Its not my first time to be invited to watch an awards night, especially for the Metro Manila Film Festival, but its my first time to go (finally) and witness the main awards night and I can say that I really enjoyed the awards night and also the live free entertainment that was presented to us by our local entertainers.
I was there as a blogger media and I tried my best to snap a photo of the entire event and also do some social media updates, the problem is that my phone ran out of battery juice, so I continued my coverage by using my DSLR and minus the live updates.
THE MMFF 2015
Metro Manila Film Festival occurs every year here in the Philippines, and it starts always on December 25th. This 2015 marks its 41st year, it’s the most long running film festival ever (that I know) here in our country. This year’s film fest is a bit controversial and its been a talk of the town since December 25th and for the age of social media, all voices were heard about the appreciation, love, hate and disappointments. It’s a much more different for this year, because I noticed that the movie goers are starting to campaign the movies on their own and it really helped the movie for some push, online.
KIA THEATERThe awards night was held at Kia Theater, the formerly New Frontier theater, the old cinema was converted into a modern theater, and it caters now local and foreign films. Its funny that the digital banner above the entrance displays STAR WARS and not the MMFF 2015 awards night, I think they should fix that next time.
Here’s my invite card and also ticket to the awards night. I thank WWW.HOOQ.TV for inviting us and be included in their VIP list of bloggers.
COMING SOON: HOOQ TO STREAM ALL MMFF 2015 MOVIES
I received an update from HOOQ, that they are planning to stream online all MMFF 2015 movies in their site. Users can enjoy watching the new MMFF movies again and again and also watch the old entries from the yesteryears of MMFF movies.
The short film and animated shorts from the New Wave Category already streamed at HOOQ since last December 18, 2015. They are now a mainstay title and everyone can watch it anytime and anywhere. I believe that the Indie Film Category will be next and then expect the mainstream MMFF movies to be available next January 2016. I think they will launch this after the film fest is over.
If you want to watch these movies, then get an account now at WWW.HOOQ.TV
and receive a 30 days FREE trial – enjoy the movies!
MY EXPERIENCE AT THE MMFF 2015 AWARDS NIGHT
I can say that I’m very thankful that I got this chance to watch it and also be part of it, although there’s some controversy hanging around it. I will discuss that later. Okay, the attire of that night is super formal, I’m glad that my black pants and coat are ready that evening and I wore it from Cavite up to Araneta Cubao wearing my attire (I rode the MRT not wearing my coat…mainit kaya!)
I received an update that there’s not much people yet at around 5pm, so I was advised that me and the rest of the blogger media should go there at a later time, so I messaged our blogger media via FB and all of them are on the way already.
I meet up with Enzo in Gateway mall and we ate our early dinner in Burger King, then we went to Kia Theater and I got blocked off by security along the street to the venue, because we don’t have yet our ticket. It was so strict and Im glad that its very safe and secured. I was told that I should contact our PR guy and tell him to meet us at the street for our tickets. In just minutes our PR guy arrived and handed to me all the tickets of our blogger media.
I met the entire team in a Mcdonalds branch near Kia Theater and gave away the tickets there. In entering the Kia Theater, its my first time to mingle with the media at the red carpet and witness how the red carpet host interview the incoming celebrities. I even heard that they asked the people “who are they wearing tonight” hahahaha --- some of us bloggers avoided the red carpet entrance, Im glad that there’s a side entrance for non celebs… Kasi we were told to enter the red carpet..but if ever…our entrance will be awesome! hahahah
I didn’t know that the entire awards night are live recorded and to be aired delayed on TV5, that’s why we have 10=15 minute break during the segments of the awards night. Because this gives some time for the production team to edit the entire live footage of each segment and air it on national TV.
I guess there are lots of edit outs ahaha because there are campaign and support for Erik Matti’s movie and Im not sure if those are aired on TV.
We sat comfortably in the middle part of the theater and it’s a good angle for me to watch the entire awards night and its fun to see the celebrities cheer up behind us whenever their movie is mentioned on stage.
Its an awesome experience and if ever I got invited again, I will definitely go and be prepared next time to use my DSLR camera with 150mm lens.
THE CONTROVERSY
About the controversy, its good that all voices are heard when Erik Matti’s movie “Honor Thy Father” got disqualified to get a Best Picture Award, and then this afternoon I learned that Erik Matti’s Honor Thy Father movie and Cesar Montano and Maria Ozawa’s Nilalang movie were pulled out of the cinema because they don’t earn much from movie goers. Both camp air their disappointments to the execomm of MMFF and they appeal that their films be brought back to the cinema.
Im not sure how it will be resolved because the month will end and everyone will be back to day job and school days after new year 2016. There will be no time left for them to watch the movies.
”Demand for a better film” – this was the last word from Erik Matti’s acceptance speech when he was awarded as best director, one of their film rep was there on stage and she accepted the award in behalf of Erik Matti. We heard his voice, up roar and protest vs the MMFF execomm and this left us to agree silently that he is right…. we need better movies next year.
