Tagumpay ang pagbubukas ng The Manila Film Festival (TMMF) sa SM Cinema Manila last June 15. Kung pagbabasehan ang dami ng mga taong dumalo, masasabing dinaig pa nito ang showing ng ilang mainstream movies.

In partnership with film producer, Edith Fider, ibinabalik ni Manila Mayor Honey Lacuna-Pangan at Vice Mayor Yul Servo ang nasabing filmfest na unang nagsimula noong 1966 sa ilalim ng pamumumuno ng dating alkaldeng si Antonio Villegas at nagtapos noong 1973.

This time, naglalayon itong makatulong sa mga estudyanteng nais maging filmmaker.

Puring-puri ni VM Yul ang mga estudyante na kahit bagito sa larangan ng filmmaking ay nakagawa ng mga de-kalidad na pelikula.

Ang walong official entries ay ang psychological horror na The Uncanny, directed by Kyle Abay-Abay of Colegio de San Juan de Letran and starring Zyrish Quierrez, Ice Lee Genre, atbp.; ang crime-thriller na Unspoken, written and directed by Daniella Javierto from Arellano University; Pasig, starring Lara Lagdaan, David King Escio, Stephen Legaspi and Irish Vistan; ang comedy film na The Adventures of Kween Jhonabelle, written and directed by Carlo James Buan from Colegio de San Juan de Letran and starring Larizze Ann J. Eco, Kian Co, Samantha Faith Valdez Batula and Stephanie Kayla L. Quitlong; ang love story with advocacy na Thanks for the Broken Heart, directed by Cess Cruz from the University of The Philippines and starring Lance Raymundo, Gerlaine Silva, Mary Sharapova and Oliver Lacson; at ang psychological thriller na CTRL-F-ESC, directed by JusAn from Adamson University, starring Kych Minemoto, Sue Prado, Leilani Kate Yalung, Yul Servo, Francheska Manalastas, Rina Napura and James Guanlao.

Hoping sila na next year ay mas maraming sumaling estudyante at later on ay puwede na rin siguro silang tumanggap ng mga mainstream movie.

Ang TMFF ay nagsimula last June 15 at tatakbo hanggang June 24 sa SM City Manila cinemas.

AUTHOR PROFILE

Vinia Vivar