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2021 Metro Manila Film Festival

2021 Metro Manila Film Festival
47th Metro Manila Film Festival
AwardsGabi ng Parangal (transl. Awards Night)
No. of films8
Festival dateDecember 25, 2021 (2021-12-25) to January 7, 2022 (2022-01-07)
MMFF chronology

The 2021 Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF) is the 47th edition of the annual Metro Manila Film Festival. It is organized by the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA). It was the second of the two editions to be held during the COVID-19 pandemic in the Philippines.

Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic

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The 2021 film festival was held to live audiences in cinemas after level alert measures in the Philippines were relaxed.[1][2] Entries in the 2020 edition were made available through online streaming since cinemas were closed and not allowed to operate (with the exception of select cinemas in areas on Level 3).

Only around 300 movie theaters were allowed to screen, down from the usual 900. Many cinemas were left deteriorated due to being unused for the past two years due to the pandemic-related closures. Theaters were only allowed to operate at 50 percent capacity with only those vaccinated allowed to be admitted and food and drinks are prohibited (on Alert Level 2 and 3 areas) This is compounded by the impact of Typhoon Rai (Odette) which caused major power disruption in the Visayas and Mindanao areas.[3][4]

Entries

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Feature films

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The number of entries for the Metro Manila Film Festival returned to eight for the 2021 edition.[1] Unlike the previous edition, the number of entries were temporarily expanded to ten since the 2020 edition was held virtually.[5] The deadline for entries was set on October 31, 2021.[6] There were 19 film submissions.[1][7] The eight entries were announced on November 12, 2021.[1]

Title Starring Production company Director Genre
A Hard Day Dingdong Dantes, John Arcilla Viva Films and AgostoDos Pictures Lawrence Fajardo Action
Big Night! Christian Bables Cignal Entertainment, The IdeaFirst Company, Octobertrain Films, Quantum Films Jun Lana Black Comedy
Huling Ulan sa Tag-Araw Rita Daniela, Ken Chan Heaven's Best Entertainment Louie Ignacio Romance, Comedy
Huwag Kang Lalabas Kim Chiu, Aiko Melendez, Beauty Gonzalez Obra Cinema, Cineko Productions Adolfo Alix Jr. Horror, Anthology
Kun Maupay Man it Panahon Charo Santos-Concio, Daniel Padilla, Rans Rifol Globe Studios, Black Sheep Productions, Dreamscape Entertainment Carlo Francisco Manatad Drama
Love at First Stream Kaori Oinuma, Jeremiah Lisbo, Daniela Stranner, Anthony Jennings ABS-CBN Film Productions Cathy Garcia-Molina Romantic, Comedy
Nelia Winwyn Marquez, Raymond Bagatsing, Ali Forbes A and Q Production Films Lester Dimaranan Suspense, Drama
The Exorsis Toni Gonzaga, Alex Gonzaga TINCAN, Viva Films Fifth Solomon Horror, Comedy

Short films

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The MMFF, in partnership with Meta Philippines, launched the Facebook Creator Exhibition. Five short films by content creators, produced with the theme "lockdown", was made available for streaming on Facebook under the exhibition.[8][9]

Title Content creator
Let It Simmer Erwan Heussaff / The Fat Kid Inside Studios / FEATR.
Kandado
(transl. Locked)		 Pio Balbuena
Dito Ka Lang
(transl. Stay here)		 Beverly Cumla
Then and Now Discover MNL
Pepe sa Lockdown
(transl. Pepe in Lockdown)		 Rayn Brizuela / PGAG

Parade of Stars

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The Parade of Stars for the 2021 MMFF is a fluvial parade instead of the traditional motorcade; which is a first in the history of the film festival.[10] Consequentially, ferry boats were used instead of floats on land-based motor vehicles.[11] The event was held on December 19, 2021, despite rainy weather.[12] The route covered the Pasig River and the cities of Makati and Pasig. This was done as a means to promote the Pasig River Ferry Service, which is operated by the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA).[13]

