Philippine cinema received a much-needed boost with the billion-peso success of the Metro Manila Film Festival. But will Philippine cinema sustain the success beyond this annual mainstream outing?
Why visit a cinema?
Now that previously US-only streaming services such as Disney+ and Hulu are available in the Philippines, Filipinos have more reasons to watch movies and TV shows at home. So why should they come back to the cinemas after years of being spoiled by online content? What kind of movies will they pay their hard-earned money for (blockbusters, probably) and what movies should they just wait for on streaming services? Judging by the Netflix Top 10 lists, the answer to that is also blockbusters.
Netflix has even cut prices in the Philippines and has a range of subscription plans for as low as 149 (around $2). Disney+ has a similar mobile-only plan at 159, and Prime Video starts at 149. The combination of Filipino smartphone culture and bingeable content on these platforms has transformed mobile phones into a veritable cinema that you can access with a decent data plan. But in actual cinemas, ticket prices have noticeably soared.
“They need a very, very compelling reason to watch in the cinema instead of at home,” says Producer Perci Intalan of the IdeaFirst Company. “It has to be a good film with a good story with good performances and good cinematography – those are a given. But it has to be more than that. It has to be an event. It has to have buzz or a cinematic promise that will compel audiences to brave the traffic and go to the cinema, pay 400 [for tickets] and spend two precious hours there. Exactly how do you provide that for each and every film? Your guess is as good as mine.”Producers themselves have admitted that they are not only competing against themselves but against content from the US, Japan, China, and South Korea, or just about any film and TV show on every accessible streaming platform – even on TikTok, where users pirate films and break them down into several parts. This is material fact now, admits Filipino actor and producer Piolo Pascual, who’s had a slew of successes in 2023, from the Netflix limited series Replacing Chef Chico to the Warner Brothers-backed horror film Mallari, which he co-produced. In an interview with CNN Philippines Life, he said, “It’s hard [now] because your competition now is very global. You’re not just competing with Western films or Western content, but you’re also competing with other countries that have more global appeal. So, it’s also a hurdle, because if we’re not supported by the audience, by the public, then we won’t be able to continue doing what we’re doing, because, in essence, you lose money.” Producer Joji Alonzo disclosed in a press conference that in 2023, Filipino movies only earn something between 2 to 12 million pesos (around $35,000 to $213,000), which can be discouraging, given the high cost of producing movies. “But one of the hardest-hit industries is the film industry because of the pandemic. Not only did people shy away from the cinemas, the production cost went up 35 percent,” Alonzo said in a report by Rappler.The billion-peso jackpot The discussion regarding production and ticket prices came up in the wake of the success of the Metro Manila Film Festival, which earned a total of over1 billion (around $17 million).
The 2023 festival featured 10 films and did not feature the usual suspects that raked in millions of box office returns. The highest-grossing movie Rewind cut a significant part of the billion-peso gross, earning over 900 million, the first Filipino film to do so since the cinemas opened during the pandemic. The film’s appeal is immediate: love team and real-life couple Marian Rivera and Dingdong Dantes tackle marriage woes, personal sacrifice, and more significantly, how Catholic faith plays into all of this. In Rewind, John (Dantes) travels back in time to right his wrongs in order to save his wife Mary (Rivera) in an accident.
He is guided by a Jesus-like figure, Lods (Pepe Herrera) who sets terms he should follow in order to give Mary her life back and absolve him of his marital sins. The premise is somewhat similar to the Jennifer Love Hewitt drama If Only (2004), but it didn’t stop audiences from making Rewind the most successful Filipino film of all time.Backed by a solid premise that appealed to Filipinos of all ages, a large production company, high-wattage stars, and a director who has cut her teeth in drama and romantic movies, Rewind was destined to be a surefire hit. But early into the festival, another film was a top contender at the box office: Mallari. The film, about a serial killer who transcends time and generations, stars Pascual, one of the biggest stars of his generation, and marks his step further from romantic roles.
Pascual’s career has been varied and while it seems that his bread and butter has been television dramas, his career in film has seen him venture into auteur territory, from Erik Matti’s On the Job and a few collaborations with Lav Diaz, such as A Lullaby to the Sorrowful Mystery and Season of the Devil. His work as a producer has taken him to global platforms such as Netflix (which co-produced the animated film You Animal!), and at the top of the indie box office with the romantic drama I See You. The success of the MMFF has inspired Pascual to extend the reach of Filipino cinema, especially considering all the 10 MMFF 2023 films had premiered in the US in the inaugural Manila International Film Festival.
