Metro Manila (CNN Philippines) — The Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF) 2016 is set to start in a few weeks and fans can’t get enough of cheering their movie idols.
This year’s MMFF will surely be different from previous years as independent films and mainstream movies are merged into one category.
Among the films lined up are “Die Beautiful,” starring Tokyo International Film Festival best actor Paolo Ballesteros; “Kabisera” starring superstar Nora Aunor; “Ang Babae sa Septic Tank Two: Hashtag-Forever Is Not Enough” starring Eugene Domingo; “Oro” starring Irma Adlawan; “Saving Sally” with Rhian Ramos; and other indie films sucj as “Vince-Kath-And-James,” “Seklusyon,” and “Sunday Beauty Queen.”
Read: Paolo Ballesteros bags Best Actor award in Tokyo Int’l Film Fest
But the movie sequels of some traditional box office hits did not make the cut.”
Among them are “Enteng Kabisote Ten,” “Mano Po Seven,” and “The Super Parental Guardians.”
Their exclusion from the festival became controversial as these movie sequels have been blockbuster hits for the past years.
Some leading stars welcome this year’s entries that they say will allow small players in the film industry to benefit from the festival.
Ballesteros said the MMFF is a good platform for smaller productions to be recognized.
Read: Paolo Ballesteros returns home after Tokyo film fest win
Aunor says the festival reflects a revival of the glorious days of Philippine cinema during the 70s and 80s.
Other artists agree that every film must be given a chance in the line-up.
Domingo said, “I have respect and I have love for the people I work with in the industry and I’m all for that, that’s all.”
Fans will again see and greet the stars during the parade on December 23rd.
The festival will run until January 7, while the awards night will be held the day after.