Awards

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2021 Metro Manila Film Festival
Gabi ng Parangal
DateDecember 27, 2021 (2021-12-27)
SiteSamsung Hall, SM Aura Premier, Taguig
Hosted byGiselle Sanchez
Highlights
Best PictureBig Night!
Best DirectorJun Lana
(Big Night!)
Best ActorChristian Bables
(Big Night!)
Best ActressCharo Santos-Concio
(Kun Maupay Man it Panahon)
Most awardsBig Night! (8)

The Gabi ng Parangal (transl. Awards Night) of the 2021 Metro Manila Film Festival was held at the Samsung Hall of the SM Aura Premier in Taguig on December 27, 2021.[14] The awards night was hosted by Giselle Sanchez.[15]

The jury includes Manet Dayrit, Congresswoman Aloy Lim, and Senator Bong Go.[15]

Major awards

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Winners are listed first, highlighted in boldface, and indicated with a double dagger (‡). Nominations are also listed if applicable.[16][17][18][19][20][21]

Best Picture Best Director
Best Actor Best Actress
Best Supporting Actor Best Supporting Actress
Best Screenplay Best Cinematography
Best Production Design Best Editing
Best Sound Best Original Theme Song
Best Musical Score Best Visual Effects
Best Float Gatpuno Antonio J. Villegas Cultural Award
Fernando Poe Jr. Memorial Award for Excellence Special Jury Prize
Gender Sensitivity Award

Other awards

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Short Film category

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Multiple awards

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Awards Film
8 Big Night!
7 Kun Maupay Man it Panahon
4 A Hard Day

Multiple nominations

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Nominations Film
15 Big Night!
13 Kun Maupay Man it Panahon
9 A Hard Day
6 Love at First Stream[a]
3 Huwag Kang Lalabas
2 The Exorsis
Nelia

Box office gross

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No official figures have been released. MMFF spokesperson Noel Ferrer dispute claims that the 2021 MMFF has underperformed box office due to rise of COVID-19, the limit of age, the controversy by the delaying of big blockbusters with Spider-Man: No Way Home, the lackluster of strategy, the higher price ticket, and looking for child-friendly films citing that the opening day of 2021 MMFF earned a third of the total box office gross of the online 2020 MMFF edition. He claimed that the film festival entries were able to surpass the Philippine domestic gross of Hollywood films such as Eternals and the No Time to Die.[22][23] By December 29, Ferrer said that the box office gross of the 2021 MMFF has already surpassed the earnings of the previous edition.[24] Ferrer stated the earnings of the 2020 MMFF to be less than ₱50 million.[25]

Notes

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  1. ^ The film was also nominated for the Best Picture.

