IN 1789, Benjamin Franklin said only two things in life were certain: death and taxes. Mr. Franklin clearly had not foreseen the Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF), which, despite a pandemic, has announced the first four entries for this year’s festival featuring perennial entrants in the form of Jose Marie “Vice Ganda” Viceral whose films have been shown in the festival since 2012.

The festival shows eight full-length films, the first four of which were chosen based on script submissions while the other four entries will be chosen from finished film submissions and will be announced later in the year. The first four entries were announced on the MMFF Facebook page on July 17.

This year, Mr. Viceral will be starring in Praybeyt Benjamin 3, the third film in the comedy series following The Unkabogable Praybeyt Benjamin (2011) and the Amazing Praybeyt Benjamin (2014). The series follows Mr. Viceral in the role of Colonel Benjamin “Benjie” Santos, a reluctant soldier tasked to save humanity.

It should be noted that the other perennial entrant — Marvic Valentin “Vic” Sotto — does not have a film among the first four entrants. Mr. Sotto has had films in the festival since 2003’s Lastikman. His last MMFF entry was 2019’s Mission Unstapabol: The Don Identity.

The other three entries that were named are: horror film Ang Mga Kaibigan ni Mama Susan starring Joshua Garcia and Angie Ferro, directed by Chito Roño; fantasy adventure film Magikland starring Jun Urbano and Migs Cuaderno, directed by Christian Acuna; and comedy horror film The Exorcism of my Siszums starring Toni and Alex Gonzaga and directed by Fifth Solomon. The Gonzaga sisters’ last entry to the festival was 2018’s Mary Marry Me.

The pandemic halted the planned summer edition of the annual Metro Manila Film Festival, arguably the largest film festival in the country, but it hasn’t stopped the holiday edition which runs from Dec. 25 to the first week of January. Last year’s edition grossed almost P1 billion.

During the annual film festival, only the entries, which are all Filipino films, can be shown in theaters (with the exception of 3D theaters and IMAX theaters). Despite its name, the Metro Manila Film Festival is held nationwide. — Zsarlene B. Chua

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