E.R. wants changes in the MMFF
Jeorge “E.R.” Estregan does not see his Star Awards for Movies win as vindication for his loss against Dingdong Dantes.
It can be remembered that Dingdong won the MMFF acting plum for “Segunda Mano”and “One More Try.” At this year’s Star Awards, E.R. bested Dingdong, who was nominated for the Movie Actor of the Year along with Coco Martin, Eddie Garcia, and John Lloyd Cruz, among others.
“Last year, for ‘Manila Kingpin: The Asiong Salonga Story,’ I got four Best Actor awards. I won from the Star Awards, the Luna Awards, Famas Awards, and Gawad Pasado. Compared to the one Dingdong won (for ‘Segunda Mano’) in the Metro Manila Film Fest,” the Laguna governor told members of the press after the 29th Star Awards for Movies at the AFP Theater in Quezon City on Sunday, March 10.
Read related story: Nora Aunor, Dingdong Dantes Clinch Top MMFF Acting Plums
E.R. has been very open with his criticism of the MMFF—particularly last year, when his movie “El Presidente” was pulled out of the cinemas even before the festival ended its two-week run due to reportedly poor ticket sales. But he clarified that there is no bad blood between him and the Kapuso actor. In fact, the governor said he wants to work with Dingdong.
“I would like to do an action movie with Dingdong,” E.R. shared.
The Star Awards for Movie best actor winner explained that he might do the remake of the 1980s action film “Sa Iyo ang Tondo, Akin ang Cavite” with Dingdong. While E.R. originally planned to do the movie with Bong Revilla (the original film starred his father Ramon Revilla and the late Fernando Poe Jr.), he said the senator is not keen on doing “gangster roles.”
“Eh ako, ang gusto ng mga fans ko sa fan page ko saka sa Twitter, gusto nila gangster ako,” he said.
In fact, his next film, titled “Boy Golden,” will also be a “gangster” movie.
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“We had a meeting last week. Hopefully, makuha namin si KC Concepcion as leading lady for the movie ‘Boy Golden’,” he said.
Is he willing to work with Kris Aquino too?
“Well, we’ve been texting each other. We’ll see,” E.R. said.
‘Filipino Film Festival’
E.R. revealed that he has already offered his “smart suggestions” to Metropolitan Manila Development Authority chairman Francis Tolentino about the yearly Metro Manila Film Festival.
One of his suggestions is for the MMFF to get “competent judges na nakakaalam ng pelikula.”
“Nagkakaroon ng problema lagi sa pagkuha ng judges sa Metro Manila Film Fest, e. Yung iba kasi hindi taga pelikula,” he said. “Kasi ang kinukuha nila, may tricycle driver, may teacher. Dapat kumuha sila ng taga pelikula para naiintindihan ang pagju-judge sa pelikula.”
Also read: Director Mark Meily Suggests Different Method In Yielding MMFF Winners
E.R. added, “Kasi mabigat ang pagju-judge ng pelikula. Technical, acting-wise, dapat nakakaintindi ka ng pelikula.”
He also proposed the Metro Manila Film Festival to be turned to the “Filipino Film Festival.”
“Yung Metro Manila Film Fest, dapat gawin na lang Filipino Film Festival. Para yung pagbunot ng theaters, buong Pilipinas, hindi lang sa Metro Manila,” he said.
The MMFF entries' theaters assignments are decided via lottery. However, this is only applicable within Metro Manila. In the provinces, the theater-owners themselves decide what movies to run in their cinemas.
According to E.R., by tweaking the MMFF into something of a more national scope, the film festival can solve issues regarding movie-cinema assignments.
“Kasi unfair naman sa aming maliliit na producers,” he explained. “Eh ang theaters namin 44 lang. Compared to ‘Sisterakas’ which got 130-plus theaters.”
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