References

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  1. ^ a b c d "MMFF 2021: 8 official entries named". ABS-CBN News. November 12, 2021. Retrieved November 12, 2021.
  2. ^ Afinidad-Bernardo, Deni Rose M. (November 11, 2021). "100% cinema capacity eyed for MMFF 2021; list of unofficial entries". The Philippine Star. Retrieved November 12, 2021.
  3. ^ Soliman, Michelle Anne (December 23, 2021). "MMFF returns to the big screen". BusinessWorld. Retrieved December 24, 2021.
  4. ^ Rula, Gorgy (December 23, 2021). "MMFF movies apektado ng Odette!" [MMMF movies affected by (Typhoon) Odette!]. Pilipino Star Ngayon. The Philippine Star. Retrieved December 24, 2021.
  5. ^ "Paulo Avelino's 'Fan Girl' joins 9 other films in 2020 MMFF". ABS–CBN News. November 24, 2020. Retrieved November 24, 2020.
  6. ^ Nardo, Jun (October 20, 2021). "MMFF 2021, tahimik pa". Pang Masa (in Filipino). Retrieved November 12, 2021.
  7. ^ Anarcon, James Patrick. "8 Metro Manila Film Festival 2021 official entries revealed". PEP.ph. Philippine Entertainment Portal, Inc. Retrieved November 12, 2021.
  8. ^ Madarang, Catalina Ricci (December 27, 2021). "Filipinos urged to support MMFF films amid reports of low turnout of moviegoers on opening weekend". Interaksyon. Retrieved December 28, 2021.
  9. ^ "MMFF launches short films by creators on Facebook". BusinessWorld. December 20, 2021. Retrieved December 28, 2021.
  10. ^ PEP Troika. "MMFF 2021 Fluvial Parade of Stars, tuloy na tuloy na". PEP.ph (in Filipino). Philippine Entertainment Portal, Inc. Retrieved December 16, 2021.
  11. ^ "Instead of floats, 8 ferry boats wow at the MMFF 2021's fluvial Parade of Stars". GMA News. December 19, 2021. Retrieved December 20, 2021.
  12. ^ Policarpio, Allan (December 20, 2021). "Fans join MMFF's fluvial Parade of Stars despite rain". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Retrieved December 20, 2021.
  13. ^ Guzman, Jimmyley. "Parade of Stars to also highlight beauty of Pasig River". PIA. Philippine Information Agency. Retrieved December 16, 2021.
  14. ^ "Winners All: The 2021 Metro Manila Film Festival Gabi ng Parangal". Manila Bulletin. December 27, 2021. Retrieved December 27, 2021.
  15. ^ a b Gabinete, Jojo (December 28, 2021). "Charo Santos at John Arcilla, di nakadalo sa MMFF 2021 Gabi ng Parangal" [Charo Santos and John Arcilla were not able to attend the MMFF 2021 Awards Night]. PEP.ph (in Filipino). Philippine Entertainment Portal, Inc. Retrieved December 28, 2021.
  16. ^ "'Big Night!' takes the spotlight at 2021 MMFF awards night". CNN Philippines. December 27, 2021. Archived from the original on December 27, 2021. Retrieved December 27, 2021.
  17. ^ Anarcon, James Patrick (December 27, 2021). "Christian Bables, Charo Santos win top acting awards in MMFF 2021; Big Night! wins Best Picture". Philippine Entertainment Portal. Retrieved December 28, 2020.
  18. ^ "Rita Daniela, Toni Gonzaga, Winwyn Marquez, Huwag Kang Lalabas lead stars inisnab ng MMFF 2021 jury". Philippine Entertainment Portal (in Filipino). December 28, 2021. Retrieved December 28, 2020.
  19. ^ Dumaual, Miguel (December 28, 2021). "Which John Arcilla won? The momentary confusion over the MMFF best supporting actor award, explained". ABS-CBN News. Retrieved December 28, 2021.
  20. ^ Sanchez, Giselle (December 28, 2021). "GOSSIP GIRL: Charo, Daniel, Christian win big at 2021 MMFF Gabi ng Parangal". Manila Bulletin. Retrieved December 29, 2021.
  21. ^ "LOOK: 'Love at First Stream' holds blue-carpet screening after 6 MMFF nominations". ABS-CBN News. December 29, 2021. Retrieved December 30, 2021.
  22. ^ "MMFF spokesperson refutes festival's alleged box office failure". Manila Bulletin. December 27, 2021. Retrieved December 30, 2021.
  23. ^ "MMFF 2021 shouldn't be compared to pre-pandemic box-office returns". The Philippine Star (in English and Filipino). January 1, 2022. Retrieved January 12, 2022.
  24. ^ "Best Picture winners ng MMFF 2021, lumakas sa takilya? Daniel Padilla, nagpasalamat sa nakamit na Jury Prize Award". PEP.ph. Philippine Entertainment Portal, Inc. December 29, 2021. Retrieved December 30, 2021.
  25. ^ "MMFF returns to the big screen". BusinessWorld. December 23, 2021. Retrieved December 30, 2021.
Preceded by Metro Manila Film Festival
2021 		Succeeded by