After six decades, the Manila Film Festival will be returning this June for the annual commemoration of the country's capital.
The new festival will officially be known as "The Manila Film Festival," the name it has held since Manila Mayor Antonio Villegas presided over the city in the 1960s.
On February 10, it announced a call for the submission of original feature film screenplays and signed the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA).
TMFF accepts films by young filmmakers from all over the country. It is open to grants, so students from both private and public schools can submit entries, but they must be officially endorsed by their principals.
The TMFF Committee of Mentors will consist of six directors, including Jay Altarejos and Al Tantay. Joven Tan serves as chairperson, and members include Jose Javier Reyes, Joel Lamangan, and Pancho Maniquis.
Manila Vice Mayor Yul Servo was the one who initiated TMFF and encouraged Mayor Honey Lacuna to resurrect the film festival.
The mayor praised the idea of starting the film festival with students who are interested in film.
Servo and councilor Lou Veloso are both dedicated to reviving the film industry and launching TMFF.
Fider also revealed that they are reaching out to veteran producers to submit entries. She appreciates how the Manila leadership prioritized TMFF this time.
He recently visited South Korea and witnessed firsthand how the government assists young film directors and producers.
