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Friday, March 29, 2024

Film festival goes digital this year

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This year’s Metro Manila Film Festival is going digital due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Metropolitan Manila Development Authority and MMFF concurrent Chairman Danilo Lim said the MMFF had partnered with Globe Telecom and Upstream to keep the annual film festival alive in December amid the challenging times.

“The film industry continues to grapple with the effects of COVID-19, but it should not dampen the Filipinos’ spirit of watching Filipino movies during the Christmas season,” Lim said.

“This year, we are bringing the MMFF tradition in every Filipino home not just here in the country but all over the world via digital screening for the first time.”

The global audience can access eight entries to this year’s MMFF in digital form through Upstream while in the comfort of their homes. Joel E. Zurbano

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“We are very excited about the annual film festival that will take place on a new platform. Filipinos abroad and those who cannot go home for the holidays can enjoy the MMFF tradition by watching MMFF movies on digital platforms,” Lim said.

He says the MMDA has chosen Globe and Upstream to be its official partner for the MMFF, which is celebrating its 46th year. The MMFF will open on Christmas Day.

“Out of the five proposals the MMDA received, we have chosen Globe, which presented the best offer to be our partner,” Lim said.

He encouraged the general public to patronize the annual film festival, which is organized primarily to help promote and enhance the preservation, growth and development of the local film industry.

Romando Artes, MMFF co-Executive Chairman, says regular activities such as the Parade of Stars and Awards Night will also be done virtually and streamed online in compliance with the health and safety protocols to avoid COVID-19 transmission.

Ernest Cu, CEO of Globe Telecom, says the undertaking aims to keep the holiday Filipino tradition of watching movies as families and bring cheer to the Filipinos. It also intends to bring Filipino films to the global audience.

Metro Manila has been under general community quarantine since August, and the restrictions against mass gatherings remain in place. While the government is gradually reopening the economy, the Metro Manila mayors have recommended keeping the National Capital Region under the GCQ status until the end of the year.

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