Senator wants separate event for indie films

Disappointed over the change in criteria for the recently concluded Metro Manila Film Festival ( MMFF), Senate Majority Leader Vicente Sotto III is proposing a separate event catering to independent or indie films.

Sotto yesterday cited several arguments for his bid to bring back the old criteria for the MMFF, which was scrapped in the 42nd year of the festival held last month.

Instead of the usual 50 percent allotted for commercial viability, the MMFF, which is supervised by the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority, opted to do away with this and instead gave emphasis on story, audience appeal and overall impact and cinematic attributes or technical expertise.

While welcoming the entry of indie films in the MMFF, Sotto said the exclusion of the traditional films screened in the previous festivals were sorely missed by the viewing public.

“Since Christmas season is for children, and it is likewise the time when MMFF movies are being shown in the cinemas, the absence of the mainstream films in the MMFF entries for 2016 was prejudicial to the regular MMFF moviegoers, particularly the children who always look forward to these movies to bond, enjoy, be entertained and share a good laugh with their family and friends,” Sotto said in a resolution he filed yesterday.

Sotto noted that the audience turnout was low in the 2016 MMFF, prompting a number of theaters to drop some films from its list of movies being screened.

Among the films that were included in the past MMFFs but were excluded in this year’s event was Enteng Kabisote 10, which has Sotto’s younger brother Vic Sotto as its main star.

“In selecting mostly independent films in the 2016 MMFF, the mandate of the MMFF to promote the welfare of its workers has been somewhat brushed aside and to the detriment of the intended beneficiaries due to the low earnings from this year’s entries,” Sotto said in his resolution.

Sotto clarified that he was not downplaying the contribution of indie films in the Philippine movie industry.

In order to come up with a win-win solution for both independent and mainstream movies, Sotto proposed that a separate film festival be established exclusively for indie films, to be held during the semestral break for students.

The MMFF for mainstream films would continue to be held in December, he said.