Christmas season is definitely the most anticipated time of the year. To local movie patrons, this is also their most anticipated tradition because it means the spotlight is on locally made films.
Each year, moviegoers are treated to a two-week movie extravaganza known to many as Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF). Now on its 41st edition, the annual film event continuous to break boundaries with a new roster of movies of varying genres.
As the 41st MMFF dominates the local movie houses, we are also intrigued on which film would perform better than the other. For decades, this has been the most exciting part of MMFF apart from the scandals that usually mar the Gabi ng Parangal.
Now, while the fans of Beauty and the Bestie and Pabebe Love:# Kilig Pa More (current MMFF entries) are having a word war on social networking sites, let’s take a look back at the most successful MMFF entries in the previous years.
2000 – Tanging Yaman
(Star Cinema)
Estimated gross ticket sales: P167 million
Tanging Yaman is a story of faith, music and love within a family. Three siblings – Danny (Johnny Delgado), Art (Edu Manzano) and Grace (Dina Bonnevie) – each with his own family revisit their hometown to deal with a land dispute. Their mother, Loleng (Gloria Romero), has the dreaded Alzheimer’s disease. Despite living contrasting lifestyles, Loleng’s love for all of them is what binds them together, even if she expresses it in various ways. The film garnered the highest number of awards in the 26th MMFF, including Best Festival Picture, Best Director (for Laurice Guillen), and Best Screenplay.
2001 – Bagong Buwan
(Star Cinema)
Estimated gross ticket sales: P38 million
Also known as New Moon, the movie explores Muslim rebellion in Mindanao and its effects on civilians. It delves into the war between the government (during President Joseph Estrada’s regime) and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF). The story is told through the eyes of the Bangsamoro or Moros as they are commonly called. Directed by Marilou Diaz-Abaya, the film is about a Muslim doctor Ahmad (Cesar Montano) who tries to lead refugees to safety after vigilantes destroy their village prior to the war.
2002 – Mano Po 1: My Family
(Regal Entertainment)
Estimated gross ticket sales: P98 million
The family drama focuses on the realities of Chinese Filipino families’ lives, mostly around a cultured Chinese Filipino family’s search for their own identity and place in Philippine history, as they tell their own stories of joy and struggles. Mano Po is the most decorated film at the 28th MMFF bringing home 12 awards including Best Picture, Best Director for Joel Lamangan, Best Actor for Eddie Garcia, and Best Actress for Ara Mina.
2003 – Captain Barbell
(Viva Films)
Estimated gross ticket sales: P61 million
The superhero film in 2003 is another adaptation of one of Mars Ravelo’s originals. In the movie, Capt. Barbell’s human form is Enteng (Ogie Alcasid). Enteng finds the mysterious barbell in a gym, where he works as a janitor, not knowing that the barbell gives his alter ego, Captain Barbell (Bong Revilla). Directed by Mac Alejandre, the film also makes the version of the character’s power and strength origins more detailed.
2004 – Enteng Kabisote: Okay ka, Fairy Ko: The Legend
(Octoarts Films)
Estimated gross ticket sales: P101 million
The first installment of Enteng Kabisote film series is a comical journey of Enteng Kabisote (Vic Sotto), a tagalupa, who marries Faye (Kristine Hermosa), an engkantada and the only daughter of Ina Magenta (Giselle Toengi), queen of Engkantasya. The adventure all starts when Satana (Bing Loyzaga), the evil queen of Kadiliman turns her ire on Enteng’s family, but still gets defeated after numerous fights against Enteng, Benok (Oyo Boy Sotto) and Itim (Michael V.), who was once her apprentice.
2005 – Enteng Kabisote 2: Okay Ka Fairy Ko: The Legend Continues
(Octoarts Films)
Estimated gross ticket sales: P108 miilion
Engkantasya welcomes a new addition to Kabisote family, Ada (Angel Sy), Enteng (Vic Sotto) and Faye’s (Kristine Hermosa) baby girl. Darkness once again broods in both Engkantasya and in man’s world when Satana (Bing Loyzaga) has finally regained her powers. But with the help of the new allies, Alyssa (Marian Rivera), and Verdana (Jose Manalo), Enteng once again saves the fate of Engkantasya.
2006 – Kasal, Kasali, Kasalo
(Star Cinema)
Estimated gross ticket sales: P140 million
Played by real-life couple, Judy Ann Santos and Ryan Agoncillo, Kasal, Kasali, the rom-com is a story of a couple, a total opposites of each other, surprising their peers they fell in love with each other. When Jed’s (Agoncillo) parents force him to migrate to United States, he unbelievably proposes to Angie (Santos). However, they realize that martal life is not like what they read in fairytales. The film did not just top the box office it swept the awards with nine awards.
2007 – Sakal, Sakali, Saklolo
(Star Cinema)
Estimated gross ticket sales: P122,900,000 (As of Jan. 12, 2008)
The sequel to the previous year’s top-grossing MMFF entry topped the tills with Judy Ann Santos and Ryan Agoncillo. It revolves around Angie (Judy Ann Santos) and Jed (Ryan Agoncillo) as first-time parents experiencing the joys and pains of raising a child, realizing what parenthood always demands and that they need to sacrifice their own likes and interests for their baby.
