MMFF 2020 tuloy na tuloy sa Pasko; MMDA, Globe, Upstream sanib-pwersa

TULOY na tuloy pa rin ang ang 2020 Metro Manila Film Festival ngayong darating na December.

And yes, walong pelikula pa rin ang maglalaban-laban ngayong taon pero siyempre, dahil sa banta pa rin ng COVID-19 pandemic hindi pa rin mapapanood sa mga sinehan ang MMFF 2020 Magic 8.

Lahat ng traditional activities ng taunang filmfest ay magaganap virtually at online kabilang na ang Parade of Stars at Gabi ng Parangal — digital at virtual na ang magiging labanan ngayon.

Ito ang ibinandera kamakailan ng 46th MMFF organizers sa ginanap na digital mediacon kabilang na  si Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) and concurrent MMFF chairman na si Danilo Lim.

Dito rin in-announce ang magiging partnership ng MMFF,  Globe Telecom at Upstream para sa pagpapalabas ng walong official entries hindi lang sa Pilipinas kundi maging sa iba’t ibang panig ng mundo.

“MMDA received five proposals, but the best one came from Globe and Upstream, that is set to recreate the Christmas that we love and enjoy,” pahayag ni Lim.

“Bahagi na ng Kapaskuhan dito sa Pilipinas ang MMFF, bahagi na ng tradition. Gawa ng situation natin ngayon na pandemya, gumawa tayo ng paraan. We hope that during the holiday season, families will still enjoy watching movies,” aniya.

Ayon naman kay Direk Quark Henares, head ng Globe Studios, “We all know the annual film festival held during the Christmas season. Filipino films chosen by the MMFF jurors are shown in the cinemas. That has become a holiday tradition and something to celebrate with the families.”

Aniya pa sa kabila nga ng mga challenge na pinagdaanan ng buong bansa ngayong 2020, “We want to end on a happy note. We don’t want to take away the MMFF tradition. We want families to be able to get together, enjoy movies together, enjoy entertainment and enjoy each other as the year ends.”

Dagdag na pahayag pa ni Lim, “MMFF has been part of the Filipino tradition every holiday season. We will not allow the pandemic to decline our people their chance to see Filipino movies. The cinemas will be closed. At least, the families will enjoy the films at home. Hindi pwedeng mawala ang tradition na ‘yan.”

“Muntik nang mawalan ng pag-asa ang Pilipino na ma-experience ang MMFF this Christmas. The film festival is much awaited and anticipated by the public to watch their favorite stars.

“We try our best to bring solutions to the everyday plight of the Filipino people. Since we cannot go to the cinemas, we don’t want to stop Filipinos to enjoy the MMFF lineup wherever they are in the world and become part of Filipino Christmas,” pahayag naman ni Globe president and CEO Ernest Cu.

Kung matatandaan, noong July, apat na pelikula na ang napili bilang official MMFF entries: ang horror film na “Ang Mga Kaibigan ni Mama Susan” starring Joshua Garcia; fantasy-adventure “Magikland” ni Bibeth Orteza; ang comedy na “Praybeyt Benjamin 3” ni Vice Ganda; at “The Exorcism of My Siszums” ng magkapatid na Toni at Alex Gonzaga.

In-extend naman ang deadline para sa submission ng entries sa November.

Bukod sa G Movies ng Globe, mapapanood din ang MMFF 2020 entries through Dondon Monteverde’s Upstream, “This is a big thing for producers who met uncertainty during this time of pandemic.

“Last June, the summer MMFF was already cancelled. I am delighted with this venture that we connected it with the infrastructure of Globe. We can stream the films to all Filipinos here and abroad.

“We did this platform for content producers. We want to bring Filipino ingenuity abroad. We want to entertain the Filipino audience. We want to tell everyone that MMFF 2020 will push through,” ayon pa kay Dondon.