For me, its okay to have better movies, we should stay away from a trend that started few years ago – for example filming a sponsor or brand being so visible in the movie. Its such an eye sore already and its not funny anymore. We should have movies that have an artistic side, great story telling, a movie that will let us think and a movie that has sense and never violate our culture and tradition.
I mean, its okay to have the slapstick comedy, because they are much affected on the controversy, but it’s a bit out of league to compete with other great and better films (as people label it). I think that MMFF should have a separate category next year like --- Family category, for films with slapstick comedy, love story and maybe rated GP movies, then it should have the Better film category or I don’t know what should it be called – siguro pwede, Masterpiece category – para lang we get a better movie that can compete not only here in the Philippines, but also in other countries.
Grabe, this MMFF 2015 made me concern and also got me an interest to see Honor Thy Father and Nilalang, they are on my top three list of movies to watch, joining them is Vice Ganda’s movie, but I guess I should watch them all and see if they really are good, better or a not so good movie.
Here are the results
NEW WAVE CATEGORY
Short Film Special Jury Priza-Daisy
Manila Bulletin Short Film-Geo
Best Short Film- Mumu
Manila Bulletin Best Short Film-Momento
Animation Special Jury Prize-Little Lights
Best Animation Film- Buttons
INDIE FILM CATEGORY
Best Supporting Actor New Wave Full Length-Thou Reyes of Toto
Best Supporting Actress New Wave Full Feature- Bibeth Orteza for Toto
Best Screenplay New Wave Full Length- Robert Tantico of Ari
New Wave Full Length Best Director-John Paul Hsu of Toto
Manila Bulletin Best Full Feature Film- Ari
Special Jury Prize New Wave Special Feature Film- Toto
Full Feature New Wave Best Picture-Ari
MINOR AWARD
Best Float- Buy Now Die Later
TECHNICAL AWARDS
Best Festival Sound-Ditoy Aguila of Nilalang
Best Festival Musical Score- Jesse Lasatin of Nilalang
Best Festival Original Theme Song- Tao by Armi Millare of Honor Thy Father
Best Festival Makeup Artist- Ryan Panaligan/Ericka Racila of Honor Thy Father
Best Festival Visual Effects-Perdo Juijan and for Nilalang
Best Production Design- Angel Diesta Buy Now Die Later
Best Editing-Jayson Cahatan Of Nilalang
Best Cinematography- Pau Orendain of Nilalang
STORY AND DIRECTION AWARDS
Best Original Story-Dan Villegas and Tonet Jadaone of Walang Forever -
Best Screenplay- Paul Sta.Ana of Walang Forever
Best Director- Erik Matti HonorThyFather
SPECIAL AWARDS
FPJ Memorial Award For Excellence- Walang Forever
Gat Puno J Villegas Cultural Award - My Bebe Love
BEST ACTOR/ACTRESS AWARDS
Best Child Performer- Crystal Brimner (HonorThyFather)
Best Supporting Actor- Tirso Cruz Iii of HonorThyFather
Best Supporting Actress-Maine Mendoza of My Bebe Love
Best Actor-Jericho Rosales
Best Actress-Jennylyn Mercado
HOOQ MALE / FEMALE OF THE NIGHT
Cesar Montano
Jennylyn Mercado
BEST PICTURE AWARDS
3rd Best Picture- My Bebe Love
2nd Best Picture-Buy Now Die Later
Best Picture-Walang Forever
Thanks to Josephine Bonsol for compiling the list of winners
see the full list here at http://www.jobonsol.net/2015/12/event-mmff2015-full-list-of-winners.html
My phone went dead during the awards night…I didn’t got the chance to list it til the end of the awards the night.
Congratulations to all nominees and also winners of this year’s Metro Manila Film Festival.
Thanks to WWW.HOOQ.TV for inviting us bloggers and also including us as their blogger media to cover this event.
HOOQ is one of the presenter of the event, they made some movies be available online - the animated shorts and indie short films from the NEW WAVE CATEGORY of the MMFF 2015. And according to HOOQ, they will online stream some of the FULL LENGTH movies and award winning MMFF 2015 movies on WWW.HOOQ.TV soon! ( full list here of the short films )
You can log on to www.Hooq.tv to register a free account with free 30 days of streaming of movies online, you can also install a HOOQ app to enjoy watch the movies in your mobile devices so that you can watch it anytime and anywhere..
For old users, they can subscribe for a month of HOOQ by paying PHP149 via Globe mobile bill or credit card. And this comes for free with Home Broadband plus PHP 1299 and up.
The blogger media of the awards night
Great to see you all!
Mommy JoBonsol and Earth
My seatmate at the awards night
we’re so wacky behind scene ahhaahha.
Enzo and Reign
behind us is Maria Ozawa and Jennylyn Mercado (nasa likod, wala sa pic)
After the awards night, I finally met the famous Maria Ozawa
I just can’t believe that she’s here in the Philippines and will settle down for a year just for her new career as a sexy-wholesome entertainer and celebrity. I hope to see her more in a wholesome content.
I just can’t believe.. I just met Maria Ozawa!!!
Philippines is so lucky! I hope her Japanese celebs come here too!
RED CARPET PHOTOS
(its just us bloggers!)
Thanks for reading my blog!
To know more about the film fest
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