MMFFWTF!!

I wasn't able to attend the Gabi ng Parangal, which should come as no surprise. But I wonder what it must have been like for everyone in the Aliw Theater when Enteng Kabisote was declared Best Picture, even if Kasal, Kasali, Kasalo bagged director, story, screenplay, actress, supporting actress, most gender-senstive and Gatpuno Antonio Villegas awards.

(I haven't seen Tatlong Baraha, but I'm now tempted to because of its visual effects win.)

Apparently, the MMFF Best Picture award includes box office returns in the criteria mix--I read somewhere that it bears a whopping 40% weight. The rest is alloted for deliberation by the judges. By this basis alone, expect the unexpected.

Over the years, many eyebrows have found homes in the stratosphere because of the MMFF awards results, and prompted tongues to challenge the judges' credibility. Given the recent history of the MMFF, I'd like to think that talking about the results should make for a fun exercise, something to laugh about and shake our heads over. I'm surprised that people still take the MMFF seriously.

For one thing, MMFF entries should not be allowed to have trailers shown on television. If there should be a television spot, it should be one where all entries are featured. Ditto for broadsheet ads. A system should be developed wherein all films can have close to equal exposure--a monumental feat, yes, but highly imperative to promote fair play.

Plus, the inclusion of a film in the festival should not be based on the screenplay alone. A good screenplay doesn't make a good film. The festival caps the calendar year, and should showcase the best of the best. As it stands, the 40% weight alloted to box office returns is indicative of what the festival is really all about.

So the Zaturnnah movie, along with Matakot Ka Sa Karma, didn't get a single award. I may be accused of sourgraping, but I really feel indifferent about the whole affair. I'll just wait for the Gawad Urian. Because its handled by critics and involves all films of 2006, it's a race worth watching.

Comments

vincedejesus said…
Nakakabaliw ang buong experience ng 2006 MMFF.

I've seen Enteng, Kasal Kasali, Shake Rattle and Ligalig and even... Tatlong Baraha ( a film I was supposed to score but I changed my mind.) And of course, I saw ZZZ.

Of all the movies I've seen, I thought that either KKK, Ligalig and/or ZZZ will be chosen BEST PICTURE. Why?

1. KKK because of its wonderful screenplay, wonderful actors and direction. Hindi ko sinasabi ito dahil kapit-bahay ko si Direk Joey Reyes ha! It was intelligent, funny and affecting. Medyo maingay lang ang music minsan pero mapapatawad ko na yun. Tao lang naman tayong lahat.
2. Ligalig because it was very PULIDO. Masipag ang camera shots at mahusay naman ang pelikula as a whole. Medyo napagod ako sa film pero matino siya.
3. ZZZ because it was an original musical movie (which you dont usually see in the Philippines) and hell... it was our movie! He he he.

O siya, tanggalin na natin ang ZZZ kasi biased ako (although there are many elements in the movie version I don't agree with) and I thought it was a fight between KKK and Ligalig. But lo and behold! Sino ang nanalo as BEST PICTURE? Hay...

40% box office hit kasama sa criteria? What the f**k is going on? Edu Manzano, the host of the awards, even sounded apologetic when he was explaining that the box office sales was indeed a criteria for judging best picture.

The MMFF was supposed to be a venue for producers to experiment and go out of the box and present something new to Pinoy viewers! It was supposed to be a time when artists would come together and come up with daring new films. Break the mold. Surprise the viewers.

But 40% box office sales as criteria for best picture? My God. Now I've seen everything!

This is short of saying that even our aesthetics is dictated by profit. Have we no shame as a nation? This festival is not about art nor culture nor the art of film-making. It is clearly about money, money and more money. Nakakahiya. Nakakapanlumo. Nakakasuka. Sino ba ang nakaupo sa mga hurado? Do they even know the difference between art and fart?

