The Metro Manila Film Festival, again, is hit by controversy as it pulls out Erik Matti’s Honor Thy Father on its Best Picture nominees. This move by the organizers sparked, again, the debate on the quality of movies being admitted into the Philippines’ grandest film festival.

The multifaceted debate is mainly between those who are positing that (1) Metro Manila Film Festival, the premier film festival of the Philippines, is not meant for the intelligentsia, and is catering the mass audiences, thus, the literati shouldn’t expect much from it; and (2) Metro Manila Film Festival has the power to shape the mass audiences’ critical taste for quality Filipino films through highly selective admissions process, thus, the burden lies on the organization which is spearheaded by the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (which was Imelda Marcos’ brainchild).

If it makes it better, let us recognize the organizers for creating the New Wave Category (Yeah. Thanks, Francis Tolentino. Ugh.) However, while I agree that Christmas is the perfect time to strike while the iron is hot for cheaper (literally and figuratively) flicks, I agree that the organization should have the ultimate goal of upping the quality of movies produced in the Philippines and developing the culture of the Filipino audiences through critically-acclaimed intelligent film choices.

And although we are throwing all our disappointments at the MMFF secretariat, let us take time to take a look back at previous official selections to give us hope that in time, again, Philippines, with much thrusts from both the sides of the producers and the audiences, will reach an entertainment renaissance in this age of social media and IOT.

So, starting with the 15th, here are 15 really good Metro Manila Film Festival entries (No spoilers; Hint: Click on the titles.):

15. CRYING LADIES

• Metro Manila Film Festival 2003
• Genre: Comedy, Drama
• Director: Mark Meily
• Writer: Mark Meily
• Starring: Sharon Cuneta, Hilda Koronel, Angel Aquino

A Catholic adulteress and a Darna bitplayer were recruited by a petty thief, played by Sharon Cuneta, to be mourners for the funeral of a rich Chinese businessman in Manila. The movie is realistic but it still tickles our imagination as to how the mourning industry actually works. But more than that, this is a story of three women of three backgrounds with issues of their own to cry for.

14. GANITO KAMI NOON, PAANO KAYO NGAYON

• Metro Manila Film Festival 1976
• Genre: Comedy, Romance, Musical, Drama
• Director: Eddie Romero
• Writer: Roy C. Iglesias
• Starring: Eddie Garcia, Christopher de Leon, Gloria Diaz

The movie revolves around the search for the Filipino identity. Interestingly, the question is still left unanswered today. The protagonist, Kulas, played by Christopher de Leon, is a dim-witted Southern Tagalog (I assumed due to the accent) guy who had been through a lot of instances where the Filipino identity was showcased. Kulas was instrumental in relaying the message of what should the real Filipino be. This dark comedy effectively sends the message without resorting to slapstick – the Filipino identity.

13. EL PRESIDENTE

• Metro Manila Film Festival 2012
• Genre: Historical, Drama, Politics, Action, War
• Director: Mark Meily
• Writer: Mark Meily
• Starring: Jeorge Estregan, Christopher de Leon, Cesar Montano, Cristine Reyes, Nora Aunor

More than a 21st century depiction of Emilio Aguinaldo’s life, the movie is a chronicle of the Philippine-American War and the Katipunan politics.  Presidential nephew Jeorge Estregan plays Emilio Aguinaldo, Christopher de Leon plays Antonio Luna, and Cesar Montano plays Andres Bonifacio.

12. BONIFACIO: ANG UNANG PANGULO

• Metro Manila Film Festival 2014
• Genre: Historical, Drama, Politics, Action, War
• Director: Enzo Williams
• Writer: Enzo Williams
• Starring: Robin Padilla, Vina Morales, Daniel Padilla

Not long after El Presidente, a Bonifacio biopic came out. Its whole story unfolded through the flashbacks told to present-day students who have visited the museum by the curator played by Eddie Garcia. This movie seems to be an antithesis to El Presidente as it reinstates the place of Andres Bonifacio in Philippine history as the first president – in outstanding production comparable to that of critical and commercial success Jerrold Tarog’s Heneral Luna. Unfortunately, Bonifacio did not perform as well in the box office.

