NAGKAPALITAN ng kani-kanilang pananaw sina Sen. Tito Sotto at Film Development Council of the Philippines chairperson Liza Diño sa kung anong klase ng pelikula ba talaga ang dapat ipalabas sa Metro Manila Film Festival.
Take note, Liza is the partner of Aiza Seguerra na nakapalitan ng maiinit na pahayag ni Sen. Tito kamakailan.
Sen. Tito calls for a ba-lancing act specifically on commercial viability and quality of films na isasali sa MMFF bunsod na rin sa nakita niyang pagbagsak sa kita nito ng mahigit 60 percent to P373 million from over P1 billion last year.
Pinropose rin ni Sen. Tito na maging nationwide na ang concentration ng MMFF. Habang si MMFF Overall Chairman Thomas Orbos naman ay nag-suggest ng separate filmfest for indie films.
Sabi ni Liza, a separate festival may be premature at dapat bigyan ng chance ang current MMFF format. This is also a call for unity in the film industry to bridge the gap between independent and commercial filmmakers.
Pero sabi naman ni Sen. Tito, “We should be careful and we should listen to theater owners and stakeholders because they can refuse to participate in the MMFF if we push them too hard and it is not anymore commercially viable for them.”
Inayunan naman ni Boots Anson Roa ang sinabi ni Sen. Tito of infusing greater quality in the commercially viable films. Although, okey din sa kanya ang ginawang pagbabago ng MMFF in terms of goals, structure but not too drastic.
Sa isang portion ng nakaraang Senate hearing tungkol sa mga isyu sa MMFF, natuwa kami that finally na-discuss din kung ano ba talaga ang definition ng indie film. Paliwanag ni Liza, indie films daw ay mga pelikulang pinrodyus ng non-studio producers.
Marami agad ang hindi nag-agree kay Liza sa sinabi niya from some of the people in the industry na present during the hearing including the members of the entertainment media. E, kasi nga, even the Philippines biggest TV network’s film arm na Star Cinema ay nagpapalabas din ng indie movies.
Pero may nagsalita naman doon na ang boundaries daw between indie and mainstream have become BLURRED and calls for re-evaluation of the present state of Philippine cinema.
Agree kami diyan. Alisin na kasi ang pagtawag ng indie at mainstream. Parehong pelikula lang ‘yan at huwag na nating pahirapan pa ang industrya.
Sa huli, sinabi ni Sen. Grace Poe, ang chairman ng committee na nag-handle ng hearing which is the Senate Committee on Public Information and Mass Media na dapat i-take into consideration ang appeal ng mga pelikula nina Vic Sotto at Vice Ganda sa public. Excellent films daw were produced in the past MMFF, pero huwag din daw kalimutan na may mga bata ring kasama sa Kapaskuhan na dapat ay makasama ng kanilang pa-milya.
Magbubuo din daw si Sen. Grace ng technical working group at mag-iimibita ng stakeholders to craft a measure that will consider the welfare and the rights of workers in the industry.