Bahagi si Meryll Soriano ng pelikulang Honor Thy Father, ang pelikulang pinagbidahan ni John Lloyd Cruz at naging kontrobersiyal matapos itong ma-disquality sa Best Picture category ng 2015 Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF).
Bunsod ng nasabing hakbang ng MMFF Executive Committee, umabot sa pagdinig sa Kongreso ang isyu upang imbestigahan ang diumano’y iregularidad na naganap sa diskwalipikasyon ng pelikula sa nabanggit na kategorya.
Hanggang ngayon ay patuloy ang pagdinig ng Kongreso sa isyu.
Read: Congress probes alleged irregularities in MMFF, Honor Thy Father disqualification case
Pahayag ni Meryll, “I am really, really proud of Honor Thy Father. I am really proud of that change.
"I am proud of that controversy to start something.
“Kaming filmmakers, matagal na kami sa industriya na we’re always struggling to find an audience, especially if it’s independent.
“So finally, kahit papa'no, for me it’s a revolution."
Dagdag ng aktres, “Personally, I see it as something to start to broaden the audience of Philippine cinema.
"Kasi naman, noong unang panahon, ganito naman talaga ang mga pelikulang ipinuprodyus natin, e.
“Of course, nangyayari talaga ito. Change comes, but progress will also have to keep up.”
Nakausap ng PEP.ph (Philippine Entertainment Portal) at isa pang miyembro ng press si Meryll sa presscon ng upcoming primetime series ng GMA Network na That’s My Amboy, na pinagbibidahan nina Barbie Forteza at Andre Paras, kagabi, January 21.
NOT AFTER THE AWARDS. Hindi raw importante kay Meryll ang pagkakaroon ng award, kundi ang isyu ng pagsusulong ng mga dekalidad na pelikulang Pilipino.
“My only issue was the disqualification, along with the whole team of Honor Thy Father.
“I really don’t care about awards. To be honest, di siya nagma-matter sa akin.
“But the whole disqualification is something that needs to be called upon.”
Ngayong isinusulong ang imbestigasyon sa ilang opisyales ng MMFF para sa posibleng mga iregularidad, ano naman ang inaasahan ni Meryll sa pangyayaring ito?
“We hope that the new members [MMFF executive committee] yun yung parang nakikita naming change, e, yung mapapalitan ang ExeCom and all that.
"It’s really gonna be about the films.
“It’s really gonna be about people having this festival that they will only have Filipino films every Christmas.
“It’s really about the Philippine cinema.
“I think we’re all hoping for that.
“Because we are really capable of producing really good quality films."
Paglilinaw ni Meryll, “I don’t have anything against mga festival films na comedy. We all want that and I want that.
“Hindi naman ibig sabihin gawa lang tayo ng serious films, but to have a fair platforms to all the genres.”
FAMILY AFFAIR. Dumalo raw si Meryll sa first day ng hearing sa Kongreso noong January 11.
Saad niya, “It’s really disappointing.
“I’m happy to see, to witness to all of that because, di ba, lahat ng haka-haka mo, from the very beginning of 23 years na ako sa industriya…
"I’ve learned this… hindi lang naman ako ang nasa industry.
"There’s my aunt [Maricel Soriano], there’s my father [Willie Revillame], there’s my uncle [Mel Martinez]. It’s a family affair.
“So, you learn to choose your battles.
"But then again, to be part of this is something very important for me, na naging part ako nito.
"Kasi matagal na tayong hush-hush about it, I guess.
“It had to happen sometime. And I’m just part of that change, this milestone sa Philippine industry.”