11. 10,000 HOURS

• Metro Manila Film Festival 2013
• Genre: Action, Drama, Politics
• Director: Joyce Bernal
• Writer: Ryllah Epifania Berico, Keiko Aquino
• Starring: Robin Padilla, Bella Padilla

Robin Padilla plays the character of a Senator who is forced to leave the country to escape impending danger that is caused, not necessarily by political opponents, but the very political landscape of the Philippines – which includes not just politicians but the police force, the military force, and the media. The movie is inspired by former Senator Panfilo Lacson’s experience when he had to fly out of the country in 2010 before he would be arrested over the Dacer-Corbito double murder case.

 

10. KARNAL

 

• Metro Manila Film Festival 1983
• Genre: Drama
• Director: Marilou Diaz Abaya
• Writer: Ricky Lee
• Starring: Phillip Salvador, Cecille Castillo, Vic Silayan, Joel Torre

Seemingly inspired by a 1981 movie with a rather similar theme, Ricky Lee’s superb literary genius meets Marilou Diaz Abaya’s creative cinematic technique in this Filipino classic drama. Wait. Not just drama. Make that Filipino classic tragedy. This tragic story of a horny father and a newlywed tells us how hunger of flesh destroys everything – thus, the title. The film shows how bad we could become if we let our emotions rule us fully.

 

9. TIKTIK

• Metro Manila Film Festival 2012
• Genre: Horror, Action, Comedy
• Director: Erik Matti
• Writer: Erik Matti
• Starring: Dingdong Dantes, Joey Marquez, Lovi Poe, Janice de Belen, Roi Vinzon

Makoy, played by Dingdong Dantes, is pretty much the whole movie – and it is, surprisingly, effective! This horror movie is a refreshing take on the Filipino horror genre that keeps you glued into the screen with a little nuance of the daily comic Filipino slice-of-life while reminding you of your old ancestral homes in the province! More than the entertaining and not-so-complex plot, the movie is a visual treat and something that could be considered a benchmark in Philippine cinema.

8. BONA

• Metro Manila Film Festival 1980
• Genre: Drama
• Director: Lino Brocka
• Writer: Cenen Ramones
• Starring: Nora Aunor, Phillip Salvador

Nora Aunor plays Bona – a fan to the bitplayer Gardo. Well, more than  a fan. Bona was Gardo’s slave. Bona chose Gardo over her family only to realize that she has settled for the wrong choice. This movie was shown in the Film Festivals of Cannes, Figueira da Foz, and Vienna. This was adapted into a play with the title role played by award-winning actress Eugene Domingo. Also, a warning on Marissa Delgado – a real bombshell!

7. BAGONG BUWAN

• Metro Manila Film Festival 2001
• Genre: Drama, Action, War
• Director: Marilou Diaz Abaya
• Writer: Ricky Lee; Jun Lana
• Starring: Cesar Montano, Amy Austria, Jiro Manio, Caridad Sanchez

Bagong Buwan is a very realistic representation of the Islamic jihad (or struggle) in the Philippines. It stars Cesar Montano as Dr. Ahmad and Amy Austria as his wife Fatima. Jiro’s character is not their son – and he’s Catholic.  It sheds light on our misconceptions of Muslim Filipinos. The movie is as heart-wrenching as it is inspiring and enlightening. The stellar cast adds to the genius storytelling technique and superb production.

6. DEKADA ’70

• Metro Manila Film Festival 2002
• Genre: Drama, History, War
• Director: Chito Roño
• Writer: Lualhati Bautista
• Starring: Christopher de Leon, Vilma Santos, Piolo Pascual, Marvin Agustin

Lualhati Bautista’s novel Dekada ’70 is a convergence of many themes that would still be relevant today even without Martial Law – women’s roles, family ties, and the state of Philippine consciousness towards social issues. The movie introduces millennials the Martial law era within the middle class and it has Kris Aquino playing a cameo. Well, it does make sense since there were a lot of Ninoy Aquino references. So, let’s not hate. Going back, Dekada ’70 is sure to be a food for the heart, the soul, and the mind.