“We have the festival happening in LA, showcasing Filipino films at the Chinese Theatre,” he said in an interview with CNN Philippines Life. “So that only means that there’s interest in Philippine content. This is the best time to do something different. This is the best time to think of something diverse and come up with historical films such as GomBurZa, Mallari or other films. It’s time to explore some more and not be scared. If you have a good concept, if you have a good material that you can showcase to your audience, then no matter the outcome, you should feel good about it because your intention is there.”The film festival’s varied genres of films also make sure that there is something for every audience, as the film fest’s Holiday season timing ensures that Filipinos will take time to choose what to watch with their family or friends. This is something that’s been done by the MMFF every year and this year is no exception. What’s noticeable is the subdued wattage of stars that have been relied on to deliver box office success.
The storytelling too is quite varied and offers something more than usual, though most of the films still tend toward commercial fare. The festival’s winning film, the feel-good Firefly, is a road movie about a young boy’s quest to honor a pact with his mother. The film uses animation in between, telling the mythology of the Bicol region parallel with the boy’s journey.
The historical drama GomBurZa, which narrates the story of how the Spanish colonial government executed three Filipino priests, appealed to an audience that looked for lessons in a dire time of fake news and misinformation. The film doesn’t have sweeping epic shots that we’ve come to know in this genre, but the intimate storytelling gives audiences a closer look at the lives of these priests who were wronged by colonialism and corruption.
But the fact that the festival had 10 films meant that the variety could overshadow some films, especially the smaller ones. This became apparent when the more successful films such as GomBurZa, Rewind, Firefly, and Mallari were getting into more cinemas while the smaller films dwindled. Audiences were also just starting to go back and patronize Filipino films.
“I felt that what was good about having 10 films is it made this MMFF look bigger, just by the sheer volume of titles and stars,” Intalan said. “There was a wider range of stories. And with all 10 producers telling people to go to the cinemas, I think the effort worked. When Christmas Day came and almost all the actors were out doing cinema tours, you really saw we were all rallying the people together. So I wasn’t surprised that we were able to convince a sizeable audience on opening day.”
There was another factor that helped the festival’s earnings expand: word of mouth. One of the highest-grossing days of the festival was on the ninth day, January 2.
“That meant word spread and people [did not want to miss out] and wanted to experience it for themselves. Then we knew all the hard work was worth it. Of course, props to Rewind for really bringing in the lion’s share of that audience, but everyone still benefitted, and at least we can really say that Filipino Cinema is still alive and well.”Intalan recognised that the success of the film festival, and eventually, the film industry itself, is also a joint effort between the filmmakers and the government (the MMFF is run by the Metro Manila Development Agency). He said: “We all have to work together because it took a colossal effort to get to that one billion. And yes, it cannot happen every time, but I hope it happens more often. I guess that’s what encourages me. People are willing to watch, at least we know that much. I suppose it’s like planting seeds. Yes, it’s a big and rather desolate land, but you already saw a few trees grow and bear fruit. How can you not want to plant more?” Outside the MMFF, one of the most successful movies of 2023 was Petersen Vargas’ A Very Good Girl, a revenge drama starring one of the Philippines’ most bankable actresses, Kathryn Bernardo opposite Triangle of Sadness’ breakout actress Dolly De Leon (it was De Leon’s top billing in her native Philippines).
The film earned over ₱100,000 and is now enjoying a run on Netflix where it became one of the Top 10 films in the Philippines when it was released. The film was also released in the United States as well as in countries such as New Zealand, Hong Kong, and Australia. Released in September 2023, it was a late boost to Filipino theaters and saw many audiences flocking to the cinemas again. >After A Very Good Girl came Irene Emma Villamor’s Five Breakups and a Romance. The romantic drama stars Alden Richards and Julia Montes in a deconstructed telling of a relationship, depicting only the events that happen in the title. The film premiered in October 2023 and opened with ₱30 million. By December, the film’s earnings amounted to ₱100,000 million. The film is now on Prime Video.Streaming or theatrical run?The case of HBO Max’s pandemic-induced direct-to-streaming premiere rocked the film industry in 2020, with their slate of huge films such as Wonder Woman 1984, Dune, and The Conjuring 3 playing on the platform without a theatrical run (at least in the United States) despite the protest from the filmmakers. Providers also looked for more TV series than films from Filipino producers (see On the Job 2’s premiere on HBO Go after its Venice Film Festival run). So how do you decide if a film is for the cinemas or the streamers? For IdeaFirst, it’s a matter of strategy. They already began 2023 with a direct-to-streaming film, the comedy Ten Little Mistresses starring Eugene Domingo, and the first Filipino Prime Video Original. Later in the year, their Cinemalaya Philippine Independent Film Festival’s entry, As If It’s True, a psychological drama between two wannabe social influencers, also premiered on Prime Video. For the MMFF, IdeaFirst managed to nab a slot with the queer comedy Becky and Badette.
