New MMFF ExeCom Announced, Indie Film Advocates Removed

Photo via Metro Manila Film Festival Official Facebook

The Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF) chairman Thomas “Tim” Orbos announced the new Executive Committee for the annual film festival. Pro indie film members were removed. Now included are Senator Grace Poe-Llmanazares, Batangas Rep. Vilma Santos-Recto, actress Boots Anson-Rodrigo and Mowelfund chair Marichu Maceda among others.

Last year’s MMFF was one that is talked about by many. It was controversial for many reasons. First, the exclusion of Vic Sotto’s Enteng Kabisote 10 And The Abangers and Vice Ganda’s The Super Parental Guardians. These films were usually on the list of MMFF roster of films. Another issue was the addition of Mocha Uson as MMFF Ambassador.

The biggest controversy, however, was majority of those included were indie films. The issue even reached as high as the senate which was aggressively discussed by Senator Tito Sotto. He argued that the recent MMFF was “prejudicial to regular movie goers” because majority of them were independent films. He filed a resolution to let the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) create a film festival especially for independent movies.

MMFF: Pro Indie Film Members Removed

ABS-CBN reported that Indie film advocates Moira Lang and Ed Cabangot were removed from the list of the ExeCom. They were replaced by members of the theater industry to give a balance to theater owners and movie producers.

In the report, Cabangot said this will not stop him from pushing quality movies. He added last year’s change in the MMFF will not be ignored. Cabangot said, “Moira (Lang) and myself shall continue to monitor the evolution of the festival from the outside and make sure that this year’s edition shall build on last year’s revolutionary changes.”

MMFF New Executive Committee

Indeed change is coming. A report by Interaksyon states that MMFF chairman Thomas “Tim” Orbos announced the new members of the MMFF Executive Committee on Tuesday. Among those who stand out were Senator Grace Poe, Batangas Rep. Vilma Santos, Movie and Television Review and Classification Board (MTRCB) Chair Rachel Arenas and actress Boots Anson-Rodrigo.

Other members inlcude Taguig City Mayor Laarni Cayetano, Philippine National Police -NCR chief Oscar Albayalde, Film Development Council of the Philippines chair Liza Diño, Movie Producers and Distributors Association of the Philippines president Wilson Tieng, Jun Romana from the Bureau of Broadcast Services, Philippine Motion Picture Producers Association’s Jesse Ejercito, and Mowelfund chair Marichu Maceda.

Among those appointed were SM Lifestyle Inc. president Edgar Tejerero, film distributor Victor Villegas, Vista Mall Cinemas general manager Christina Caparas, Ayala Cinemas assistant general Rolando Dueñas, Robinsons Movieworld operations manager Evylene Advincula, movie directors Jose Romero IV and Mel Chionglo.

Academician Rolando Tolentino were also inlcuded as well as journalist and documentary producer Kara Magsanoc-Alikpala, Quezon City Film Development Commission executive director Ed Lejano, screenwriter Ricky Lee, professor and multimedia practitioner Noel Ferrer, and Optical Media Board chairman Anselmo Adriano.