Esteemed film director Erik Matti took to social media recently to rant about mounting production costs amid the ongoing pandemic.

He made sure people got the point, too, posting a screenshot of a computer screen, showing actual figures.

He said, “Most people think the difficulty of producing content only lies with the producers. We always hear people say, ‘If you can’t afford to make movies then don’t make them.’ Yes, if this continues, we will end up not making any movies anymore. People will just go to TV and advertising. Movies will die.”

He blamed the ongoing pandemic, lamenting the continued closure of cinemas.

“With the cinema closed and with no assured income for our movies, where do we go? To some, they say, ‘Well it’s just the movies. The least of our concerns in these trying times.’ But to most of us, movies are our life. We can’t just let this die.”

Note that although President Duterte has eased lockdown measures in most parts of the country, the opening of theatres and other entertainment venues are yet to be allowed.