10 Entries of the 50th Metro Manila Film Festival

It’s not Christmas without the MMFF entries, which means more movies to watch with your family and loved ones!

What better way to celebrate Christmas than appreciating Filipino cinema with your family? More than just the movies themselves, the annual Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF)—now in its 50th year—focuses on putting Filipino talent in the spotlight from Christmas to New Year’s. This year, cinemas all over the Philippines will be showing ten films in varying genres from drama to horror. 

RELATED: Why is ‘Uninvited’ Making Waves Before Its Release?

And The Breadwinner Is…

Vice Ganda is making a comeback to the MMFF, this time with a drama-comedy film. With the comedienne playing as Bambi Salvador, And The Breadwinner Is… revolves around Bambi as the breadwinner, always working hard as an OFW for their family, only to find out that her dedication and selflessness may be for nothing.

Stars also in this comedy-drama are Gina Pareño, Eugene Domingo, Maris Racal, Anthony Jennings, Jhong Hilario, Gladys Reyes, Kokoy de Santos, and Via Antonio.

Espantaho

It’s not a Metro Manila Film Festival without some horror! This film is comprised of a powerhouse ensemble starring Judy Ann Santos, Lorna Tolentino, JC Santos, Mon Confiado, Nico Antonio, Donna Cariaga, Kian Co, Archi Adamos, and Chanda Romero with Eugene Domingo, Tommy Abuel, and Janice de Belen. To make the film even better is director Chito S. Roño, known for his works Feng Shui and Patayin sa Sindak si Barbara.

Expect Espantaho to reveal deep, dark, and sinister secrets of a family, keeping you at the edge of your seats.

Green Bones

Green Bones is a suspense drama about a corrections officer with a thirst for justice whose sister and niece were murdered by a soon-to-be-released criminal. Starring Dennis Trillo and Sofia Pablo, directed by Zig Dulay—who also directed Firefly, written by National Artist Ricky Lee and MMFF 2023 Best Screenplay Writer Anj Atienza, this drama already sounds like a high-quality film that could bring us to tears.

Isang Himala

From the director who brought us Gomburza, Pepe Diokno is back to give us a revival of a classic story. National Artist Ricky Lee wrote this film in the year 1981 entitled Himala starring Nora Aunor, which was an entry in the 1982 MMFF and won all the awards. In 2003 and 2018, this film was then adapted into a theatrical play, Himala: Isang Musikal. Interestingly enough, Aicelle Santos will reprise her role as Elsa after the 2018 stage play.

This will be an interesting film to watch and how it translates this year, especially with the film being a musical. Inspired by a series of Marian apparitions that appeared before schoolgirls, the original plot tells the story of Elsa, claiming to have seen the apparition of the Virgin Mary during a solar eclipse. Following this event are questions of faith, morality, and the self that will possibly lead us to question these ourselves.

Hold Me Close

Set in Japan with a romantic fantasy genre, Julia Barretto and Carlo Aquino are back in Hold Me Close, playing Lynlyn and Woody respectively. Directed by Jason Paul Laxamana who brought us 100 Tula Para Kay Stella and Expensive Candy, we are invited to explore a love that may or may not be worth the risk.

Woody has been traveling the world for several years, looking for a place to settle in. In Japan, he meets Lynlyn, who has a special power. Just by a touch, she can see if a person will bring her pain or happiness. For a long while, Woody has brought neutrality in the girl’s life, until one day, Lynlyn touches him and finally finds an answer to her question. 

My Future You

Just in time for the Christmas season is a romantic comedy film that might need some tissues for your tears. Leading My Future You is loveteam FranSeth, or Francine Diaz as Karen and Seth Fedelin as Lex, ready to show their chemistry on the big screen.

Karen and Lex match on an online dating platform and they immediately hit it off. However, when they finally decide to meet in person, both show up but…they also don’t. They soon discover that they are living in different times—Lex in 2009 and Karen in 2024. With a love so real and strong, the two find a way to be with each other, even if it means altering the past.

Strange Frequencies: Taiwan Killer Hospital

Another horror entry to the 50th MMFF is Strange Frequencies: Taiwan Killer Hospital, a Filipino adaptation of the South Korean movie Gonjiam: Haunted Asylum. Starring in this adaptation is Enrique Gil, Jane De Leon, Alexa Miro, Rob Gomez, and MJ Lastimosa. Joining them is real-life tarot reader Rad Pineda and Ryan “Zarckaroo” Azurin, a video creator known for recording authentic videos of haunted locations.

With this being the Philippines’ first meta found footage film, Strange Frequencies: Taiwan Killer Hospital brings the Filipino cast plays as rookie ghost hunters, exploring Xinglin Hospital, one of Taiwan’s most haunted places. With its found footage technique, expect horrors up close and personal.

The Kingdom

This MMFF entry offers an interesting cast: Vico Sotto, Piolo Pascual, Sid Lucero, Sue Ramirez, and Cristine Reyes. Need we say more? With a genre of action family drama, this one could be an interesting film to watch with the family.

The Kingdom answers the question: What if the Philippines was never colonized? Director Mike Tuviera takes us to the Kingdom of Kalayaan with Sotto’s character as the Lakan, or the rule of the kingdom. Additionally, this will be Vic Sotto’s debut in drama after several years in the comedy genre.

Topakk

Also known internationally as Triggered, this hard action thriller was first shown at the 78th Cannes Film Festival in May 2023 and at the 76th Locarno Film Festival in Switzerland in August 2023. Starring Arjo Atayda, Julia Montes, and Sid Lucero, this is a good film for fans of action. 

This action film focuses on a former special forces operative (Atayde) with PTSD who tries to rescue a woman (Montes) who is being hunted by a corrupt police death squad affiliated with a drug cartel. With the film heavy on violence, Topakk could be R-16, R-18, or even R-X.

Uninvited

Lastly, is a highly anticipated thriller with a star-studded and critically acclaimed cast: Star for All Seasons Vilma Santos, Aga Muhlach, and Nadine Lustre. Joining them are veterans and award-winning actors Tirso Cruz III, Lotlot De Leon, Mylene Dizon, Gabby Padilla, Gio Alvarez, Cholo Barretto, Ketchup Eusebio, Elijah Canlas, Ron Angeles, and RK Bagatsing. Produced also by Project 8 (Samantha Lee’s Rookie, Maris Racal’s Sunshine) and Mentorque Productions (MMFF 2023’s 3rd Best Picture Mallari), this will be their second collaboration after Cinemalaya entry Kono Basho. 

Uninvited invites you to a grand party in a lavish mansion. With a night full of mystery and tension, a billionaire’s extravagant birthday party unfolds into a night filled with socialite drama, hidden secrets, and startling discoveries. With the talent and prowess of this ensemble already jaw-dropping, the teaser is just enough to keep our eyes glued to the screen.

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Featured Image: METRO MANILA FILM FESTIVAL (via Facebook)

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10 Entries of the 50th Metro Manila Film Festival
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