National Artist for Film and Broadcast Arts Eddie Romero knows what it takes to receive the Best Picture trophy in the Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF). He directed Ganito Kami Noon, Paano Kayo Ngayon? which bagged the same award in 1976.
In the recently concluded MMFF, Direk Eddie did not compete but he served as vice-chairman of the Board of Jurors. However, he was himself shocked to hear that the Best Picture award for the 2006 MMFF went to Enteng Kabisote 3: The Legend Goes On And On And On.
Like Direk Eddie—many others in the industry, including director Cesar Montano and star Celia Rodriguez—expressed disappointment with this decision. Star Cinema actually protested with a letter of appeal to the MMFF Execom.
Uniformly, they did not find it acceptable that Enteng Kabisote 3, which did not win a single technical or artistic award, should romp away with the Best Picture trophy.
The Second Best Picture award went to ABS-CBN Film Productions Inc's (Star Cinema) Kasal, Kasali, Kasalo, which had won nine other awards in the same filmfest. The Third Best Picture award went to Regal Entertainment's Shake, Rattle & Roll 8.
Edu Manzano, host of the Gabi ng Parangal last December 29, announced on the very night of the awards that the MMFF jurors worked on the following formula: 40% commercial viability, which is based on box-office returns; 40% artistry, creativity, technical excellence, innovativeness, thematic values, and global appeal; and 20% Filipino historical and/or cultural values.
Over-all chairperson of the 2006 MMFF was Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) chairperson Bayani Fernando. The board of jurors was composed of Julie M. Borje (director of the Marikina Center for Excellence), chairman; National Artist for Film and Broadcast Arts Eddie Romero, vice-chairman.
Other jurors were: Rolando E. Josef, MMDA Chief of Staff; Ma. Consoliza Laguardia, MTRCB Chairperson; Jess M. Navarro, president, Film Editors Guild; Bienvenido Lumbera, National Artist/Magsaysay Awardee/NCCA; Angie Magbanua, director and talent manager; Christine S. Dayrit, Cinema Evaluation Board chairperson; Dero Pedero, composer/singer; Jojo Pinga, MMDA consultant; and Crispina Belen, Manila Bulletin entertainment editor.
This year, the criterion for commercial viability apparently had a huge effect on Enteng Kabisote 3's controversial selection as Best Picture. Romero claims that in previous festivals that criterion was also used but that it "did not influence the judging."
In an interview with PEP (Philippine Entertainment Portal) last January 4 at the veteran director's house at Mariposa, Quezon City, Direk Eddie talked about Enteng Kabisote 3 and the purpose of the MMFF.
What do you think about the criteria for judging the Best Picture?
"Before, nandoon na yung 40% na criteria, noong araw pa. But it did not influence the judging. This time, I think it was the only consideration. I was co-chairman of the jury. I was very disheartened by it. First opportunity I get, I wanted to get in touch with Chairman Fernando and say, 'What are we up to?' Gawin na lang nating Box Office King. Hindi na Best Picture.
"I was shocked! In fact, I left early because I never stay until the end. So when I saw it on TV... 'Paano nangyari yun? Sino bang bumoto niyan?' Apparently, nasulsulan nila na yung 40% you have to consider... Nanalo na yung Enteng Kabisote 3 e. They make all the money. The idea is to help the industry—not help the industry cheapen its standards—but to make it better, a more effective medium of communication. So I must take that up. Kung ganyan din lang, I don't want to have anything to do with it."
What do you mean by "sulsulan"?
"Marami kaming jurors and we are all appointed by the Metro Manila Development Authority in cooperation with the committee that comes from the Academy. I don't know what happened there." (The Academy refers to the Film Academy of the Philippines.)
Which film was your personal choice for Best Picture?
"Never mind that. It certainly was not Enteng Kabisote 3. I was considering Cesar Montano's Ligalig, Zsa Zsa Zaturnnah and, for that matter, Kasal, Kasali, Kasalo. Those were serious contenders. Frankly, I would not have voted for Enteng Kabisote 3. Although I wish them well. They are all friends of mine: the Sottos and Joey [de Leon]. It's their own decision to make commercial films that appeal to a broad audience."
Was this provision in effect during previous MMFF awards?
"Noong araw pa yun. But that did not interfere with the judging. Aparently, you cannot say now that it did not interfere. Because the biggest box-office hit won the award."
What do you think is the purpose for the MMFF Awards?
"If you're talking to somebody who doesn't know anything about the situation, then it's helping the movie industry. You want to help the movie industry do what? Make more money? I think, for me, it's to improve its potential to be able to express more relevant things about contemporary life. Not necessarily to preach about patriotism because that's b*llsh*t. But to make people more aware of themselves. So that they can say ‘Hey, that's me!' Pero kung ganyan din lang, why not make it a commercial festival?"
Do you think that profitability is what they're looking for in a film?
"Well, apparently. Yun ang pinanalo nila e. So that's what they were looking for. But yun na nga, yung provision of 40% has become too dominant. Kasi dati hindi naman e. In the times when I was winning those awards, I was the kulelat sa box office. And yet they considered it."
What do you think about this change in standards for the Best Picture Award?
"My feeling is that the festival is not fulfilling the purpose that it was created for in the first place. I have no objections to the selection committee choosing some pictures with strong commercial appeal. You cannot discount profitability from the objectives of the festival. What good is the festival to the movie industry if it doesn't make money? On the other hand, we should maintain the objective of elevating the standards of the movie industry."
Did Enteng Kabisote 3 deserve to win the award?
"That's not a fair question. Because they did not intend Enteng Kabisote 3 to be an artistic film. If the Sottos wanted to do an artistic film, they could do one. But they wanted one that was sure to be popular, of proven popularity. And I don't take that away from them. I wish I had movies that made that much money. But you don't give artistic awards to films on the strength of their box-office appeal. They already have awards. The money and popularity among the people are their awards."