Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF) key people hold the cards of the first four movies that qualified for the MMFF 2023 based on script submissions. Shown (from left) are: Noel Ferrer, Atty. Don Artes, Roy Iglesias and Jesse Ejercito

"Rewind" starring Dingdong Dantes and Marian Rivera.  "A Mother And Son's Story" headlined by  Sharon Cuneta and hunk actor Alden Richards. "Penduko" featuring Matteo Guidicelli and Cristine Reyes. "(K) ampon"  topbilled by Derek Ramsay and Beauty Gonzalez.

These are the four films that have made the cut to the 49th edition of the Metro Manila Film Festival which will be held at the end of the year. They were judged based on script submissions. Four more entries will be chosen by the last quarter of 2023 based on "finished film submissions," the MMFF Selection Committee led by film producer Jesse Ejercito announced.

"Rewind" is a joint production among ABS-CBN Film Productions Inc., APT Entertainment, and Agosto Dos Media. It reunites the Kapuso power couple Dingdong Dantes and Marian Rivera who were last seen in the box office hit "You To Me Are Everything" in 2010.

"Rewind" is a romance drama about a troubled man who is given a deal to rewind his life on one condition - that he dies in place of his wife. He discovers that true happiness lies in the things he has taken for granted, like love. The movie is directed by Mae Cruz-Alviar with a script from Enrico Santos.

"A Mother and Son's Story" produced by Cineko Productions Inc. has Nuel Naval as its director and Mel Mendoza-Del Rosario as the scriptwriter. It is a family drama about a single mother (Sharon). Her son (Alden) decides to move to Singapore but first, he arranges a plan to look for a good man to take care of his mom while he's away. This makes her furious at first but soon, she realizes that there's happiness outside of just being a parent. The son also realizes that home is where the heart is.

"Penduko" is produced by Sari Sari Network from the script and direction of Jason Paul Laxamana. It is the latest film version of the iconic comic book character created by National Artist Francisco Coching. The fantasy action movie follows the adventures of the faith healer's son Pedro who goes to the city to work in an underground company.

"(K) ampon" is produced by Quantum Films with Dodo Dayao as the scriptwriter and King Palisoc as director. It is a horror thriller about a childless couple who encounter a little girl one day, knocking on their door. They let the child into their life and strange occurrences happen.

MMFF 2023 goes international

As MMFF enters its 50th year, it is also setting its sights beyond the Philippines. Lawyer Don Artes - Acting Chairman of the Metro Manila Development Authority - excitedly said that the chosen eight MMFF film entries for 2023 will  also be shown in three major US cities in 2024, namely Los Angeles, San Francisco and Chicago.

Atty. Artes added that the whole thing will culminate in an awards night which will be held during Filipino Heritage Week in LA. " The jurors will be Hollywood actors."

The MMFF concurrent chairman revealed that " it all started  when we sent 'About Us But Not About Us' to the San Francisco Film Festival. The reception to this movie went beyond what we expected and before we knew it, there was a Letter of Intent to collaborate on showcasing Filipino movies to a greater international audience in the US."

Atty. Artes said the MMFF delegation wasted no time meeting with four-time Emmy award-winning producer Lisa Lew to showcase a traveling festival of Filipino films in the three US cities. He remarked that MMFF International edition will be launched this October LA.

During this  launch event, the three best pictures of the Summer MMFF 2023 will be shown, namely: "About Us But Not About Us," "Love You Long Time," and " Here Comes The Groom."

Producer Ejercito expressed hopes that the box office gross of MMFF 2023 will total P1 billion, considering the big stars gracing the screens this year. MMFF 2022 reported a gross income of P500 million with Viva Films'  "Deleter" as the highest-earning film.