HOOQ up with MMFF’s indie entries!

I was a big fan of MMFF movie when I was a kid. I was always looking forward of watching the horror and fantasy film entries for the film festival which off course through the expense of my parents. It was a yearly activity of my family (a long time ago) to go out, have dinner and watch one or two films.

One of the most memorable experience I had when I grow up was when I was assigned by our desk for me to cover the parade of MMFF floats. I was a field reporter back then and as far as I can remember, I think that was in 2003. I already forgot what films are on it but what I remember is that I was riding on one of the floats roaming around Roxas Boulevard. That was a exceptionally amazing!

My movie taste might have change over the years but my love for movies wasn’t. I became very picky now in choosing what to watch but for this years MMFF a big move has been added, so I might be doing a movie marathon this year.

For the first time in the 41-year history of the Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF), the entries under the New Wave category is simultaneously available in theaters and online, exclusively through HOOQ. Now you don’t need to go to the movie house just to watch some of the movie entries for this years MMFF.

HOOQ, Asia’s largest video-on-demand service, is the exclusive presenter for the 41st MMFF and its New Wave Category, a partnership geared towards promoting quality Philippine entertainment.  

“Some of the most inventive techniques are shown in short films,” said Jane Walker, HOOQ Philippines Country Manager. “We’re very proud to showcase this and the creativity and talent of Filipino filmmakers.”

HOOQ and MMFF have come together to address the growing needs of the digital natives to consume content at their own time; through streaming and download of the finalists’ animation and short film entries.

This year’s finalists were selected by a jury out of hundreds of national submissions which was then trimmed down to five finalists each.  

MMFF New Wave Category – Short Films

Daisy, a story about a wife and mother Barbara who orders a Proxy Daisy robot to take care of household duties, only for Barbara to have a growing realization that there may be something very wrong with the robot that she has let into her families’ lives.  Written and directed by Bryan Reyes of Colegio de San Lorenzo, this is his first film competition that he joined on a whim and shot two days prior to the contest deadline.

Ding Mangasyas (Tough Guys) centers on 2 brothers who have had a lifelong love-hate relationship filled with violence.  They’re faced with the emotional reality of separation as one of them packs up to work in the US. The film was directed by Justine Emmanuel Dizon and written by Jason Paul Laxamana of Kayumanggi Pictures, who was initially discouraged by the rejection of this same film in another competition.  This is his first national competition, and he is proud to show off the “homegrown” talents of his team who are from Pampanga like him.

Lapis follows the career shift of a pencil artist in his 50s as he applies for a job as a graphic artist only to be confronted by the realization that his medium of expertise is defunct in a modern world.  This moving film that addresses the conflict of analog vs. digital artistry was inspired by real stories of unemployment in the country.  Written and directed by Maricel Cariaga of Center Stage Productions, this is her third competition after UP POV 11 and Sinkwento International Film Festival, wherein she placed top 3 for both.

Momento features an ageing couple, Teresita and Ronaldo, as they celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary–despite Teresita having made a terrible discovery earlier in the film that “marks the darkest hour of their relationship.”  Written and directed by Jan-Kyle Nieva of the UP Film Institute, Nieva states that he enjoys disturbing films and made this film to challenge himself into delving into a genre that he has not previously explored.

Mumu is about a fresh grad named Kara who resists pursuing a nursing career despite her nagging mother and pressure from witnessing the success of her friends.  She also finds herself being haunted by a ghost – a character she had played in a blockbuster horror film. Mumu is directed by Cheryl Tagyamon from UP Diliman, who also wrote the film.  Mumu has thus far won 3rd place in the National Digital Arts Awards 2014 Motion Graphics Category for Students, and in the UP Film Institute’s Black Beret Film Festival it won the Audience Choice Award, Best Cinematography, Best Production Design, and Best Performance.

MMFF New Wave Category – Animated Films

The Seed by Joven Maniaol shows the relationship of a man and his wife’s dog, with whom he does not favor, and how this relationship develops when the dog irrevocably ruins an anniversary surprised prepared by the husband.  The film was inspired by the Pixar animated film UP and French film “Floating in my Mind.”

Buttons was created by Marvel Obemio, Francis Ramirez & Jared Garcia of De La Salle College of St. Benilde.  It is a story about 2 voodoo dolls living in a world where others seem to not notice their existence until one day, a mysterious voodoo doll shows up.  The taboo nature of voodoo one of the pulls that attracted the creators to animating this story.

Geo was written and directed by John Aurthur Mercader of Puppeteer Animation Studio has previously won the grand prize for Animahenasyon, the biggest animation film festival in the country.  His team also won best in technical quality, Best Animation in Category B (6-30 mins.), and the Hero TV Choice Award in Animahenasyon.  The short is about young Geo with a wild imagination, whose mother must always come to his rescue whenever he takes it a step too far.

Little Lights by was written and directed by Rivelle Mallari, the only finalist submission that claims no affiliation to a school or studio.  It is a touching story about a physically weak yet strong-willed firefly named Charlie who struggles with his fear of darkness and finding his place within the firefly community.

Alamat ng Giraffe, directed by Alyssandra Kyle Mallari and written by Karl Marlo Gonzales and Mel Jeffrey Jabido of De La Salle College of St. Benilde, tells a made-up legend on how the giraffe came to be.

Each film is under 10 minutes  and will be screened from December 17 to 24 at Glorietta 4, Robinsons Movie World Ermita and SM Megamall.  All ten entries will be available on HOOQ from December 18.

In addition to the New Wave shorts and animated films for this year, HOOQ has close to a hundred MMFF past winners and finalists among its huge collection of local TV shows and films, made available for streaming and download on multiple devices.


New users can enjoy a 30-day free trial by signing up at www.HOOQ.tv.  Monthly subscription is available at only  P149 and can be charged on your Globe mobile bill or via credit card, or it comes free with Globe Home Broadband plans P1,299 and up.

What movie will you be watching first?