The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority on Wednesday expressed its support to the proposal of Senator Christopher Lawrence Go for the country to have a separate Metro Manila Film Festival to be held during summer.
Go is a member of the MMFF executive committee while the MMDA is the overall organizer and the supervising body of the annual film festival.
“The MMFF and MMDA (officials) acting on the proposal of executive committee member Senator Bong Go that a second MMFF be held in support of the film industry will meet today to craft the rules for the MMFF Summer Film Festival,” said MMDA assistant secretary and spokesperson Pircelyn Pialago.
Pialago said Go’s office confirmed that a staff will attend the meeting. “A genuine consultations with stakeholders particularly cinemas and producers will be held to finalize the rules.”
She added the proposed 2nd MMFF is already on the agenda of the Metro Manila Council scheduled meeting on July 27, 2019 as a successful film festival needs the support of the local executives in Metro Manila.
“As the name suggests, MMFF whether a Summer Film Festival or whatever season, like its long-running successful predecessor during the Christmas holidays, will be under the MMDA / MMFF Execom and no member of the committee or anyone for that matter can represent MMFF except its recognized Chairman Danilo Lim,” Pialago said.
“Let it be clear that the Film Development Council of the Philippines is just one of the many bodies respresented in the MMFF Execom that ensures its efficient discharge of its mandate. So a second one or any offshoot will be under the MMFF Execom headed by the MMDA Chair. We have to give credit to whom it is due,” the MMDA assistant secretary added.