The film festival is celebrating its golden year this year.
On Tuesday, July 16, the Metro Manila Film Festival held a launch program at the Bulwagang Villegas at the Manila City Hall for its 50th edition, which will begin on Christmas Day — December 25, 2024.
In the said event, the activities for the golden anniversary and the first five official entries for the 50th year were announced.
The MMFF will launch a classic posters mural in partnership with i-Academy this August, followed ‘Sine-Sigla sa Singkwenta’ where 50 of the past MMFF flicks will be shown in theaters anew for Php 50 in September.
In October, there will a two-day student short film caravan at the Unibersidad de Manila, launch of ‘Sine-sigla’ in Cebu and Davao, and the complete list of activities and remaining entries for the 50th Metro Manila Film Festival.
A fund-raising golf tournament and film masterclass for local cinema practitioners are scheduled for November.
The anticipated float festival for ‘MMFF 50’ will happen on December 15, 2024, and a premier week, sponsor’s night a few days later.
The ’50th Metro Manila Film Festival Gabi ng Parangal’ will recognize winners of the 2024 edition on December 27th.
The trophy to be given to the winners this 2024 will be designed by Filipino-American visual artist Jefre.
A coffee table book taking a look back at the five decades of the prestigious local film festival will be launched this year.
Meanwhile, the first five entries that made it to the golden edition of the MMFF have been announced and they are as follows.
- AND THE BREADWINNER IS
- By Star Cinema, The IdeaFirst Company
- Starring: Vice Ganda, Gina Pareño, Eugene Domingo, Maris Racal, Jhong Hilario, Kokoy de Santos
- Directed by: Jun Robles Lana
- Written by: Daisy Cayanan, Jumbo Albano, Jun Robles Lana
- GREEN BONES
- By GMA Pictures
- Starring: Sofia Pablo, Dennis Trillo
- Directed by: Zig Dulay
- Written by: Ricky Lee, Angeli Atienza
- STRANGE FREQUENCIES: HAUNTED HOSPITAL
- By Reality MM Studios
- Starring: Jane de Leon, Enrique Gil, Alexa Miro, MJ Lastimosa
- Directed by: Kerwin Go
- Written by: Kerwin Go, Dustin Celestino
- HIMALA, ISANG MUSIKAL
- By Kapitol Films, UxS
- Starring: Aicelle Santos, David Ezra, Victor Robinson, Bituin Escalante
- Directed by: Jose Lorenzo Diokno
- Written by: Ricky Lee, Jose Lorenzo Diokno
- THE KINGDOM
- By APT Entertainment, M-Zet TV Productions, MQuest Ventures
- Starring: Vic Sotto, Piolo Pascual
- Directed by: Michael Tuviera
- Written by: Michelle Ngu-Nario