I’m now HOOQd on MMFF 2015 movies.
I must admit, I seldom watch Tagalog movies. I grew up appreciating Hollywood movies more than I have of Filipino movies. The only time I get to watch Classic Filipino Movies was when I was required for my Film Appreciation class to do so because we need to make our own compilation of movie reviews.
I was glad to have finally activated my HOOQ account just now as I heard I can watch past Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF) movies there and even the #MMFF2015 New Wave Categories.
HOOQ, Asia’s largest video-on-demand service, has signed a groundbreaking deal with the Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF) to screen a selection of the official entries on the app. Btw, HOOQ is the exclusive presenter for the 41st Metro Manila Film Festival and its New Wave Category, a partnership geared towards promoting quality Philippine entertainment, something we all should all support to make the industry survive for furutre generations. #parasaekonomiya!
The New Wave category I am talking about is the first time in the 41-year history of the film fest that entries are simultaneously available in theaters and online, exclusively through HOOQ. It is such a perfect timing this Holiday break as I get to do my Tagalog Movie Marathon and watch al the entries for the new wave category at MMFF 2015.
The MMFF New Wave category has been around since 2010 to give the opportunity to independent filmmakers to showcase their entries and the chance to take home prize money that could potentially be used to fund future film projects. This year’s finalists were selected by a jury out of hundreds of national submissions which was then trimmed down to five finalists each.
I’m totally HOOQd on MMFF 2015 movies in fact I have seen the finalist for the Animation Short Film Category already . Each film is under 10 minutes and will be screened from December 17 to 24 at Glorietta 4, Robinsons Movie World Ermita and SM Megamall. All ten entries will be available on HOOQ from December 18.
Entries for animation include the following:
- The Seed by Joven Maniaol shows the relationship of a man and his wife’s dog, with whom he does not favor, and how this relationship develops when the dog irrevocably ruins an anniversary surprised prepared by the husband. The film was inspired by the Pixar animated film UP and French film “Floating in my Mind.”
- Buttons was created by Marvel Obemio, Francis Ramirez & Jared Garcia of De La Salle College of St. Benilde. It is a story about 2 voodoo dolls living in a world where others seem to not notice their existence until one day, a mysterious voodoo doll shows up. The taboo nature of voodoo one of the pulls that attracted the creators to animating this story.
- Geo was written and directed by John Aurthur Mercader of Puppeteer Animation Studio has previously won the grand prize for Animahenasyon, the biggest animation film festival in the country. His team also won best in technical quality, Best Animation in Category B (6-30 mins.), and the Hero TV Choice Award in Animahenasyon. The short is about young Geo with a wild imagination, whose mother must always come to his rescue whenever he takes it a step too far.
- Little Lights by was written and directed by Rivelle Mallari, the only finalist submission that claims no affiliation to a school or studio. It is a touching story about a physically weak yet strong-willed firefly named Charlie who struggles with his fear of darkness and finding his place within the firefly community.
- Alamat ng Giraffe, directed by Alyssandra Kyle Mallari and written by Karl Marlo Gonzales and Mel Jeffrey Jabido of De La Salle College of St. Benilde, tells a made-up legend on how the giraffe came to be.
My current favorite for the Animation is Buttons and Seed because of the storyline, but if we talk about something we havent seen before the Alamat ng Giraffee is kinda funny.
Included in the new wave category for MMFF2015 are Short Film Entries mostly done by indie film makers and they are also shown on HOOQ now.
The entries for Short Film include:
- Daisy, a story about a wife and mother Barbara who orders a Proxy Daisy robot to take care of household duties, only for Barbara to have a growing realization that there may be something very wrong with the robot that she has let into her families’ lives. Written and directed by Bryan Reyes of Colegio de San Lorenzo, this is his first film competition that he joined on a whim and shot two days prior to the contest deadline.
- Ding Mangasyas (Tough Guys) centers on 2 brothers who have had a lifelong love-hate relationship filled with violence. They’re faced with the emotional reality of separation as one of them packs up to work in the US. The film was directed by Justine Emmanuel Dizon and written by Jason Paul Laxamana of Kayumanggi Pictures, who was initially discouraged by the rejection of this same film in another competition. This is his first national competition, and he is proud to show off the “homegrown” talents of his team who are from Pampanga like him.
- Lapis follows the career shift of a pencil artist in his 50s as he applies for a job as a graphic artist only to be confronted by the realization that his medium of expertise is defunct in a modern world. This moving film that addresses the conflict of analog vs. digital artistry was inspired by real stories of unemployment in the country. Written and directed by Maricel Cariaga of Center Stage Productions, this is her third competition after UP POV 11 and Sinkwento International Film Festival, wherein she placed top 3 for both.
- Momento features an ageing couple, Teresita and Ronaldo, as they celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary–despite Teresita having made a terrible discovery earlier in the film that “marks the darkest hour of their relationship.” Written and directed by Jan-Kyle Nieva of the UP Film Institute, Nieva states that he enjoys disturbing films and made this film to challenge himself into delving into a genre that he has not previously explored.
- Mumu is about a fresh grad named Kara who resists pursuing a nursing career despite her nagging mother and pressure from witnessing the success of her friends. She also finds herself being haunted by a ghost – a character she had played in a blockbuster horror film. Mumu is directed by Cheryl Tagyamon from UP Diliman, who also wrote the film. Mumu has thus far won 3rd place in the National Digital Arts Awards 2014 Motion Graphics Category for Students, and in the UP Film Institute’s Black Beret Film Festival it won the Audience Choice Award, Best Cinematography, Best Production Design, and Best Performance.
Just like the Animation, entries at the Short Film category is under 10 minutes and will be screened in theaters (aside from HOOQ) from December 17 to 24 at Glorietta 4, Robinsons Movie World Ermita and SM Megamall.
As of this writing, I have seen Momento and Lapis and my heart crushed with both storyline, I am totally HOOQd on MMFF 2015 movies now, can you see the lineup below!
If you want to be HOOQd on MMFF 2015 movies and see the new wave category finalist I am talking about and a lot of more Blockbuster Tagalog Movies and past MMFF entries, download HOOQ now. It has the largest collection of Pinoy movies and TV series, which includes close to a hundred winners and finalists of the Metro Manila Film Festival such as “Baler”, Immortal, Dekada 70 , “Tanging Yaman”, “Mulawin the Movie, “Pedro Penduko” and many more.
New users can enjoy a 30-day trial by signing up at www.HOOQ.tv. Monthly subscription is available at only P149 and can be charged on your Globe mobile bill or via credit card, or it comes free with Globe Home Broadband plans P1,299 and up.
The price you pay for a subscription is so worth it as you can watch the movies over-and-over again and catch up on old ones too! They have Hollywood movies and series in there too but as for now love your own and watch MMFF2015 entries. It’s something tho get HOOQd at during the Christmas break! Make this as a gift to yourself.
Stay gorgeous everyone!
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