Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, December 25) — Filipino moviegoers will have more movies to watch at the 49th Metro Manila Film Festival with ten instead of the usual eigth entries now showing in cinemas, with a choice of action, drama, fantasy, comedy and historical movies.
Here is a guide on what MMFF movies you can watch starting Monday until Jan. 7, 2024.
G-rated movies
This mother-and-son drama tells the story of Maricar (Sharon Cuneta) whose world revolves around her son, Mateo (Alden Richards), whom she raised as a single mother.
• Cast: Sharon Cuneta & Alden Richards
• Directed by Nuel Naval
• Genre: Drama
• Run Time: 1hr 40min
US-raised Pedro Penduko (Matteo Guidicelli) embarks on a journey in the Philippines after his healer-father died and slowly discovers his supernatural abilities in this action-adventure story.
Speaking to CNN Philippines’ New Day, actors Migo Valid and Martin Venegas expressed their excitement at working with Guidicelli. Meanwhile, director Jason Paul Laxama admitted feeling the pressure but kept his focus on the film, saying: “Nilabas ko lang dito yung passion ko” [I let out my film-making passion in this movie].
• Cast: Matteo Guidicelli
• Directed by Jason Paul Laxamana
• Genre: Fantasy/Adventure
• Run Time: 2hr 0min
PG-rated movies
After the death of his mother (Alessandra de Rossi), Tonton (Euwenn Mikaell) sets out to find the mythical island of the fireflies described in his mother’s bedtime stories about defeating a beast with its light.
• Cast: Alessandra de Rossi, Euwenn Mikaell
• Directed by Zig Dulay
• Drama, Adventure
• Run Time: 1hr 43min
The friendship of two high school best buddies was put to a test after they were entangled in a love triangle as they were on the sidelines making up fake stories about themselves to hide their real identities.
In an interview on CNN Philippines’ New Day, Actor Timothy Castillo said that acting in the movie was enjoyable as the whole production collaborated creatively.
• Cast: Eugene Domingo and Pokwang
• Directed by Jun Robles Lana
• Genre: Comedy
•Run Time: 2hr 0min
This historical film tells the story of the three martyr priests – Mariano Gomez, Jose Burgos, and Jacinto Zamora – who were executed by Spain in 1872 after being charged with sedition and treason.
• Cast: Cedrick Juan, Dante Rivero, Enchong Dee
• Directed by Pepe Diokno
• Genre: Historical Drama
• Run Time: 1hr 52min
Childless couple Clark and Eileen meets a little girl named Jade who claims to be Clark’s child. After accepting the little girl into their home, the couple starts to encounter strangeness and paranoia in their household.
Director King Palisoc said in an interview on CNN Philippines’ New Day that they started making this film in 2019 but was delayed for some reason. He added that he wanted to make a horror film that does not depend on bloodshed, but something more of a psychological thriller.
• Cast: Beauty Gonzales, Derek Ramsay
• Directed by King Palisoc
• Genre: Horror
• Run Time: 1hr 31min
Jonathan Mallari digs into Severino, his 1800s serial killer priest ancestor, to look for his family’s supernatural cure for his dying girlfriend. But he accidentally unleashed a curse that caused the serial killings to be repeated in the present.
• Cast: Piolo Pascual, Elisse Joson, JC Santos
• Directed by Derick Cabrido
• Genre: Horror, thriller
• Run Time: 1hr 52min
John met a man who allows him to travel back in time to when his wife died in a car accident. As he “rewinds” his life and reflects on the life he had taken for granted, he discovers true happiness.
In an interview on CNN Philippines’ New Day, the couple expressed their bliss to be able to do the Rewind movie. “Ang ganda nung script, umiyak talaga ako sa script. Ito talaga tinapos ko talaga nang isang upuanan lang [The script was so good, it made me cry. I read it in one-sitting],” Marian Rivera said.
• Cast: Dingdong Dantes, Marian Rivera
• Directed by Mae Cruz-Alviar
• Genre: Romance, drama
• Run Time: 2hr 0min
Bubbly Azon (Vilma Santos) and Joey (Christopher de Leon), a divorcée, meet in Japan and strive to again believe in love only to face a heart-wrenching problem.
• Cast: Christopher De Leon, Vilma Santos
• Genre: Drama, rom-com
• Directed by Conrado Peru, Rommel Penesa
CNN Philippines’ AC Nicholls and Kristelle Razon contributed to this story.
