Today is the announcement of the four films that will complete the Magic 8 entries to this year’s Metro Manila Film Festival.
Fifteen producers submitted their letter of intent to join the annual festival, which makes a lot of money since the Christmas playdate is the most lucrative season of all playdates during the year.
The Executive Committee of MMFF 2019 will make the announcement this afternoon at the Club Filipino in Greenhills. Expected to attend are the film producers who submitted entries as well as the stars of the respective entries.
Among those hoping to get their entries chosen are Coco Martin (“Tripol Trobol”) where he co-stars with Ai Ai delas Alas and Jennylyn Mercado.
Iza Calzado has two possible entries: the historical drama “Culion” written by Ricky Lee and directed by Alvin Yapan. It stars Jasmine Curtis-Smith, Meryll Soriano, Joem Bascon, Mike Liwag, Nikko Loco and produced by iOptions Productions.
Iza’s second entry is the romance drama titled “Tagpuan,” also written by Ricky Lee, and is directed by Mac Alejandre. This is the reunion movie of Iza and Alfred Vargas. Also in the cast is Shaina Magdayao.
There’s also “Isa Pang Bahaghari” from Heaven’s Best Entertainment Productions, which has Nora Aunor, Phillip Salvador, and Michael de Mesa in the lead roles. Directed by Joel Lamangan and written by Eric Ramos, it came from the same production team that gave us “Rainbow’s Sunset,” which won awards at the 2018 MMFF, including Best Picture.
Also submitted as entries were “Mindanao” (Centerstage Productions) starring Judy Ann Santos and Allen Dizon; “Damaso” (Regis Films), a musical-historical film with Arnell Ignacio, Vina Morales, and Jin Macapagal; “The Heiress,” the horror film from Regal Entertainment, starring Janella Salvador, Sunshine Cruz, McCoy de Leon and Ms. Maricel Soriano, directed by Frasco Mortiz.
These are just some of the films hoping to get the nod of the MMFF Selection Committee and be part of the Magic 8. Good luck and we wish that the truly deserving films will be selected as entries!
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National leaders and showbiz celebrities were invited and expressing support for the 5th #World Pandesal Day starting 8:30 a.m. today. The public is invited to receive 70,000 free pandesal breads, Eden cheese, Mega sardines and other food gifts at Quezon City’s pioneer, artisanal, 80-year-old Kamuning Bakery Cafe at No. 43 Judge Jimenez Street corner K-1st Street, Barangay Kamuning, Q.C.
Among those who sent messages of support for this civic and cultural project are President Rodrigo R. Duterte, former Senate President Manuel “Manny” B. Villar, GMA Network Inc. Chairman Atty. Felipe Gozon, Federation of Filipino Chinese Chambers of Commerce and Industry, Inc. (FFCCCII) Pres. Dr. Henry Lim Bon Liong, and others.
Among various confirmed VIP guests include Senator Cynthia Villar, Senator Risa Hontiveros, Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III, Manila Mayor Isko Moreno, Regal Films founder Mother Lily Y. Monteverde, Joaquin “Joaqui” Roces, Jr. (grandson of Kamuning Bakery Café’s first regular customer in 1939, the pre-war media tycoon Alejandro Roces and eldest grandson of late publisher/activist Joaquin “Chino” Roces), and others.
As part of the month-long celebration of Pandesal Month, Kamuning Bakery Café is organizing two free medical, dental and optical missions in its premises in Q.C.; first was on October 6 and the next one will be on October 27, Sunday, from 8 a.m. to 12 noon in cooperation with FFCCCII and the Society of Philippine Entertainment Editors, Inc. (SPEED).
World Pandesal Day is a unique civic and cultural project which hopes to honor the humble yet great Filipino bread pandesal and highlight the need to solve age-old social problems of hunger and poverty. It is also Kamuning Bakery Cafe’s thanksgiving for continuous public patronage since 1939, despite a destructive 2018 fire which heavily damaged it, and the rise of giant bread factories and many modern bakery chains.
Realty entrepreneur and writer Wilson Lee Flores said that although Kamuning Bakery Café is just a small business which he bought and revived four years ago, he was inspired to start World Pandesal Day charities due to the Bible story of a humble boy who shared five loaves of bread and two fishes, which Jesus Christ multiplied to feed over 5,000 men plus many women and children. Oct. 16 is also World Bread Day.
Despite suffering a destructive fire last year caused by a neighboring resto bar and now still recovering, Kamuning Bakery Cafe continues its various unique philanthropic projects like this annual World Pandesal Day, the non-partisan Pandesal Forum for leaders and newsmakers to discuss issues, the World Poetry Day every March 21, donations to many orphanages and marginalized groups, etc.
Ever since Flores bought and revived it, Kamuning Bakery Cafe had also donated four public school buildings in rural areas, like for Sta. Rosa Elementary School in historic seaside Balangiga town in Eastern Samar province, the Villa Bacolor Elementary School in Tarlac City of Tarlac province, and many others.