The highest box-office films for 2023-24 are Petersen Vargas’ Un/Happy for You and Cathy Garcia-Sampana’s Hello, Love, Again, and Mae Cruz-Alviar’s Rewind--- all romantic movies by real ex-lovers Joshua Garcia and Julia Barretto, reel hottest love team, Alden Richards and Kathryn Bernardo, and real-life married couple Dingdong Dantes and Marian Rivera.

Are the Filipino moviegoers by nature hopeless romantics? Yes, based on the box office results for 2024. But at the recent Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF) , the two most sought after films were Jun Robles Lana’s And the Breadwinner Is... and Michael Tuviera’s The Kingdom. Both are “drama” played by popular crowd-pleasers---Vice Ganda and Vic Sotto.

With the recent MMFF, the moviegoing audience is still influenced by the stars. Comedians Vice Ganda and Vic Sotto surprised their fans by making a family oriented “drama” film. The family is considered the basic unit of society and the two productions focused on the strength and weaknesses of the protagonists’ loved ones. Both films also centered on “nationalism” or love of country.

An OFW based in Taiwan, Bambi Salvador (Vice Ganda) returns to her hometown in Pampanga to celebrate her birthday with her family, hoping to see the fruits of her hard-earned labor. Lo and behold, all her “riches” diminishel when her brother mismanages the family investment. “War” erupt between siblinge, blown out of proportion with the entry of Baby Salvador (Eugene Domingo) who comes back from Italy. Will their wounds heal as a family?

The Kingdom explores empathy and loyalty, the true values of a Lakan leader played by Vic Sotto. The 133-minute action adventure is set during an uncolonized period of the country, where we see Sotto as a righteous, serious chief grooming his next successor. Will jealousy and thirst for power among his children lead to the kingdom’s downfall? Sulo (Piolo Pascual) is out for revenge and will do anything to destroy Lakan Makisig and his family. Who among them will survive?

Among the entries, Zig Dulay’s Green Bones deserved to be the MMFF Best Picture. Its statement on finding justice and helping the marginalized Dennis Trillo (Domingo Zamora), accused of killing his sister, was well-orchestrated by Dulay, showing the narrative points of view of prison guard Ruru Madrid (Xavier Gonzaga) and Trillo.

The film gives hope and inspiration that criminals deserve second chances and they have the power to change their destiny.

Dan Villegas’ Uninvited tackles the dirty side of politics and sexual abuse. At 71, Vilma Santos takes matter into her own hands as she plays Lilia/Eva who violently slays all those who were accomplices to the death of her only daughter.

Some netizens compared Ate Vi to John Wick. At her age, she can still thrill her fans doing a crime action film. We witnessed the audience cheering and clapping whenever she would accomplishe her “mission.” Nadine Lustre sizzles as Aga Muhlach’s daughter, fighting off her father’s advances and making a stand against cruelty. 

All of these films have embedded unique cultural traits of the Filipinos. Our cinema reflects the hopes and fears of the nation. Box office hits or award-winning films are the living proof of our identity as Filipinos and we need to preserve our cinema by creating original content. There is also a need to strengthen our cultural values through storytelling and the 2024 MMFF succeeded in doing it this year.