In my entire mature existence, I don't ever recall going to the MMFF to watch a entry. As in NEVER. Not even when I'm still too young to remember because I am sure, even my parents won't take me to watch such films.
I don't mean to sound self-righteous but tell me? What is there to learn in this year's entries like Sisterakas, Si Agimat, si Enteng Kabisote, at si Ako, One More Try, etc., especially culturally?
Tell me. Does the Filipinos these films portray are actually who we are as Filipinos: overly dramatized, fantasy escapists, and just plain cheap? These bunch of MMFF movies for the last like what, five years, only intend to sell. Box office hit. That's the only thing that actually seem to matter these days. Sell.
And then there's Thy Womb directed by award-winning Brillante Ma Mendoza, starring the equally award-winning actress Nora Aunor. (P.S. The film is also already award-winning harvesting recognition from various international film festivals abroad.)
Thy Womb is the first MMFF entry that I cared about and actually want to watch. The film, for your info, was initially rejected by MMFF committee. Perhaps, they deemed it too independent and out-of-the-box(office hit) to actually be shown along its contemporaries (except maybe for El Presidente, a historical film). But made it to the 2012 list only because the supposedly eighth entry did not finish in time. If bad luck would have it.
So moments after I decided to line up for Thy Womb (if there will ever be a line) came the results of the awards. Sadly, the the Best Picture Award did not go to Thy Womb even if it rightfully deserved it. So how come foreigners appreciated the film and the Filipino MMFF jurors did not? You f*cking ask them.
The winners, Best Picture: One More Try: 2nd Best Picture: El Presidente; and 3rd Best Picture: Sisterakas. Congratulations, I mean it.
Congratulations for once again setting a bad taste for Filipinos. For proving that commercialism, capitalism and consumerism flourishes in this country.
Let's ignore our marginalized brothers and sisters like the Badjao whom Thy Womb portrayed. Let's forget our history that El Presidente remembered. Goodbye to our identity, culture and heritage.
Maybe, everything is really just a matter of taste. I was never one to patronize such. I just can't wait for Cinemalaya 2013.
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"Kahit kaunti lamang ang manood sa mga pelikula ko, patuloy pa rin akong gagawa ng makabuluhang pelikula. Maski ako ang mag-produce." --Nora Aunor, MMFF 2012 Best Actress
