ABS-CBN brings 3 top-grossing Filipino films from Metro Manila Film Festival 2022 to international cinemas

The Philippine Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) recently announced the top four entries of the 2022 Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF) based on box office receipts. Listed in alphabetical order are the films Deleter, Family Matters, Labyu With An Accent and Partners in Crime.

ABS-CBN, the leading global Filipino media and entertainment organization, with its commitment to bringing the best Filipino talent and entertainment to the world, is screening internationally three of the aforementioned top films from MMFF 2022: Family Matters, Labyu With An Accent and Partners in Crime.

Family Matters, starring veteran actors Noel Trinidad and Liza Lorena, is included unanimously by top movie critics among the best Filipino movies of 2022. No superstars, no loveteams, no gimmicks, no controversies. Just the powerful, thoughtful writing of screenwriter Mel Mendoza Del Rosario, the sensitive and steady direction of Nuel Naval, and one of the most brilliant acting ensembles in the history of modern Filipino cinema. Del Rosario and Nuval previously collaborated for the award-winning adaptation of Miracle in Cell No. 7, a 2019 MMFF entry.

Family Matters is a heartfelt drama that explores the complexities of intergenerational relationships of a Filipino family. It starts with a health scare from elderly parent Francisco Florencio (Trinidad). As his wife of 55 years and their children try to deal with the issue, plans and decisions have to be made, with everyone having his or her own assessment and motive on how to best deal with the situation, most important of all, the father himself. How to navigate through and settle this madness is at the heart of the story which many families are able to relate to. The excellent cast includes Nonie Buencamino, Agot Isidro, Mylene Dizon, James Blanco, Nikki Valdez, JC Santos, Ina Feleo and Anna Luna.

LABYU WITH AN ACCENT

It’s not easy to bring together superstar Coco Martin, fresh from the record-breaking seven-year run of ABS-CBN’s primetime teleserye, FPJ’s Ang Probinsiyano, and Jodi Sta. Maria, also fresh from her historic best actress award milestone at the 2022 Asian Academy Creative Awards, the first Filipina to do so, for her role in The Bro

ken Marriage Vow. But Labyu With An Accent succeeded in doing so. Martin himself was credited for the story, screenplay by Patrick R. Valencia, with Martin also co-directing with Malu Sevilla. The you-and-me-againstthe-world story brings together Tricia (Sta. Maria), a businesswoman in the U.S. who returns to the Philippines after being cheated on by her fiancé and business partner, and Gabo, a club entertainer who offers the “Ultimate Jowa Experience”, with jowa meaning lover. Tricia avails of Gabo’s service and hatches a plan to keep her domineering father from taking her ex-fiancé back to the family business. But growing feelings of love between Tricia and Gabo come to fore and start complicating the arrangement.

PARTNERS IN CRIME

Vice Ganda was back in MMFF 2022 for Partners in Crime, this time with internet sensation Ivana Alawi, under the direction of award-winning director Cathy Garcia-Molina and with the screenplay of Enrico C. Santos.

This film is quite a riotous doozy of a comedy as the cast went for the laughs with no holds barred. It’s funny seeing the cast throw caution to the wind to give the audience a good guffaw.

Jack (Vice Ganda) and Rose (Alawi) –- yes, Titanic much? – used to be very close friends. They went their separate ways as the romantic feelings of Rose for the gay Jack went unreciprocated.

Five years later, Jack is a superstar host of a TV show. One day, the voice of the overworked Jack gave out, and lo and behold, the network boss tapped the new social media queen Rose to rescue the show. And as one would expect, all hell breaks loose between the friends-turned-rivals then turned partners after a mystery crime transpires that could implicate both of them. ■