MQuest Ventures bolsters role in producing ‘Filipino-first’ content
From “GomBurZa” and “The Kingdom” to the 2025 Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF) entry “Manila’s Finest,” the content and creative hub of MediaQuest, MQuest Ventures, is bolstering its role in producing “Filipino-first” content for modern audiences.
“Manila’s Finest,” starring Piolo Pascual and helmed by Raymond Red, copped the most number of trophies at the recently concluded awards night or Gabi ng Parangal of the 51st edition of annual filmfest organized by the Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA).
It took home a total of eight awards, including Third Best Picture, Best Cinematography, Best Original Theme Song for Vehnee Saturno’s Sandalan, Best Sound for Roy Santos, Best Musical Score for Frederik Sandoval and Emerzon Texon, Best Production Design for Digo Ricio and, for the third year in a row, the coveted Gatpuno Antonio J. Villegas Cultural Award.
“Manila’s Finest” is co-produced with Cignal TV and Spring Films.
Speaking on behalf of the entire production during the group’s acceptance of the Third Best Picture honor, direk Raymond underscored the work behind the period crime thriller set in 1969, about a group of police officers at the Manila Police District grappling with escalating unrest in the lead-up to Martial Law.
“Thank you for the recognition, to the MMFF, to the Jury, to the MMDA. I always say, this is my first time in the Metro Manila Film Festival, naunahan pa ako ng anak ko, sila Mikhael Red, nanalo na sila dito. Mik, andito na kahit papaano,” he said, referring to his son’s First Best Picture win at the 2022 MMFF.
“I’m grateful to the producers, MQuest, Spring Films, kay Piolo, for the trust, that they believed that I could pull this off, even with the tight schedules.”
Direk Raymond, who initially signed up as the film’s cinematographer until he was tasked to take over the whole production as director, added, “You know, I haven’t done a film in 10 years, so everybody was wondering kung kakayanin ko ba. It was amazing that it went smoothly. Salamat sa lahat ng sumuporta and nag-trabaho talaga for this film. We were quite surprised na nabuo namin yung film the way it is.”
The director hoped that more people would actually go out and watch the MMFF films, not just “Manila’s Finest,” not skip them or wait for streaming.
“Sana panoorin ng mas maraming tao, sana mas maraming audiences ang manood sa Metro Manila Film Festival. Ako personal advocacy ko yan to fight for watching movies the classic way, on the big screen, and watching from beginning to end. ‘Di yung pino-pause natin and nire-rewind because pinaghirapan yan from pre-production, script-writing, editing to shooting.
“It was meant to be seen in its length. Si Lav Diaz nga, eight hours. So sana bumalik ang mga tao and maniwala ulit ang tao sa kakaibang experience of watching movies on the big screen.”
“Manila’s Finest” simply continues the momentum that MQuest started with the 2023 historical drama “GomBurZa.” To recall, the historical film bagged the Second Best Picture at the 49th MMFF, Best Director Award for Pepe Diokno, Best Actor Award for Cedrick Juan, Best Cinematography for Carlo Mendoza and other awards. It was co-produced by Jesuit Communications, MQuest Ventures and CMB Film Services and starred Cedrick, Dante Rivero, Enchong Dee and Piolo.
Last year, the action-adventure movie “The Kingdom,” directed by Michael Tuviera, won Second Best Picture at the 50th MMFF, Best Director and Best Production Design, as well as the prestigious Gatpuno Antonio J. Villegas Cultural Award. Produced by APT Entertainment, MQuest Ventures and MZet Television Productions, the cast included Vic Sotto, Piolo, Cristine Reyes, Sue Ramirez and Sid Lucero.
“Our goal has always been to provide a platform where the Filipino creative spirit can flourish without fear or compromise,” president and chief executive officer of MediaQuest Jane Jimenez-Basas remarked in a statement.
“By investing in high-quality productions and courageous scripts, we aim to elevate our local industry to global standards. Supporting our filmmakers is, and always will be, our investment in the Filipino soul,” she added.
“In an era of foreign streaming dominance, MQuest Ventures (MQV) upholds the dignity of Philippine cinema by providing innovative storytellers with opportunities to thrive, while inviting audiences to see fresh insights on their history and triumphs on the big screen. Driven by this vision, MQV remains a steadfast partner of the Philippine filmmaking community in its mission to share the Filipino story with the world,” MQuest Ventures said in a media release.
In an earlier interview with The STAR, Piolo, who has not only made back-to-back MMFF projects with MQuest but also collaborated with the company on his action film “The Ride,” released earlier this year, shared that he was deeply grateful for all the major projects that have come his way throughout his career. “Manila’s Finest,” in fact, marked his third consecutive participation in the MMFF.
“You look back on these 10 to 20 years down the road, and you realize it’s really nice to give to people,” he said.
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