DAVAO CITY – A partylist lawmaker wanted a deeper probe on the Metro Manila Film Festival last December after one of the entries was barred from the best picture competition.
In a statement, Gabriela Women’s Partylist Rep. Emmi de Jesus called on the House Committee on Metro Manila Development to “go beyond tinkering around the Metro Manila Film Festival to merely unearth repetitious irregularities and instead directly question the bottom line of the festival’s money making mandate.”
De Jesus said they are disappointed at the disqualification of the movie “Honor Thy Father” from the best picture competition after the latter opened for another local film festival.
De Jesus said the MMFF “needs to be revamped to bring back some luster and relevance of the festival.”
“Ang MMFF ay binabayaran ng taxpayers, at bilang isang state-sponsored na proyekto ng obrang sining, hindi lamang ito makipag-unahan sa mga pribadong filmfest sa revenue generation. Mas dapat na kalidad ng pelikula ang nauunang agenda. Patunay dito ang pagtanggal ng Honor Thy Father sa best picture sa makipot na dahilang teknikal, senyales na ito na wakasan na ang mga maniobrahan at ilapat ang marangal na pamantayan sa pagpili ng mga entry (Taxpayers pay for MMFF and as a state-sponsored project of art this does not only compete against private film festivals for revenue generation. It should prioritize the quality of the film. The disqualification of Honor Thy Father in best picture competition proves that maneuver on the festival outcome should stop and a dignified standard should be put in place to choose entries),” De Jesus said.
De Jesus expressed the wish that the committee hearing will compel the MMDA and its attached bodies managing the festival to finally make a mutually satisfying resolution with the producer of the disqualified film, while “also ensuring that future festivals will put in place mechanisms that will encourage and not demoralize our filmmakers.”
Honor Thy Father is a film starring John Lloyd Cruz. It is about a family caught in the danger of pyramiding scams in the country.
The House probe started from House Resolution 2581 filed by one of the film’s casts, Laguna Rep. Dan Fernandez. The hearing started on Monday. (davaotoday.com)
