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34th MMFF rakes in P450 million in 14 days


The 34th Metro Manila Film Festival defied the global financial crisis to rake in record box-office sales of P450.841 million, registering a 19 percent increase compared to last year's takings. Ang Tanging Ina N'yong Lahat, starring Ai-Ai delas Alas (left) and DJ Durano (middle), reached P171.6 million. It was directed by Wenn Deramas (right).

Noel Orsal

34th MMFF rakes in P450 million in 14 days

Jocelyn Dimaculangan

Saturday, January 17, 2009
08:45 PM

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To date, the 34th Metro Manila Film Festival is the most profitable edition of the annual film festival.

 

When the MMFF officially ended last January 7, 2009, the total box-office receipts of the eight official entries totaled P450.841 million.

This figure is 19 percent higher compared to the total earnings of the MMFF last year, according to Ric Camaligan, MMFF executive committee member and head of the National Cinema Association of the Philippines.

Last year, box-office receipts of nine official entries amounted to 380.241 million pesos. In the 33rd edition of the filmfest, the first batch of films (six entries) premiered on December 25 and the second batch (three entries),   on January 1.


For the 2008-2009 period, all eight entries opened on Christmas Day.

 

WINNING COMBINATION. It seems that the Metro Manila Development Authority has come up with a successful formula that allowed them to reach record-high box-office sales despite the global financial crisis.

 

In a previous interview, PEP (Philippine Entertainment Portal) asked MMDA chairman Bayani Fernando for the secret behind the marked improvement in box-office figures.

 

"Every year, nag-i-improve ang filmfest natin, pati sa criteria sa judging. Everything is geared towards earning more money. And indeed, we are earning more money. But we still have to break the P500-million mark," he says.



According to Mr. Fernando, their previous record was set during the 32nd Metro Manila Film Fest in 2006 when box-office receipts totaled P415 million.

 

The group organizing the annual filmfest has yet to surpass the P500-million mark but they were only P50 million short of their target for the recently concluded film fest.

 

The sequel of Ang Tanging Ina topped box-office sales during the 14-day film festival that is limited solely to Filipino films. Incidentally, this family comedy starring Ai-Ai delas Alas is counted among the Blockbuster Films of 2008—based on data presented by SM Cinema and Robinsons Movieworld—even though it was shown for only seven days in 2008. (Click HERE to read related article.)

Here is the box-office gross of the 34th Metro Manila Film Festival entries (as of January 7, 2009)

 

1. Ang Tanging Ina N'yong Lahat (Star Cinema) P171.6 million

2. Iskul Bukol: 20 Years After (M-Zet, OctoArts Films and APT Productions) P107.5 million

3. Shake, Rattle & Roll X (Regal Entertainment) P68.6 million

4. Desperadas 2 (Regal Entertainment) P49.3 million

5. Baler (Viva Films and Bida Foundation) P35.8 million

6. One Night Only (Canary Films) P10.5 million

7. Dayo sa Mundo ng Elementalia (Cutting Edge Productions) P5.3 million

8. Magkaibigan (Maverick Films) P2.1 million

 

For more information about the eight (8) official entries of the 34th MMFF, visit PEP's microsite by clicking HERE .


 



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