5. INSIANG

• Metro Manila Film Festival 1976
• Genre: Drama
• Director: Lino Brocka
• Writer: Mario O’Hara
• Starring: Hilda Koronel, Mona Lisa, Rez Cortez, Ruel Vernal

This movie lost to Ganito Kami Noon, Paano Kayo Ngayon in the 1976 MMFF for the Best Picture category. However, it has jumped off to become the first Filipino film to be ever shown at the prestigious Cannes Film Festival. Insiang is a story of hard revenge, rape, victim-blaming, wasting of water, and other nuances present in that same old impoverished community which still seem to have not been alleviated even up to this  day.

4. KISAPMATA

• Metro Manila Film Festival 1981
• Genre: Drama
• Director: Mike de Leon
• Writer: Clodualdo del Mundo
• Starring: Vic Silayan, Charito Solis, Jay Ilagan, Charo Santos

Based on Nick Joaquin’s The House on Zapote Street, Kisapmata is a Filipino tragedy at its finest – with all the grit delivered in prose and visual and its potential to paint pictures on our imagination and ask questions to our intuition. Kisapmata is not your ordinary 1980s film and putting this beside the new films we have will make the latter inferior. Apart from the resolution, seeing the young Charo Santos is sure to make you feel nostalgic. This is a must-watch!

3. SINAPUPUNAN

• Metro Manila Film Festival 2012
• Genre: Drama, War
• Director: Brillante Ma. Mendoza
• Writer: Henry Burgos
• Starring: Nora Aunor, Lovi Poe, Bembol Roco, Mercedes Cabral

Considered as a comeback movie of Nora Aunor, Thy Womb have reached critical acclaim but has failed to gain traction at the box office. The movie has presented the agonies of a Muslim midwife who cannot bear child. There were not much memorable quotes and hugot lines but Nora Aunor shows that her craft has gone even better just by how her eyes and cheeks move, and how her voice delivers the emotions.

2. HIMALA

• Metro Manila Film Festival 1982
• Genre: Drama
• Director: Ishmael Bernal
• Writer: Ricky Lee
• Starring: Nora Aunor, Gigi Dueñas, Spanky Manikan, Vangie Labalan

With the line “Walang himala! Ang himala ay nasa puso ng tao” becoming a household thing and a staple in pop culture, this movie is unarguably the most influential movie combining Ricky Lee, Ishmael Bernal, and Nora Aunor. From its effective cast to the open-ended finish, this film has received a number of accolades in the country and abroad, and until now, is ceaselessly raising the flag of the Philippines and its cinema. This movie explores the themes of the Filipino traits of superstitions, fanaticism, and stampedes. Lol. There is also a musical adaptation of Himala.

1. JOSE RIZAL

• Metro Manila Film Festival 1998
• Genre: Historical, Drama, Politics, War
• Director: Marilou Diaz Abaya
• Writer: Ricky Lee, Jun Lana
• Starring: Cesar Montano, Gloria Diaz, Jaime Fabregas

Winning over 70 awards here and abroad, Jose Rizal is unarguably the most epic historical masterpiece ever made so far in the history of Philippine cinema. Diaz-Abaya and Lee have collaborated again for this biopic coinciding with the Philippine Independence Centennial celebration, which may have been a factor to its commercial success (as opposed to critical success alone). Told in medias res and with excerpts from Rizal’s novels Noli and El Fili, Jose Rizal is a sure treat to the heart and the mind of a patriotic citizen reaffirming the heroism of the First Filipino.

 

SPECIAL CITATIONS:

• Muro Ami (Metro Manila Film Festival 1999) directed by Marilou Diaz Abaya and screenplay by Ricky Lee and Jun Lana
• Magic Temple (Metro Manila Film Festival 1996) directed by Peque Gallaga and Lore Reyes and screenplay by Peque Gallaga, Lore Reyes, and Erik Matti
• Ang Panday (Metro Manila Film Festival 1980) directed by Fernando Poe Jr. and screenplay by Carlo J. Caparas
• Minsa’y Isang Gamu–Gamo (Metro Manila Film Festival 1976) directed by Lupita Aquino Kashiwahara and screenplay by Marina Feleo-Gonzales

 

See? It’s not all trash. 🙂