HINDI itinanggi ni Mother Lily Monteverde na nalungkot siya sa hindi pagkakasama ng kanyang entry sana sa Metro Manila Film Festival 2016, ang Mano Po 7 Chinoy. Kaya naman uunahan na niya ang pagpapalabas nito.
Mapapanood na ang pelikulang pinagbibidahan nina Richard Yap, Jean Garcia, Enchdong Dee, jessy Mendiola, Jake Cuenca at pinamahalaan ni Direk Ian Lorenos sa December 14.
Anang Regal Films producer sa grand presscon kahapon, ”Of course, I feel so sad. When I heard about it, talagang umiyak ako. Quietly, I cried. Talagang it’s there already. Wala na tayong ano (magagawa).”
Nagpahayag din nag kalungkutan si Yap sa nangyari. ”Of course, nalulungkot kaming lahat na hindi kami nakasali roon because we did everything na possible para maging worthy siya sa MMFF na entry. But we can’t do anything about it kasi ‘yun ang desisyon nila, so we just have to live with it and do our best by showing this before the MMFF. Para maging masaya pa rin naman ang mga tao kahit hindi kami kasali sa festival.”
Nanghihinayang din si direk Lorenos lalo’t first mainstream film niya ito.
“More of panghihinayang ang pakiramdam. Mas nalungkot ako noong inisip ko ‘yung mararamdaman ng staff kasi sila ‘yung pinaka-excited ako going to MMFF. Pero gaya ng sabi ni Richard, we just have to move on, we just have to make our best para gawing blockbuster ito and ginawa naman namin ang best namin para ma-appreciate ito ng audience at ng screening committee (ng MMFF). Pero ang main goal namin is just to make a good film and when people lead to cinema, they will learn something from it,” anang direktor.
Sa kabilang banda, muntik na rin palang nakapasok ang Mano Po 7 dahil naglalaro raw sa no.8 & 9 ang pelikula. Pero sad to say, hindi na talaga nakasama.
“It’s sayang. After this year, (in) next year’s festival, sana they’ll understand. It’s not that I’m teaching them, it’s something that. . .all this poor people like C, D, E (crowd), like ‘yung mga carpinter, mga tao that they belong to this level of C,D,E, mayroon silang bonus. Once they get their bonus, they bring the whole family to the movies to watch the GP (General Patronage). Kasi sayang lang, nanghinayang ako sa mga bata. This is a family movie.
“But anyway, let’s hope next year, entire system should be changed,” sambit pa ni Mother Lily.
Iginiit din ng Regal matriarch na hindi siya laban sa independent films na nakapasok sa MMFF.
”I don’t think against indi movies because I was the original (producer of indi films) like Lav Diaz, Jeffrey Jeturian, lahat sila. We also had a festival. You still remember?
“But you know, there is a time for the indi movies but not Christmas season. Christmas is for the family,” ani Mother Lily.
Kasama rin sa Mano Po 7: Chinoy sina Janella Salvador, Kean Cipriano, at Jana Agoncillo at mapapanood na sa Dec. 14.
SHOWBIZ KONEK – Maricris Valdez Nicasio