Pity those who don’t enjoy Metro Manila Film Festival presentations

I disagree with the views of Arnulfo Edralin (‘“Inanities’ imposed on public yearly,” Opinion, 1/27/15) and Stephen Monsanto (“MMFF: The battle to be at ‘top of the heap,’” Opinion, 1/21/15) regarding the Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF). According to them, the movies shown during the festival were “mediocre” and “nonsense.” I, like millions of Filipinos who trooped to the movie theaters for the MMFF films and spent hard earned money to watch them, enjoyed them and felt entertained.

I have heard a lot of complaints about our movies and how they are being presented. However, the problem with the movie industry cannot be remedied just by complaining and pointing out its mistake. A lot of people believe that the movies we have right now are “different” compared to the previous movies we had in the early decades or during the early years of Philippine cinema. But the kind of attitude that some people propagate will not help the industry and our country.

Who are we to judge and question the needs and minds of our people? These are the people who put the likes of Fernando Poe Jr., Dolphy, Ramon Revilla, Nora Aunor, Sharon Cuneta and many more on the pedestal of Philippine movies. With the situation we are in, I wonder if we could still produce the same iconic personalities in the future, especially if we don’t patronize our own. I hope these people will understand the Filipino mind. Anyway, the MMFF is held only once a year and lasts just for two weeks. After that, moviegoers can watch again the Hollywood movies thrown our way.

I feel sorry for those who do not enjoy MMFF’s movie offerings. To them I say, better luck next time. But I, together with my family, enjoyed the films—and they made our traditional Christmas celebration complete.

—JUN MEDRANO, junnirma@yahoo.com