grants, long-term strategic planning and technological logistics for the Philippine movie industry, the MMFF has for years seemingly become an annual fundraising bonanza for filmmakers due to its protectionist restrictions barring foreign movies during its nearly two-week run. The MMFF has improved, but it needs more reforms and more new ideas.

When can our leaders reform MMFF and overall national film policies to use this annual film festival to significantly upgrade the quality and global competitiveness of Philippine movies in an entrepreneurial and market-driven way, so that we can be at par with those of South Korea, Thailand, and China?

How can we businesspeople, the government and other sectors help leverage the innately rich artistic talents and great natural film settings, as well as the tropical climate of the Philippines, to build up our local movies as major exports and as future global box-office hits?

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