(UPDATE) THE last five entries to make up the ten finalists to this year's 50th Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF) were announced Tuesday at The Podium Hall of SM's Podium Mall in Ortigas Center, Mandaluyong City.
These are: "My Future You" by Regal Entertainment, starring Francine Diaz and Seth Fedelin and directed by Crisanto Aquino: "Uninvited" by Mentorque Productions, starring Vilma Santos and Aga Muhlach and directed by Dan Villegas; "Topak" by Nathan Studios starring Arjo Atayde, Kokoy de Santos and Julia Montes and directed by Richard Sommes; "Hold Me Close" by Viva Films, starring Carlo Aquino and Julia Barretto and directed by Jason Paul Laxamana; and "Espantaho" by Quantum Films, starring Judy Ann Santos and Lorna Tolentino and directed by Chito S. Roño.
Metropolitan Manila Development Authority Chairman Ronaldo "Don" Artes welcomed the heads and members of the industry's primary stakeholders, namely Mowelfund (Movie Workers Welfare Foundation), the Film Academy of the Philippines (FAP), the Directors and Producers Guilds of the Philippines (DGP and PGP), Aktor (League of Filipino Actors) and the MMFF Executive Committee.
"The MMFF Execom received 70 scripts and 31 finished films for this edition, signifying the unwavering passion of the film industry despite the many challenges it continues to face," the MMDA chief said in Filipino.
He announced that in order to ensure that the quality films and their efforts do not go to waste, the MMDA and MMFF will do their best to mount a summer film festival in 2025.
The announcement also saw the unveiling of the special trophy designed by US-based Filipino-American visual artist Jefre Figueras Manuel, best known by his mononym Jefrë. He is the same artist behind such landmark installations as "Time," the giant mirror stainless steel human sculpture in front of SM Megamall along EDSA; "Bayani" atop the entrance of the DoubleDragon Meridian Park building further south; and the equally colossal "The Victor" statue in Bridgetown, Pasig City, among others.
The first five official entries of the Christmas film festival were previously announced at the grand launch of MMFF's 50th Anniversary activities in July. These are "Strange Frequencies: Haunted Hospital" by Reality MM Studios, starring Jane de Leon, Enrique Gil, Alexa Miro and MJ Lastimosa, directed by Kerwin Go, and written by Go and Dustin Celestino; "The Kingdom" by APT Entertainment, M-Zet TV Productions and MQuest Ventures, starring Vic Sotto and Piolo Pascual and directed by Michael Tuviera; "Himala, Isang Musikal" by Kapitol Films and UxS, starring Aicelle Santos, David Ezra, Victor Robinson, and Bituin Escalante and directed by Jose Lorenzo Diokno; "Green Bones" by GMA Pictures, starring Sofia Pablo and Dennis Trillo and directed by Zig Dulay; and "And the Breadwinner" by Star Cinema and The IdeaFirst Company, starring Vice Ganda, Gina Pareño, Eugene Domingo, Maris Racal, Jhong Hilario, and Kokoy de Santos and directed by Jun Robles Lana.