This is already at the heels of the production company’s Summer Metro Manila Film Festival entry, Jun Robles Lana’s About Us But Not About Us, a sinister drama about the tenuous connection between a literature professor and a bright student. It premiered in April 2023 and won the Summer MMFF’s Best Film, Best Actor, Best Director, and Best Screenplay as well as a slew of technical awards. Two months later, it was already streaming on Amazon’s Prime Video. IdeaFirst producer Intalan admits that this streaming strategy is a “realistic decision” and a reality they have to contend with. But it still poses its set of challenges. We can no longer afford to just be so in love with our film that we feel that we just need to put it out there and the audience will come,” he said. “Timing and strategy are more key than ever. Then, you have to take a step back and be honest with your assessment. Sometimes the film is really meant as a more intimate and personal experience so you have to look at your prospects on TVOD or SVOD. It’s not a bad thing, it’s a new reality.
There is an audience that watches movies in cinemas, and there is an audience that watches movies on their personal devices. You just have to embrace that and decide to whom your film is the best fit. Then you go for it and strategise and be very, very clever about it. Because on both fronts, it’s very challenging to win over viewers.”While it usually takes some time for films to go online, and with fears of piracy hitting income, many films also employ the same strategy as well. A number of 2023 films, such as A Very Good Girl and Five Breakups and a Romance were already streaming on Netflix and Prime Video just a few months after they’ve ended their theatrical or festival run. What’s noticeable with this is that the films reached a broader audience. Suddenly, more people were talking about the films, such as in the case of A Very Good Girl, wherein the reception became divisive, and people were suddenly engaged in a discourse about whether it was camp or not. Beyond the box officeBut commercial films are just a part of what makes Philippine cinema. The plethora of programmes, film festivals, criticism and writing, and filmmaker incentives continue to enliven Philippine cinema beyond commercial screens. Spaces for emerging and smaller films continued to thrive, some even outside the country’s capital, such as in Piling Obrang Vidyo, Sine Kabataan, and Hundred Islands Film Festival. QCinema International Film Festival also inaugurated their QCinema Critics Lab which picked eight budding Filipino critics.
The lab was designed to be a “space to expand and deepen the current practice of film criticism in the country towards alternative forms of film criticism (including but not limited to podcasts, video essays, long-form reporting, etc.) in the hopes of developing the great Filipino audience.”Streaming site Vivamax continued to pump softcore films all throughout the year and is billed as the Philippines’ No. 1 streaming platform. At the Busan International Film Market, Vivamax films were acquired by distribution companies in Japan and South Korea. A report by pep.ph indicated that Vivamax has released a total of 51 out of the 58 Filipino erotic movies produced in 2023. The Film Development Council of the Philippines also continues to support filmmakers with programs such as the Full Circle Lab and CreatePHFilms, as well as educational programs such as the Academic Film Society and the Student Film Assistant Programme. Several independent film festivals also continued in-person screenings, with films such as the rotoscoped drama The Missing (Iti Mapukpukaw) emerging as a box office hit at Cinemalaya (though numbers aren’t released). It subsequently became the Philippines’ official entry to the Academy Awards. The queer coming of age film Rookie came in second.
The Missing, a heartbreaking film about an animator without a mouth and his coming to terms with his trauma, broke ground as the festival’s first animated film to win Best Film. Dolly De Leon also won Best Supporting Actress for the film. Filipino films that garnered attention abroad included Kenneth Dagatan’s In My Mother’s Skin at Sundance and FEFF; Paris Zarcilla’s Raging Grace in Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival and SXSW; Lav Diaz’s Essential Truths of the Lake in Locarno; Jun Robles Lana’s Your Mother’s Son, Sonny Calvento’s short Primetime Mother, Miko Revereza’s docu Nowhere Near all at the Toronto International Film Festival; Whammy Alcazaren’s short Bold Eagle at Sundance, Fantasia, and New York Film Festival; Sheron Dayoc’s The Gospel of the Beast at the Tokyo International Film Festival; and Brillante Mendoza’s Moro at the Busan International Film Festival. The life of Philippine cinema is well beyond box office numbers. As the late film curator and archivist Teddy Co said, “Philippine cinema is not one monolithic film industry, it’s very, very diversified. You can make a film as cultural expression, as self-expression – they don’t have to make money. Commercial cinema is only one kind of cinema.” Co sadly passed away November last year, but his words continue to be a guiding principle when it comes to judging whether Philippine cinema is alive or otherwise.