STUDENTS, senior citizens and persons with disabilities will enjoy a 30 percent discount in this year’s Metro Manila Film Festival, the Metro Manila Development Authority announced on Tuesday.
This after members of the MMFF Executive Committee came up with a resolution to ensure the success and adopt measures to attract more viewers to watch all the eight entries in the festival which begins on December 25.
The committee resolution, however, stated that the 30 percent discount shall be implemented only starting on the third day of the Festival or Dec. 27, 2016 until Jan. 3, 2017.
MMDA acting chairman and concurrent MMFF head Thomas Orbos said that one of the promotional activities suggested by the committee is to have the 30 percent discount, in which the movie producers and theater owners agreed.
Meanwhile, the MMFF committee dispelled reports that Star Cinema is pulling out its entry, “Vince & Kath & James,” purportedly due to the 30 percent discount on ticket prices.
“Just like all the other producers, they have been supportive of the MMFF initiatives in bringing more people to the Festival every year,” said Orbos.
Orbos is optimistic that this year’s line-up of movies in the MMFF would surpass the P1.020 billion total gross it earned last year.
This despite the absence of the usual big films and top-grossing films like those who starred country’s top comedians Vic Sotto and Vice Ganda, whose entry films this year “Enteng Kabisote and the Abangers”, and “Super Parental Guardian”, respectively, failed to get a slot for this year MMFF.
This year’s official entries includes: “Die Beautiful” starring Paolo Ballesteros; “Kabisera” featuring Nora Aunor, Ricky Davao, JC De Vera, Jason Abalos and Victor Neri; “Saving Sally” top billed by Rhian Ramos and Enzo Marcos; “Seklusyon” featuring Rhed Bustamante, Phoebe Walker, Elora Espano, Neil Ryan Sese, Ronnie Alonte, Lou Veloso, Dominique Roque, John Vic De Guzman and JR Versales; “Sunday Beauty Queen” starring Hazel Perdid, Maylyn Jacobo, Cherry Bretania and Leo Selomenio; “Vince & Kath & James”” stars Julia Barretto, Joshua Garcia and Ronnie Alonte; “”Ang Babae sa Septic Tank 2: Forever is Not Enough”” top billed by Eugene Domingo and Chris Martinez; and “Oro” starring Joem Bascon.
The MMDA supervises the MMFF while its chairman is the concurrent head and organizer of the annual event.
Last year, The MMFF earned P1.020 billion total gross, which is more than P15 million the festival earned in 2014.