Manila International Film Festival announces Hollywood screenings of 10 MMFF entries Jan 30 to Feb 2
The Manila International Film Festival (MIFF) will follow up its successful first Hollywood edition with screenings of 10 entries, including the winners of the recent 50th Metro Manila Film Festival.
MIFF, which celebrates and supports Philippine cinema, will be held from January 30 to February 2, 2025, with screenings at the TCL Chinese Theatre in the heart of Hollywood and a glamorous, star-studded gala at The Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills.
The 10 Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF) entries, including the winning movies, that are coming to Los Angeles are:
And the Breadwinner Is… (ABS-CBN Film Productions, Inc., The Idea First Company) (Comedy). Director: Jun Robles Lana. Cast: Vice Ganda and Eugene Domingo.
The film focuses on Bambi Salvador, a breadwinner working as an OFW in Taiwan for her family back home. She returns home to Arayat, Pampanga expecting her dream house to be finished. Instead, she returns to see their dilapidated house.
Espantaho (Quantum Films, Cineko Productions, Purple Bunny Productions) (Horror) Director: Chito S. Roño. Cast: Judy Ann Santos, Lorna Tolentino and Chanda Romero.
Monet and her mother Rosa are mourning the death of the family patriarch, Pabling. During the nine days of pasiyam, dark secrets and a malevolent plot start to unravel.
Green Bones (GMA Pictures, GMA Public Affairs, Brightburn Entertainment) (Drama) Director: Zig Dulay. Cast: Dennis Trillo, Ruru Madrid and Kylie Padilla.
The movie follows notorious criminal Domingo Zamora and newly assigned correctional officer Javier Gonzaga, who strives to prevent Zamora’s release from prison.
Hold Me Close (Viva Communications, Inc.) (Romance, Fantasy) Director: Jason Paul Laxamana. Cast: Julia Barretto and Carlo Aquino.
Woody travels to Japan where he meets Lynlyn, who has the special ability to tell if a certain person can be trusted or not.
Isang Himala (Kapitol Films, UXS)(Musical) Director: Pepe Diokno. Cast: Aicelle Santos and Bituin Escalante.
Elsa, a young woman from an impoverished village experiences a vision of the Virgin Mary and begins healing the sick.
My Future You (Regal Entertainment, Inc.) (Romance, Comedy) Director: Crisanto B. Aquino. Cast: Francine Diaz and Seth Fedelin.
Karen (Francine Diaz) and Lex (Seth Fedelin) meet on an online dating app. They live in two different timelines set 15 years apart and whose connection was made possible through a comet.
Strange Frequencies: Taiwan Hospital Killer (Reality MM Studios Inc.) (Horror). Director: Kerwin Go. Cast: Enrique Gil, Jane De Leon and Alexa Miro.
A group of Filipino ghosthunters explores the notorious Xinglin General Hospital in Taiwan said to be one of most haunted places in Southeast Asia.
The Kingdom (APT Entertainment, MQuest Ventures, MZet Television Productions) (Action, Adventure, Thriller) Director: Michael Tuviera. Cast: Vic Sotto, Piolo Pascual and Cristine Reyes.
Film is set in the Kingdom of Kalayaan in an alternate version of the Philippines where the islands were never colonized.
Topakk (Nathan Studios, Inc., Strawdogs Studio Productions, Fusee) (Action) Director: Richard Somes. Cast: Julia Montes, Arjo Atayde and Sid Lucero.
An ex-special forces operative (Arjo Atayde) who suffers from PTSD, attempts to save a woman (Julia Montes) being pursued by a corrupt police death squad working for a drug cartel.
Uninvited (Mentorque Productions, Project 8 Projects) (Crime, Revenge, Thriller) Director: Dan Villegas. Cast: Aga Muhlach and Vilma Santos.
Viewers are transported to an opulent mansion where a billionaire’s lavish birthday celebration spirals into a night of socialite intrigues, buried secrets and shocking revelations.
The special screenings include:
A Filipino in America Director: James Love. Cast: Doroteo B. Ines, Vincent Calzado and Dorothy Dahl.
“A Filipino in America” is one of the earliest films about Filipinos in the United States. Filmed in 1938, “A Filipino in America” was the thesis project of Dr. Doroteo B. Ines who received his master’s degree in cinematography from the University of Southern California. The film depicts the experiences of Filipino Americans during the 1930s – a time when mostly young Filipino males labored in the agricultural fields of the West Coast, frequented taxi dance halls and faced racial hostility and segregation.
Faith Healers Director: Regina Aquino. Cast: Dr. Zorayda Lee-Llacer and Dr. Randy Lizardo with a special appearance by Ambassador Jose Manuel G. Romualdez.
An independent feature documentary about Filipino doctors who left their homeland to care for people in the United States. Film documents the challenges and achievements of Filipino Americans who navigated cultural differences and created a vibrant new community in Prince George’s County, MD, just outside the nation’s capital.
Genghis Khan Director: Manuel Conde. Cast: Manuel Conde, Elvira Reyes, Carlos V. Francisco.
Described as the most ambitious film ever made in postwar Philippines, “Genghis Khan” was the first Filipino movie to screen in an international film festival. The landmark film is directed by Manuel Conde, National Artist for Film, with production design by Carlos ‘Botong’ Francisco.
Hello, Love, Again (ABS-CBN Studios, GMA Pictures) (Romance, Comedy). Director: Cathy Garcia-Sampana. Cast: Kathryn Bernardo and Alden Richards.
After fighting for their love to conquer time, distance and a global shutdown that keeps them apart, Joy and Ethan meet again in Canada but realize that they have also changed a lot, individually.
Love Hurts (Universal Pictures, 87North Productions) (Action, Comedy) Director: Jonathan Eusebio. Cast: Ke Huy Quan, Ariana DeBose and Daniel Wu.
The film tells the story of Marvin Gable (Quan), a successful realtor whose past as a violent hitman haunts him when his former partner reveals that his brother is hunting him.
Nurse Unseen (Documentary) Director: Michele Josue. Cast: Aveline Abiog, Meriden Angeles and Steve Angeles.
“Nurse Unseen,” a feature documentary, explores the little-known history and humanity of the unsung Filipino nurses risking their lives on the front lines of a pandemic, thousands of miles from home.
Song of the Fireflies (Culturtain Musicat Productions) (Drama, Musical) Director: King Palisoc. Cast: Morisette Amon and Rachel Alejandro. Music direction: Krina Kayabyab. Songs: Ryan Cayabyab (National Artist for Music), Louie Ocampo, Raymond Marasigan and Jazz Nicolas.
“Song of the Fireflies” tells the origin story of how a children’s choir in a small town in Bohol, through their unique, almost magical singing talent and the sheer determination of their teacher/founder from the 1980s to this day, continues to wow the world and bring pride and honor to the Philippines.
The Debut (5 Card Productions) (Drama) Director: Gene Cajayon. Cast: Dante Basco, Tirso Cruz III and Eddie Garcia.
MIFF celebrates the 25th anniversary of “The Debut,” released in 2000, hailed for its breakthroughs as the first Filipino American film to be shown nationwide in theaters in the U.S. and one of the first feature films made by and for the Fil-Am community. Conflicts between Filipino traditions and expectations versus personal dreams in the contemporary U.S. society.
Tickets to the star-studded gala and screenings are now available on the MIFF’s website: https://manilainternationalfilmfest.com/.
