The 2020 Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF) is the 46th edition of the annual Metro Manila Film Festival. It is organized by the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA). It is the first edition of the festival to be held online due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and also the first to make its entries available to an audience outside the Philippines as part of the festival's official run.
Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2020 Metro Manila Film Festival was modified into a digital event. The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) announced on November 24, 2020, that the film festival would go digital due to the government implemented community quarantine classifications in the Metro area, in partnership with Upstream and GMovies, a streaming provider and ticket provider respectively, to stream the official entries. The festival is also co-presented by the telecommunications company Globe Telecom.
The Parade of Stars and the Gabi ng Parangal (Awards Night), both part of the annual MMFF, was also streamed online in compliance with health and safety protocols for COVID-19. This annual event is primarily to promote and enhance the preservation of the Philippine cinema. The proceeds from the film festival went to a number of beneficiaries in the film industry. The Parade of the Stars, the film festival's traditional float motorcade, was also modified due to the pandemic.
Some of the entry films were released in cinemas after the official run of the 2020 MMFF already such as Pakboys Takusa that was released on January 8, Suarez: The Healing Priest on January 15 and Magikland on February 12 in select cinemas.
Entries Feature films
Previously, the Metro Manila Film Festival usually had eight feature films as official entries which are screened in cinemas across the Philippines. However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which forced the temporary closure of cinemas in the country, the film festival was modified and all entries were streamed online instead. The number of entries was also expanded to ten from eight, with all ten entries being announced on November 24, 2020. The ten films part of the "digital" film festival were made available starting December 25, through Upstream. The official run of the film festival will be until January 8, 2021.
The film festival entries were also made available to people outside the Philippines. The move was made specifically with the Overseas Filipino Workers demographic in mind.
Title StarringProduction companyDirectorGenre Coming Home Jinggoy Estrada, Sylvia Sanchez, Edgar Allan Guzman Maverick Films, ALV Films Adolfo Alix Jr. Family drama Fan Girl Paulo Avelino, Charlie Dizon Black Sheep Productions, Globe Studios, Project 8 Corner San Joaquin Projects, Epic Media, Crossword Productions Antoinette Jadaone Drama Isa Pang Bahaghari Nora Aunor, Phillip Salvador, Michael de Mesa Heaven's Best Entertainment Joel LamanganFamily drama Magikland Miggs Cuaderno, Elijah Alejo, Jun Urbano Brightlight Leisure Productions, Gallaga Reyes Films Christian Acuna Fantasy, Adventure Mang Kepweng: Ang Lihim ng Bandanang Itim Vhong Navarro, Barbie Imperial Cineko Productions, Star Cinema Topel Lee Comedy Pakboys Takusa Janno Gibbs, Dennis Padilla, Jerald Napoles, Andrew E. Viva Films Al Tantay Comedy Suarez: The Healing Priest John Arcilla, Alice Dixson Saranggola Media Productions, Viva Films Joven Tan Biopic Tagpuan Alfred Vargas, Iza Calzado, Shaina Magdayao Alternative Vision Cinema MacArthur Alejandre Romance The Boy Foretold by the Stars Adrian Lindayag, Keann Johnson Clever Minds Inc., The Dolly Collection, Brainstormers Lab Dolly Dulu Romantic comedy The Missing Joseph Marco, Miles Ocampo, Ritz Azul Regal Entertainment Easy Ferrer Horror
Previous entries Prior to the changes made to transform the 2020 Metro Manila Film Festival into a digital event, it was planned that this edition of the film festival was to have eight official entries as customarily done. The MMDA announced four films, supposed to be the first of eight entries, was announced to be part of the 2020 film festival on July 17, 2020, despite cinemas in the country already closed at the time due to COVID-19 pandemic. These films were selected based on submitted scripts.
However, only one of those first entries made it through the official entries by November, namely Brightlight's Magikland. Several of the entries for the December festival were entries for the proposed MMFF Summer edition, which did not push through because of the pandemic.
