Mayor Honey Lacuna lauded the active participation and support shown by First Lady, Atty. Louise “Liza” Araneta-Marcos as Manila hosted the grand launching of the 50th Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF). Said huge affair was held at the Manila City Hall’s Bulwagang Villegas on Tuesday night.
Lacuna also welcomed to Manila and the Manila City Hall First Lady Marcos as well as the other special guests among them Metro Manila Development Authority chairman, Atty. Romando Artes and the members of the Executive Committee of the MMFF, saying the officials and people of Manila are ovejoyed to be the venue of the 50th edition or golden anniversary of the MMFF.
Joining her in welcoming the First Lady were Vice Mayor Yul Servo Nieto, MMDA Chairman Romando Artes, Congressmen Joel Chua and Roland Valeriano, Councilors Fa Fugoso, Lou Veloso, Apple Nieto and Maile Atienza among others, members of the MMFF Executive Committee, as well as city officials.
“Buong kasabikan at kasiyahan naming binubuksan ang pintuan nitong Manila City Hall upang tanggapin ang Metro Manila Film Festival sa taong ito dahil dito naman sa Maynila nagsimula ang lahat,” Lacuna said.
She recounted that it was in 1966, during the time of former Mayor Villegas, when the ‘mother’ of all film festivals was established in the country.
Known back then as the “Manila Tagalog Film Festival” or the “Manila Film Festival,” the event was aimed at giving local producers and film makers the chance to showcase their masterpiece or work in prime theaters and cinemas which used to feature English films by foreign producers only.
The festival then was held from June 12 to June 24 wherein purely local films were shown in theaters.
Through the years, the Manila Film Festival was expanded and became Metro Manila Film Festival where all the entries were shown not only in Manila but the entire Metro Manila as well.
“Noon ngang 1984, mayroong espesyal na award na tinaguriang Gat Antonio Villegas Cultural Award, bilang pagpapahalaga sa itinuturing na ama ng Manila Film Festival. Ang nasabing special award ay ipinagkakaloob sa pinaka-natatanging pelikulang nagtatampok sa kulturang Pilipino at nagpapakilala sa katangiang Pinoy sa buong mundo” she stated.
“Limang dekada na ang paglulunsad ng Metro Manila Film Festival, at ngayong taon nga ay ibinabalik ito dito sa Maynila para sa kanyang golden edition. Maraming salamat MMDA at sa bumubuo ng MMFF Executive Committee,” the mayor said.
Lacuna added: “Higit pang nabigyan ng kulay at sigla itong festival dahil sa aktibong pakikilahok at suporta ng ating first lady, Atty. Liza Araneta-Marcos. Nais ko rin pong kunin ang pagkakataong ito upang pormal na i-welcome dito sa Lungsod ng Maynila ang ating unang ginang.”
“Sa lahat ng mga kasaling pelikula sa taong ito, good luck and congratulations! Para sa ating lahat na mga Pilipino, bigyan natin ng ibayong pagpapahalaga ang mga gawang sariling atin, ang mga obra ng kapwa nating Pilipino. Muli, welcome po kayo dito sa Maynila,” Lacuna said.
In the said affair hosted by Jake Ejercito and Isabelle Daza, the first batch of entries was also announced.
It was learned that the golden anniversary of the annual film festival in the Philippines includes a host of other events that include the following: classic poster murals, 50-peso film showing of different Filipino films, masterclasses for senior high school and college students as well as international Filipino screenwriters, producers and animators.
