MMFF ‘lost its soul’ due to rising cinema prices, says filmmaker

Posted by ReyFort Media

MANILA, Philippines — Filmmaker Jun Robles Lana lamented the rise of theater prices, claiming it has affected the movie-going experience of Filipino families especially during the Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF).

Lana is no stranger to the MMFF having directed the likes of “Die Beautiful,” “Big Night!,” and “Kahapon, Ngayon, Bukas,” as well as serving as a writer on the late National Artist Marilou Diaz-Abaya’s entries “Jose Rizal,” “Muro-Ami,” and “Bagong Buwan.”

This year Lana’s entry “Call Me Mother” won Third Best Picture (shared with “Manila’s Finest”), Best Actor for Vice Ganda, Best Child Performer for Lucas Andalio, and the Gender Sensitivity Award.

According to unofficial numbers, “Call Me Mother” leads the box office earnings for the 51st MMFF. This comes on the heels of Lana’s entry last year “And The Breadwinner Is…” being one of the festival’s top earners along with “Green Bones” and “The Kingdom.”

Despite the box office success of his movies, Lana still criticized high cinema prices on his social media accounts which has led to the MMFF losing both customers and its “soul.”

“For decades, the MMFF was the ‘people’s festival.’ It was the one time of year when ordinary workers took their children to the mall to see their idols,” Lana began, before pointing out a family of four would need at least P1,500 to watch a movie.

That expense, Lana continued, does not include transportation to the theater or snacks to munch on during the film.

“By pricing the ordinary Filipino out of the theater, the industry hasn’t just lost customers, it has lost its soul.,” Lana said. “Cinema has shifted from a shared national culture to a middle-class privilege.”

The director said there’s no reason to promote a “national” film festival while maintaining prices that exclude a majority of the population.

“Until we admit that cinema has become a luxury that the ‘P500 Noche Buena’ family cannot afford, we are simply watching the slow, expensive sunset of Philippine cinema,” Lana ended.

The filmmaker was referencing the controversial comment of  Department of Trade and Industry Secretary Cristina Roque claiming that P500 is enough for a traditional Christmas dinner in a Filipino household.

Filipinos expressed support Lana’s statement across platforms, many agreeing that the movie-going experience has been drastically affected by expensive theater prices.

Some criticized that a government-sponsored event like the MMFF should me more accessible to constituents while many pointed out Filipinos would opt to wait for MMFF entries to be available on streaming as it’d be a cheaper expense.

 (K. Purnell/Philstar)