The following table lists the three previously-announced entries that are no longer part of the film festival.
Title StarringProduction companyDirectorGenreNew release dateMethod of release Ang Mga Kaibigan ni Mama Susan Joshua Garcia, Angie Ferro Regal Entertainment Chito S. Roño Horror May 18, 2023 Amazon Prime Video The Exorsis Toni Gonzaga, Alex Gonzaga TINCAN Fifth Solomon Horror, Comedy December 25, 2021 2021 Metro Manila Film Festival Praybeyt Benjamin 3 Vice Ganda, Ivana Alawi Star Cinema Cathy Garcia-Sampana Comedy, Adventure TBA
Short films A short film competition for students was organized as part of the film festival. An undetermined number of entries were originally part of the short film competition of the cancelled 2020 Metro Manila Summer Film Festival. Like their feature film counterparts, the entries were made available online through Upstream.
Title SchoolDirectorAaBaKaDaDe La Salle-College of Saint BenildeTyrone James LuanzonSala, Salin-LawayDaniella VerzosaSina Alexa, Xander at Ang UniverseVahn Leinard PascualPaano Maging BabaeGian ArreBalik-BayanUniversity of MakatiJoshua PichayKyokok (Nilingaw)Western Mindanao State University LipstickPhilippine High School for the Arts Paraisong Parisukat Laruang BarilFar Eastern UniversityEdrian CabudbudGarboUniversity of Southeastern Philippines Jeziah Rabbi Salvar
Parade of Stars The Parade of Stars was held as a virtual event prior to the film festival's official opening day. Traditionally, the event is organized as a float parade but the event was instead held as a 4-hour virtual event. The 2020 MMFF was opened by MMDA Chairman Danilo Lim and Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte since Quezon City is the designated host of the film festival. The cast and director of each of the MMFF's ten official entry films answered questions from the audience and select members of the media. As part of a "virtual" parade, a "virtual" float was featured prior to each of the ten official entries' segment.
Streaming The official entries for the 2020 Metro Manila Film Festival were not screened in cinemas, which were closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Instead, the films were made available online through transactional video on demand platform, Upstream. Tickets for the films were made available through GMovies, a payment platform by Globe Telecom. Tickets were made available for purchase starting December 7 for patrons based in the Philippines and on December 18 for people outside the country but the films themselves were only watchable starting December 25, 2020, the official opening day of the film festival. The films is available to stream up to five days after ticket purchase, but once the film was played, the certain media is only viewable for 24 hours. The films can be rewatched for unlimited times within said 24-hour period from the first playback.
Awards
The Gabi ng Parangal () of the 2020 Metro Manila Film Festival was held virtually on December 27, 2020. The awards night was hosted by Marco Gumabao and Kylie Verzosa from Globe Telecom's Project Space studio in Makati.
Awardees were announced via the MMDA's Official Facebook Page. The nominees were announced on December 24, 2020.
Major awards Winners are listed first, highlighted in boldface, and indicated with a double dagger (). Nominations are also listed if applicable.
