LAST NIGHT, hindi ko inasahan ay nagkita kami ng screen writer na si Ricky Lee sa isang Chinese restaurant sa Sct. Tobias na kilala sa kanilang “white chicken” na binabalik-balikan ko. Siya naman, nag-take-out and for sure, pareho kami ng favorite sa resto na yun.
Last Friday sa FDCP’s Pista ng Pelikulang Pilipino ay nakatsika namin si Ricky na isa sa mga nasa screening committee ng All-Filipino film festival na magaganp sa August 16 to 22 sa lahat ng mga sinehan sa buong bansa.
Hindi ko rin inaasahan na yong araw ay magiging viral ang nangyari announcement ng apat na pasok na mga pelikula na kasali sa MMFF 2017 na sinundan naman ng pagre-resign nina Ricky Lee, Rolando Tolentino and Kara Magsanoc-Alikpala bilang member Execom na lalo nagbigay saya para maglabo-labo sila.
Nagkakagulo ang “industriya” na gustong baguhin ang sistema sa palakad at reporma na nasimulan na last year.
Si FDCP Chairperson Liza Dino ang pinupukol ngayon ng iba’t ibang mga opinyon ng mga taga-industry. May pumupuri sa ginawa niyang sagot at stand sa kaguluhan at syempre, mayroon mga nagne-nega na binabanat siya na tulad nina Ricky, Rolando at Kara ay pare-pareho lang sila na mga Execom members at hindi siya ang mukha ng MMDA na namumuno ng MMFF.
Para matapos na rin marahil ang piyesta ng kaguluhan at sari-saring opinyon para maging patis at sukang may sili ang nakiki-opinyon, marahil ang official statement ng tatlong nag-resign ang siyang magtatapos ng lahat.
Sa kanyang Facecook account, ipinost ni Ricky ang joint statement nilang tatlo
na nagresign. Narito ang opisyal nilang pahayag:
We accepted the invitation to be members of the Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF) 2017 Executive Committee (ExeCom) because we were excited to maximize the gains of the MMFF 2016.
Last year’s festival showcased a wide variety of quality cinema that went beyond the formulaic. There was a shift of emphasis from commercial viability to artistic excellence.
It also celebrated the spirit of a film culture that produced many cult classics in the early years of the MMFF.
After several meetings and deliberations, we resigned because the MMFF 2017 ExeCom took a different direction, by putting too much emphasis on commerce over art.
Our resignation had little to do with the first four selected MMFF 2017 entries. We had expressed our intention to resign long before the announcement of the first four entries was made.
Some quarters in the ExeCom insist that only big film studios can produce a blockbuster. We believe that producing a box office hit and creating quality film is not exclusive to big film studios nor to independent film outfits. All excellent Filipino films deserve all forms of support. This support includes movies being screened for the entire duration of the festival with maximum exposure in as many theatres in and outside Metro Manila.
We stand committed to seek reforms in the Filipino film industry. We remain steadfast believing in a Metro Manila Film Festival that can once more be a celebration of the finest of Filipino artistry.
The Filipino audience deserves no less.
Ngayon, malinaw na ang ang dahilan na ang resignation ng tatlo ay hindi dahil sa mga pelikula nina Coco Martin na “Ang Panday”; ang kina Vice Ganda, Pia Wurtzbach at Daniel Padilla na “The Revengers”; Jennylyn Mercado-Jericho Rosales’ “Almost is Not Enough” at kay Bossing Vic Sotto na “Love Traps #Family Goals”.
Tara, nood tayo ng indie films pero pahingi ng pases. Sey mo kafatid?
Reyted K
By RK Villacorta
