The Manila Film Festival: Successful on all counts

The Manila Film Festival this year is generally a success. Its entries, all of festival quality, were led by Best Picture winner Joel Lamangan’s Ang Huling Birhen sa Lupa. Joel’s film is bound to end up as this year’s best (its most serious opponent so far, is Maryo de los Reyes’ Magnifico, exhibited during the early part of the year).

Even the awards presentation held the other night at the new Aliw Theater (off Roxas Boulevard) was a success. It was just unfortunate that most of the production numbers were uninspired and ill-conceived.

Theopening number, for instance, was a dud. It featured Ara Mina, Aubrey Miles and this group called 17:28 singing what I suppose was a song composed specially for the occasion (actually a tribute to the city that is Manila). And while I appreciate the effort, the song – with its lyrics and melody – proved to be such a blah. It wasn’t festive enough and could not have roused the audience even if Michael Jackson and Madonna sang it as a duet.

Even the choreography of the dancers could have been more inspired. And what was that dancer in a man’s costume doing there? Okay, she was supposed to be part of that collage of people onstage who were supposed to represent the various characters you see in Manila. But then, it looked a bit offensive and sacrilegious seeing a nun – habit and all – swinging to pop music. Unless, of course, this was the Manila Filmfest’s statement regarding the sex scandals rocking the Catholic Church.

The Gary Valenciano song number, of course, appealed to the crowd. But then, Gary Valenciano is Gary Valenciano. He could have very well sung Bahay Kubo and still wow the crowd. I was hoping, however, for a little inventiveness in that number. Maybe the production staff should have added a little more creativity to it so that it didn’t come out looking just like an ordinary spot number.

The Tribute to Raon (our local Tin Pan Alley), fortunately, turned out to be lively – thanks to the wonderful performances of Keempee de Leon, Ciara Sotto, Kyla and JM Rodriguez. And it was just fitting that Ciara was made to sing Downtown, a song very much identified with her mother, Helen Gamboa, the undisputed Queen of Pop during the mid-’60s up to the late ’60s.

The rest of the numbers, sadly, were plain forgettable. Actually, these were just all dance numbers that featured some of the shapeliest bodies in the entertainment profession today. There was, for instance, the sexy dance number of Regine Tolentino. But Regine doing a sexy dance number is really no big shakes anymore. You see her in A.S.A.P. – slipping and sliding on kerosene gas even (remember that not-so-funny incident with Angela Velez?).

Then, there was this other sexy dance number with the Viva Hot Babes. Although it was star-studded – what with the presence of Andrea del Rosario, Maui Taylor and Katya Santos – it was something you’d see when you turn on the TV set any ordinary day.

Finally, there was this still other sexy dance number with the Sex Bomb Dancers – with Patricia Javier thrown into the caboodle. Sure, I am a fan of this dance group. But then, I see them every day in Eat, Bulaga! – so what is so special about that? That they’re dancing with Patricia Javier? Again, the production staff should have cooked up something different for the Sex Bomb Dancers to do for that supposedly special occasion.

The finale – a vocal calisthenics featuring Robert Seña, Isay Alvarez, Jenine Desiderio and Audrey Gemora – could not be faulted. The fact that it relied purely on talent and not gimmickry is much appreciated. However, it was a bit anti-climactic for a finale. And frankly, it was a number better suited for a more intimate crowd – like in a lounge or in one of those small ballrooms in any of Manila’s fine hotels.

But let’s focus now on the merits of the Manila Filmfest awards night.

Overall, the direction of the awards presentation was very smooth with all its camerawork almost seamless.

The lighting was also creative and faultless except for one brief moment when Isay Alvarez’s face actually turned green and made her look like the Hulk’s better half.

The set design was marvelous (and expensive – constructed to the tune of half a million pesos) – with Manila’s great landmarks re-created on the Aliw Theater stage.

The hosting of Edu Manzano and Judy Ann Santos was also laudable. They kept their spiels brief and no-nonsense.

But best of all, it was great to have watched the awards night on TV because there were no lengthy commercial breaks – unlike in other awards presentations.

Most touching was the tribute to one of local cinema’s greatest matinee idols, Armando Goyena, who gave a short, but meaningful speech. Mr. Goyena was an excellent choice for that Lifetime Achievement Award given that he is a true-blue Manileño, having grown up in the district of Ermita.

The awarding of prizes in the Male and Female Stars of the Night portion, incidentally, was quite commendable. Of course, if you ask me, I’d rather do away with these categories because the whole segment trivializes the awards presentation since the Male and Female Stars of the Night categories have nothing to do with film excellence.

To his credit, Manila Filmfest awards night director Ding Bolaños kept this entire portion short and hurriedly did away with it. The winners – Gary Valenciano and Bianca Araneta (although the presenter, a councilor, called her Blanca) were truly deserving of the special prizes.

And wasn’t it just wonderful for Bianca? She just went there to accompany her lolo (Armando Goyena) and, all of a sudden, she gets voted Female Star of the Night. She’s one lucky winner, I tell you. At least, she got to bring home a P10,000 gift check from Liz Claiborne and not a big can of cooking oil which Sharon Cuneta was made to lug around on FAMAS night.

This Manila Filmfest awards night – generally speaking – was a success. I may not have been so pleased with the production numbers, but the flow, as I said, was smooth. When it comes to the show’s technical aspects, it was almost perfect.

More importantly, the proceedings went on without any untoward incident. At least, there was no repeat of what happened to Sharon Cuneta last year when she had to stop in the middle of her song number because of a technical problem. And yes, there was no scam.

But the most wonderful thing is that I agree with all the choices of the board of judges. That the roster of winners is acceptable to the public who watches local movies is truly the gauge of the success of any film awards event.