Best Picture Best DirectorFan Girl – Black Sheep Productions, Globe StudiosThe Boy Foretold by the Stars – Clever Minds Inc. (2nd Best Picture) Tagpuan – Alternative Vision Cinema (3rd Best Picture) | valign="top" |Antoinette Jadaone – Fan Girl MacArthur Alejandre – Tagpuan Christian Acuña – Magikland Dolly Dulu – The Boy Foretold by the Stars Easy Ferrer – The Missing Best Actor Best ActressPaulo Avelino – Fan Girl John Arcilla – Suarez: The Healing Priest Adrian Lindayag – The Boy Foretold by the Stars Phillip Salvador – Isa Pang BahaghariCharlie Dizon – Fan Girl Nora Aunor – Isa Pang Bahaghari Ritz Azul – The Missing Iza Calzado – Tagpuan Sylvia Sanchez – Coming Home Best Supporting Actor Best Supporting ActressMichael de Mesa – Isa Pang Bahaghari Edgar Allan Guzman – Coming Home Zanjoe Marudo – Isa Pang Bahaghari John Leinard Ramos – The Boy Foretold by the Stars Dante Rivero – Suarez: The Healing PriestShaina Magdayao – Tagpuan Jaclyn Jose – Mang Kepweng: Ang Lihim ng Bandanang Itim Miles Ocampo – The Missing Bibeth Orteza – Magikland Rosanna Roces – Suarez: The Healing PriestBest Child PerformerBest ScreenplaySeiyo Masunaga – The Missing Jana Agoncillo – Coming Home Miguel Gabriel Diokno – Tagpuan Ryan Jay Obana – TagpuanAntoinette Jadaone – Fan Girl Dolly Dulu – The Boy Foretold by the Stars Easy Ferrer – The Missing Ricardo Lee – Tagpuan Gina Marisa Tagasa – Coming Home Best Cinematography Best Production DesignNeil Daza – Fan Girl Teejay Gonzalez – Suarez: The Healing Priest Rody Lacap – Magikland David Carlo Mendoza, Alberto Monteras II, Daniel Uy – Tagpuan Marvin Reyes – The Boy Foretold by the Stars Marvin Reyes – The MissingEricson Navarro – Magikland Popo Diaz – The Missing Ronnie Dizon – Suarez: The Healing Priest Lars Magbanua – The Boy Foretold by the Stars Ericson Navarro – Tagpuan Best Editing Best SoundBenjamin Tolentino – Fan Girl Renewin Alano – The Missing Mai Calaparado – Isa Pang Bahaghari Manet Dayrit, She Lopez Francia – Magikland Carlo Francisco Manatad – TagpuanVincent Villa – Fan Girl Albert Michael Idioma – Tagpuan Albert Michael Idioma, Alex Tomboc – Magikland Pietro Marco Javier, Jannina Mikaela Minglanilla – The Boy Foretold by the Stars Fatima Nerrika Salim, Emmanuel Verona – The Missing Best Original Theme Song Best Musical Score "Ulan" from The Boy Foretold by the Stars – Written by Jhay Cura/Pau Protacio "Ganyan ang Pag-ibig ko" from Coming Home – Written by Lito Camo "Yakapin Mo Ako" from Suarez: The Healing Priest – Written by Joven Tan "Hanggang Muli" from Isa Pang Bahaghari – Written by Emerson Texon "Smile" from Magikland – Written by Emerzon TexonEmerzon Texon – Magikland Teresa Barrozo – Fan Girl Sherwin Castillo – Suarez: The Healing Priest Jessie Lasaten – The Missing Paulo Protacio – The Boy Foretold by the Stars Best Visual Effects Best Virtual Float Richard Francia, Ryan Grimarez – Magikland Luminous Films – The Missing Gerwin Meneses – Mang Kepweng: Ang Lihim ng Bandanang ItimMagikland Isa Pang Bahaghari Fan Girl Gatpuno Antonio J. Villegas Cultural Award Fernando Poe Jr. Memorial Award for ExcellenceSuarez: The Healing Priest The Boy Foretold by the Stars Coming Home Isa Pang Bahaghari MagiklandMagikland Coming Home Isa Pang Bahaghari Suarez: The Healing Priest Special Jury Prize Gender Sensitivity AwardPeque GallagaThe Boy Foretold by the Stars Coming Home Isa Pang Bahaghari
Other awards Manay Ichu Vera-Perez Maceda Memorial Award – Gloria Romero
Short Film category Best Student Short Film – Paano Maging Babae by Gian Arre from De La Salle–College of Saint Benilde
Multiple awards Awards Film8Fan Girl5Magikland3The Boy Foretold by the Stars2Tagpuan
Multiple nominations Nominations Film12MagiklandThe Boy Foretold by the Stars11Isa Pang BahaghariTagpuan10Fan GirlThe Missing9Suarez: The Healing Priest8Coming Home2Mang Kepweng: Ang Lihim ng Bandanang Itim
Box office gross