It is a relief that the Metro Manila Development Authority is offering better movies for Filipino viewers in this year’s festival. In doing so, we veer away from the years-long practice—nay, torture —of having only commercial movies that feature big names and little else.
This year, the viewing public can choose from several independent films in various genres. If social media were to be a gauge, the response has been good. Viewers especially those on Christmas break have taken the time to flock to theaters and line up for the movies. Thus far, there have been no complaints about the lack of luminosity even as the usual big names have been excluded in the festival.
Of course, running movies in cinemas is still primarily a business. We have heard about “threats” to pull out the less lucrative movies from the big malls. It may be true that the cinema operators see no moral obligation to show a specific kind or quality of films; their motivation is first and foremost the revenue that the movies would bring in.
As a result, there were calls and requests made on social media, among friends and acquaintances, to see this or that movie because this or that cinema may just pull it out for its weak showing.
The call should extend beyond the holiday festival.
We have often lamented the sorry state of local entertainment. Too often, we get carried away with celebrity, focusing on the pursuits of movie stars instead of on the quality of the entertainment they give us. We have also seen entertainment as a cheap excuse to escape our present realities, refusing to see that art—as cinema is—should mirror our struggles as a society, reflect our inner fears and conflicts, and offer us varying views of the world we live in.
And how commercial producers have exploited this to the hilt! Did not one producer, notorious for several titles of poorly made, shallow or maudlin movies, say it was a waste that Filipinos would not get to spend their Christmas bonus on her movies that have always brought happiness to their children?
There is no shortage of vision, talent and willingness among local artists. What this year’s festival reminds us is that quality entertainment is still possible—if we demand it.