2008 – Ang Tanging Ina N’yong Lahat
(Star Cinema)
Estimated gross ticket sales: P171 million
Family comedy Ang Tanging Ina N’yong Lahat is about a mother who tries to find her self-worth by being the president of the country. Starring Ai-Ai de las Alas and Eugene Domingo, it is the sequel to the 2003 comedy film Ang Tanging Ina. Anyone will admire Ina Montecillo (Ai-Ai de las Alas) as the epitome of a perfect mother. After more than 30 years of doing everything for her family, Ina then realized she has not done something for herself. She then finds her self-worth through ruling as the President of the Philippines.
2009 – Ang Panday
(GMA Films)
Estimated gross ticket sales: P99 million
It is an adaptation of Carlo J. Caparas’ Panday komiks novel. The story centers on Flavio (Bong Revilla Jr.), a blacksmith living in a quiet, uneventful life in a town almost untouched by Lizardo’s (Phillip Salvador) evil. Lizardo attempts to ruin their harmonious life on their dwelling place, and he even challenges Flavio with a duel by capturing his beautiful lady love Maria (Iza Calzado). A series of events take place that brings Flavio on the verge of a full-blown war against Lizardo. The film took home a total of seven awards.
2010 – Si Agimat at si Enteng Kabisote
(GMA Films, OctoArts Films)
Estimated gross ticket sales: P159 million
Monsters keep on scaring and kidnapping children on Agimat’s (Bong Revilla Jr.) world and they seem capable of travelling in other worlds and with this, Agimat crosses over with them and discovers Engkantasya, the world of Faye (Gwen Zamora), Ina Magenta (Amy Perez) and Enteng Kabisote (Vic Sotto). As the story unfolds, it reveals that Satana (Bing Loyzaga) orders the monster to snatch children so she can use their blood to revive Ragat, the lord of darkness. Enteng has to rescue his wife with the help of Agimat to battle the monsters and the dark lord. Si Agimat at si Enteng Kabisote won Best Visual Effects and Best Make-up Artist awards.
2011 – Enteng ng Ina Mo
(OctoArts Films, Star Cinema)
Estimated gross ticket sales: P237 million
Enteng ng Ina Mo goes around the lives of Enteng (Vic Sotto) retiring as the perennial hero of Engkantasya and Ina (Ai-Ai de las Alas) longing for a partner who will be with her for the rest of her life. Satana (Bing Loyzaga) places Enteng under a powerful evil spell, to fall in love with another woman. This is where he meets Ina. As their relationship gets serious, Ina discovers Enteng has a family and a wife. Enteng ng Ina Mo tied up with Shake, Rattle and Roll 13, both taking home three awards.
2012 – Sisterakas
(Star Cinema, Viva Films)
Estimated gross ticket sales: P394 million
Comedy film Sisterakas is a story of rivalry between half siblings – Bernice (Vice Ganda) and Detty (Ai-Ai de las Alas) who are half siblings and whose childhoods are worlds apart. Detty grew up with a wealthy while Bernice and his mom are left to fend for themselves. Bernice becomes a wealthy and successful businessman years after, but his rudeness leads to his 75th assistant’s resignation. This is where he meets Detty and for him, this is his chance for a payback. The main rival of Bernice’s company headed by talented Roselle (Kris Aquino) currently poses as a very strong competitor. Series of events lead to the two company heads fighting over Detty. Sisterakas took home two awards – Third Best Picture and Best Supporting Actress for Wilma Doesn’t.
2013 – Girl, Boy, Bakla, Tomboy
(Star Cinema, Viva Films)
Estimated gross ticket sales: P436 million
Vice Ganda stars as the quadruplets in the movie. Long years of separation and the quadruplets, Girlie (Female), Peter (Male), Mark (Gay) and Panying (Lesbian), meet again when Peter needed a compatible liver donor. Mark is the only match but he sets a condition in exchange for his liver. Girlie, Peter and their father Pete (Joey Marquez) must experience the hardships he, Panying and their mother Pia (Maricel Soriano) have been through. In the process, Mark starts to give their family another chance and finally sees their good sides. The film won the Gender Sensitivity award, 2nd Best Picture and Best Actress for Soriano.
2014 – The Amazing Praybeyt Benjamin
(Star Cinema, Viva Films)
Estimated gross ticket sales: P456 million
The once humble Private Benjamin (Vice Ganda) becomes a worldwide sensation and the Philippine’s unkabogable soldier. In order to prepare him better, Benjamin is assigned under the new general, Wilson Chua (Richard Yap). Even though the sequel to The Unkabogable Praybeyt Benjamin topped the box office record of 40th MMFF’s opening day, this film was not able to get any awards from 2014 Gabi ng Parangal. – Camille Caguioa