Artistry or commercial viability

As early as June for an event that will take place in December, it already created a buzz. Filled with controversies last year that even landed to a Senate investigation, this year’s Metro Manila Film Festival offers an early topic to talk about. It all started when three members of its Executive Committee resigned in apparent protest over a major change.

Last year, things changed for one magnificent brief moment when Nicanor Tiongson assumed leadership and declared commercial films ineligible from entering the competition. Many believed that this was the great reformation for the film industry. It was supposed to be the catalyst that would remind people what the MMFF is capable of if the right movies were chosen. But as we can see from this year’s initial lineup, the resigned members believe that it is clearly not the case.

Last June 30, the MMFF announced this year’s first four entries. The following entries have been evaluated by the committee: Ang Panday, Almost Is Not Enough, The Revengers, Love Traps #Family Goals. Noteworthy is the criteria for choosing the entries: 40% artistic excellence, 40% commercial appeal, 10% promotion of Filipino cultural and historical values and10% global appeal. Initially, given such criteria there were quality entries, including a Palanca winner, that didn’t make it, giving a comeback to the box office giants. Script selections proved that there is a conflict between commercial and quality, and that commercial was eventually given the upper-hand.

On the other hand, some noted that last year’s MMFF has suffered at the box office, with many moviegoers complaining that the lack of lighthearted MMFF movies has affected their “Christmas tradition” at the theatres. This observation is supported by one film official that filmmaking is a business as much as it is an art. But the hardest part is to find the balance so we can serve both of its purpose.

She added that last year can be a big artistic achievement for Philippine cinema but we have to consider that unfortunately, the numbers didn’t support that. Four hundred million is not enough to sustain a theater industry. She added before explaining that the country only has “an annual average of 20% audience viewership” and filmmakers and producers need the Christmas viewership “to recoup their losses.”

It cannot be denied that turnout is really important when we talk about the business side and a P1 billion loss is no joke in any sector. Specifically, the 2015 MMFF grossed P1.20 billion while the 2016 iteration grossed P413 million.

Though there is a grain of truth to that seeing that there are people who genuinely want to watch lighthearted films during the Holiday season, should we really sacrifice quality just to have a few laughs from cheap jokes?

Last year was the first time that a majority of participants in the MMFF were independent films. And we never know in the succeeding years, more viewers may eventually come to love and patronize indie films—and gradually no line would divide between indies and mainstreams. Time will come when viewers would be after for quality innovation and not star power.  

It would probably take a decade to educate the viewers and establish a culture of quality film viewing. The relativity of quality can be redefined and be part of a long-term education of a brand of culture that regards the intermingling of quality and commercial viability, along with the area of entertainment value. And since the change has started, it is right to continue it and see its fruition.