Ibinoses ni Direk Jun Robles Lana ang pagkadismaya sa mataas na presyo ng ticket sa mga sinehan sa nagdaang 2025 Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF).
Saad ng batikang direktor sa X, noong Huwebes, Enero 1, sa mga nagdaang dekada, nakilala ang MMFF bilang “people’s festival” dahil ito raw ang panahon na madalas ipinapasyal ng mga manggagawang Pinoy ang pamilya nila sa mall para makanood sa sinehan.
Ngunit dahil sa pagmahal ng tickets sa sinehan, kahit raw ang pamilya na may apat na miyembro ay kinakailangan magbayad ng higit-kumulang ₱1,500 para makapanood ng pelikula rito, hindi pa raw kasama ang isang bag ng popcorn dito.
“For decades, the MMFF was the "people's festival." It was the one time of year when ordinary workers took their children to the mall to see their idols. But today, a family of four would need at least ₱1,500 just to enter the theater, not including transportation or even a single bag of popcorn,” ani Direk Jun.
Walang pa-anything, kukubra na lang? VIVA Films, binakbakan dahil kay Vice Ganda
“By pricing the ordinary Filipino out of the theater, the industry hasn't just lost customers, it has lost its soul. Cinema has shifted from a shared national culture to a middle-class privilege,” dagdag pa niya.
Sa pagtatapos ng kaniyang post, idiniin ni Direk Jun na sa pagpapatuloy ng ganitong sistema at kalakaran sa industriya ng pelikula sa bansa, posibleng unti-unti ang maging pagbagsak ng industriya.
“You cannot promote a ‘National’ Film Festival while maintaining prices that exclude the nation. Until we admit that cinema has become a luxury that the "₱ 500 Noche Buena" family cannot afford, we are simply watching the slow, expensive sunset of Philippine cinema,” diretsang patutsada ni Direk Jun.
Sa kabilang banda, hindi rin naiwasan na mag-ere ng kanilang mga saloobin at hinaing ang ilang netizens sa nasabing post.
“Can't blame it's collapse on pricing alone, it collapsed from lack of standards, because the industry chose comfort over craft & turned the MMFF into a yearly reminder that we would rather sell familiarity to the masa than risk offering them something worthy of their intelligence.”
“I think MMDA needs to step up or give it to FDCP instead. MMDA shouldn't be handling film fest anyway. Give it to [the] proper film agency.”
“Itinaas nila ang ticket price kesyo limited seating due to social distancing after ng lockdown. Hindi na nila ibinalik nung pwede na ulit mapuno ang mga sinehan. For me, hindi din kasi ako mahilig manood ng Pinoy movies sa sinehan. Unless ibaba nila ang presyo.”
“[S]o agree with this direk! [A] ₱ 450 cinema ticket without any popcorn or drink feels so unrewarding even if the movie is great. [I]f this will go on talaga, parang under palliative care na lang ang movie industry dito... ugh.”
“35 na ako, lumaki kami noon watching MMFF films at nakompleto nga ata namin ang enteng kabisote and nasa 180-200 pa non ang movie pero now jusco aywan.”
Si Direk Jun ay ang direktor ng 51st MMFF entry na “Call Me Mother” na pinagbidahan nina Vice Ganda, Nadine Lustre, at Lucas Andalio.
Ilan pa sa mga sikat niyang obrang pelikula ay ang Die Beautiful (2016), Kalel, 15 (2019), at Bwakaw (2012).
Sean Antonio/BALITA
