Pasok sa 49th edition ng Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF) ang unang pagsasama sa pelikula ng Megastar na si Sharon Cuneta at ng Asia's Multimedia Star na si Alden Richards, at ang balik-tambalan ng real-life couple na sina Marian Rivera at Dingdong Dantes.
Ngayong Lunes ng hapon, July 10, 2023 ay inanunsiyo ng mga tagapamuno ng MMFF ang unang apat na pelikulang kalahok sa taunang film festival na idinaraos tuwing Disyembre.
Narito ang apat na pelikulang kalahok sa MMFF 2023:
1. A MOTHER AND SON'S STORY by Cineko Productions, Inc.
Starring Sharon Cuneta and Alden Richards
GENRE: Drama
EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS: Enrico A. Rogue, Patrick F. Menses, Jacky Lim
DIRECTOR: Nuel Naval
SCRIPTWRITER: Mel Mendoza-Del Rosario
Synopsis: This drama film tells the story of Maricar whose world revolves around her son, Mateo, who she raised singlehandedly. When Mateo is moving to Singapore to pursue his career ambition and his girlfriend, he devised a plan to find a good man who can look after her mother while he is gone. At first, this made Maricar furious but eventually she saw the pure intention of her son. The separation and distance made Maricar discover her happiness outside her son. On the other hand, being away from Maricar made Mateo realize that truly home is where his heart is.
Read: Sharon Cuneta at Alden Richards, nag-workshop na para sa unang pelikula nila together
2. (K)AMPON by Quantum Films
Starring Beauty Gonzalez and Derek Ramsay
GENRE: Horror Thriller
EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS: Josabeth Alonso
DIRECTOR: King Paliso
SCRIPTWRITER: Dodo Dayao
Synopsis: After 8 years of marriage, a childless couple named Clark and Eileen meet a little girl who one day, came knocking at their door claiming to be Clark's child. Despite the unexpected situation, the wife accepts the child and temporarily fosters her while figuring the next steps. Meanwhile, Clark investigates the child's history while Eileen begins to develop an odd and eerie relation with the child. Also strange occurrences happen around the couple's life - with ominous voices, visions of death and rebirth and night stalkers, that all escalate the paranoia in the household. As the seemingly innocent child grows more fond of Eileen, Clark must decide between erasing his past to save his marriage or embracing the truth and the demons that come along with it.
3. PENDUKO by Sari Sari Network
Starring Cristine Reyes and Matteo Guidicelli
GENRE: Fantasy Action
EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS: Jane Basas
DIRECTOR & SCRIPTWRITER: Jason Paul Laxamana
Synopsis: This fantasy action film is the new film version of the iconic comic book character, Pedro Penduko, wherein he is the son of a philantrophic faith healer in the countryside. Yearning for a more modern and materialistic life, he runs away to the city. Unfortunately, he does not find the prosperity he yearns. Until he is recruited in an underground company called Hatinggabi, where people with supernatural gifts like Pedro are formally trained and sent to heal victims of sorcery in exchange for money. His new career, however, will lead him to an identity crisis that asks the question: Is his destiny to be a healer or a sorcerer?
4. REWIND by ABS-CBN FILM PRODUCTIONS, INC.
Starring Marian Rivera and Dingdong Dantes
GENRE: Romance Drama
EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS: Carlo L. Katigbak, Kriz Anthony G. Gazmen
DIRECTOR: Mae Cruz-Alviar
SCRIPTWRITER: Enrico Santos
Synopsis: This romance drama film is about a man who at a certain point in his life feels guilty of his life choices. All these after not being promoted in his work, being estranged from his father and son and a having a rocky marriage and then his wife dies in a car accident. One day he meets a man who offers him a once-in-a-lifetime deal — to rewind his life and correct all his mistakes and repair his relationship with his wife and family on one condition — he has to die in place of his wife. He believes the man to be Jesus. With everything to lose and to hope for, John rewinds his life and discovers that the true meaning of happiness comes from the thing he has taken for granted: LOVE.
Read: Kapuso couple Dingdong Dantes, Marian Rivera to headline Star Cinema's "Rewind"
Ang mga pelikulang ito ay napili base sa mga script na isinumite nila sa MMFF screening committee.
Ang apat na natitirang entries ay magmumula sa finished films na isusumite ng mga film production. Ang deadline ng submission para rito ay sa September 29.
Nakatakda namang idaos ang pinakamalaking film festival sa bansa simula December 25, 2023 hanggang January 7, 2024.