I am not upset because ZZZ did not win anything nor it didn't do well at the box office (hindi naman kami kikita sa box office returns). I am not upset because I didnt win anything at the awards. I just cannot imagine, for the life of me, that a well-made film such as KKK or Ligalig did not bag the BEST PICTURE because Enteng beat them at box office!

May mga nanalo na HUH? Naku, dangerous yan. You are giving these people the idea that they are good when in fact nanalo lang sila dahil sa popularity. May mga nanalo din namang karapat-dapat, thank God. Ang tanong ko, pinanalo ba nila ang mga deserving dahil deserving sila o para lang malito ang tao sa mga desisyon nilang mga sablay?

Hay... this country is really something.
Slvrdlphn said…
I am guilty of not watching the awards so bear with me as I ask this question ... was there no category for "top-grosser"? 'Cause if not then I think there should be.

I think they underestimate the intelligence of the Filipino people if they think we do not know how to add 1 plus 1. Saying that ticket sales is 40% is a load of bull.

From what I have heard from my neighbors whenever I go to the corner store, they were all saying that since KKK received the most awards, it stands to reason that they were the best picture. I tend to agree. It makes logical sense, right?

Hay naku! Only in the Philippines talaga! In a perfect world this wouldn't happen ... but perfection is boring so I'll just laugh inside at these attempts to insult our intelligence and one day they will wake up and realize they haven't fooled anyone. Mabait lang talaga tayo
vincedejesus said…
Dapat nga hiwalay.

If I remember right, dati merong category for TOP GROSSING FILM. Dapat ibalik nila ito. Let the best picture really be THE BEST PICTURE.
Anonymous said…
I agree that they should have just added an award for top-grosser kesa isingit ang criteria na yun sa Best Picture.

I very seldom watch Tagalog movies on theater, but since its MMFF (no other movies but tagalog), I've already watched Ligalig, ZZZ, KKK, and Shake,Rattle and Roll 8. Among these I liked ZZZ and KKK the most. I'm a satisfied viewer of these 2 films.

Yung ZZZ, kakaiba kasi. Nakakatuwa, nakakatawa, nakaaliw ang characters, music at story. Hndi ko pa nababasa ang comics o napapanood ang play pero dahil nagandahan ako sa movie, bibili na rin ako ng comics at manonod ng play rerun sa Jan.28 :P
Yung KKK naman may substance, ganda rin story, nkakatawa, realistic at madaming lessons. Though may traces pa rin ng ka-mushyhan na imbis kiligin eh medyo kinikilabutan ako (hehe, yun ang ayaw ko talaga sa karamihan ng tagalog movies:P ). But atleast, they kept it to the minimum.

I give my low ratings to Ligalig and SRR8, SRR being the worst.
Sa ligalig, maganda sana ang plot kaso underdeveloped ang story. Yung scene pa sa kotse, paulit ulit ang galaw ng camera at kabisado na namin ang pattern. Plus the fact na CGI lang ang background. May times pa na over stretched na ang background hehe.

And lastly, Shake, Rattle and ROll 8. "Haay", yun na lang ang mssabi ko. This movie suffered from bad acting and too much copying. Ex. 1.Harrypotter: Voldemort protruding from a person's back 2.The Village - garapal na ginaya ang monster doon. 3.Saw - the mask of the manananggal just reminds me of the puppet used in Saw, with prominent cheekbones and chin. The only good point for me is the acting of Nash. Bagay sa role at natural. The rest were a disaster. (except Manilyn na ok din nga pala ang acting). The computer effects were bad and there were many illogical events. To mention one, sa birthday party it was said that the time is already 8pm. But then a shot of the building outside revealed a clear blue sky and broad daylight. (-_-)

Just sharing my opinion...
Anonymous said…
i've watched ZZZZM and i was very disappointed. i watched the play last year and i really, really enjoyed it! sobrang kwela! kaya ganito na lang ang disappointment ko with the movie! i felt that the screenplay writer and the director didn't do justice to your original script, carlo. the film, for me, was not a good adaptation. sorry to say this but my friends and i got bored while watching the film =(

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