Over the years, the Filipino film industry has been thriving with independent filmmakers and their stories that shy away from the mainstream. But with cinemas closing in a time of crisis, the industry has shifted into streaming platforms一in the absence of a familiar cinematic experience.
Shift into streaming
Since March 2020, according to the Philippine Motion Pictures Producers Association (PMPPA), the film industry has lost ₱16 billion. Meanwhile, the Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF), which usually garners ₱1 billion every year, premiered its slate of films last December 2020 online and barely earned ₱25 million.
Moreover, Regal Entertainment Chief Operating Officer (COO) Roselle Monteverde shared that with the addition of COVID-19 health protocols, they are spending more than 30% of their usual production costs.
With accessible digital platforms such as Vivamax, iWantTFC, Upstream, KTX, and the Film Development Council of the Philippines (FDCP) Channel一the industry is in survival mode, with hopes to stay afloat as the pandemic continues.
But what kind of content is in demand these days? While staying indoors and online, filmmakers and production companies have more freedom and less restrictions with the content they put out in the streaming platforms.
In 2021 alone, controversial film director Darryl Yap, notorious for receiving online flak and bad publicity, has seven films in his bag, both released and awaiting for release. Such titles include the X-rated Paglaki Ko, Gusto Kong Maging Pornstar, Revirginized, and 69 + 1. While Tililing received backlash for the distasteful portrayal of mental illness, the previously mentioned films cater to the more adult film enthusiasts in the current streaming age.
One can say that some may just be eager to check out Yap’s films, but to give him such platforms and opportunities to release films is a testament to what type of content is currently in demand.
Entering the new normal
So, this begs the question of, “where do we go from here?” Is Philippine cinema reverting back to the 1990s with its daring bomba roots? Streaming platforms pave the way for more freedom for filmmakers and producers to release content that cater to more adult audiences while staying at the comfort of their homes.
While these mature films do have a place in the industry, it shouldn’t be the end all and be all. Staying confined in a single genre or theme lacks creativity and artistic integrity that the industry should still fight for.
The cameras are rolling for a shorter period of time with stricter, more meticulous “new normal” production shoots. Thus, lesser films are out in a calendar year. On the other hand, with lock-in shoots, it is harder to make mistakes as the reshoots will be more complicated. Safety is definitely the number one priority. This also pushes writers to come up with stories that are fit for tight limited location shoots.
It’s also a challenge to take risks and release films that appeal to a certain audience, further restricting the audience’s taste without the cinemas around.
Back in 2020, drive-in theaters entered Philippine territory as SM Cinemas took a new approach to the cinematic experience. Taking a trip back to its heyday during the mid-20th century, SM Cinemas’ "Movies at Sundown" opened in SM Pampanga on July 31, 2020 and "Movies By The Bay" in SM Mall of Asia on Sept. 9, 2020.
But eventually, with the ongoing cycle of quarantine restrictions constantly changing, drive-in theaters in the country only lasted shortly.
However, the 2021 romantic-comedy film Dito at Doon, directed by JP Habac, was originally set for a March theatrical release. But then again, with the return of the Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ), it was postponed indefinitely.
Moreover, last August to September 2021, the 17th Cinemalaya Philippine Independent Film Festival was to coincide with the online release of its slate of short films with a hybrid drive-in cinema called “Cinema Under the Stars,” located at the Cultural Center of the Philippines’ (CCP) Liwasang Ullalim. With the government’s constant mishandling of the current situation and the arrival of the Delta variant, this also did not push through.
Though there seems to be some light at the end of the tunnel with few cinemas in Metro Manila reopening on Nov. 10 under Alert Level 3. However, the cinemas will only open its doors for fully-vaccinated moviegoers. For the first time since the lockdown in 2020, business establishments, facilities, and services such as cinemas are allowed to resume their operations. Under the Alert Level 3 guidelines, cinemas can accommodate up to 30% capacity, but only for fully-vaccinated persons. On the other hand, all cinema employees must be fully-vaccinated.
We only hope for a safe return to the cinemas. It’s been way too long since we’ve seen the magic that films on the big screen bring into our lives. Definitely, films like Dune, Eternals, Spider-Man: No Way Home, and The Matrix 4 are must-sees in the cinemas, but local films are well-deserving to be screened as well.
The industry forward
The question still remains, how has the Filipino film industry truly weathered the storm of the current pandemic times?
Despite all the challenges faced, the FDCP reassures that the industry is built to adapt with change and evolve with the times. While in quarantine, audiences consume much more content, whether it be local or international. There is definitely a demand for local content such as Filipino films through video-on-demand (VOD) platforms. The FDCP comes into play in providing Filipino films to the digital natives.
Furthermore, there is still room for filmmakers to cultivate their creativity into films that are recognized internationally.
In the 78th Venice International Film Festival last September, filmmaker Erik Matti’s On the Job: The Missing 8 garnered international festival attention with actor John Arcilla winning the Volpi Cup for Best Actor for his role as Sisoy Salas in the film, becoming the first Filipino actor to do so. On the other hand, Dennis Trillo also received praise for his role as Roman Rubio, with film fest jury Chloé Zhao citing that if given the chance, he would’ve shared the award with Arcilla.
The film has amassed quite the promising media attention with the sequel, alongside its predecessor, being adapted into the “On the Job” miniseries on HBO Go.
Meanwhile, the Brillante Mendoza-directed Gensan Punch is set as an HBO Asia Original Movie, which will premiere on HBO Go in the upcoming months. The film is a joint production between Japan and the Philippines and follows the story of a Japanese man with a prosthetic leg aspiring to become a professional boxer.
Moreover, Kun Maupay Man It Panahon (Whether the Weather is Fine), directed by Carlo Francisco Manatad and starring Daniel Padilla, Rans Rifol, and Charo Santos-Concio一bagged the special award Cinema e Gioventù Prize from the 74th Locarno Film Festival in Switzerland last August.
There’s still a place for Filipino films that can be recognized by award-giving bodies internationally. Though validation from the film festivals don’t necessarily dictate a film’s greatness, this marks a statement that Philippine cinema is thriving and surviving amidst these hard times.
