The huge hullabaloo that is now known as the aftermath of the recently-concluded Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF) has inevitably trained the public’s focus on "Kutob" and Canary Films after it practically got the lion’s share of the awards during last week’s awards night.
As it turned out, "Kutob" being the third in the Canary Films suspense–thriller franchise in the past three MMFF years has emerged to be the winningest among all entries ("Malikmata" in 2003 and "Spirit of the Glass" in 2004) from the Orly Ilacad-helmed company.
"Kutob" bagged seven awards total: Third Best Picture; Gatpuno Antonio Villegas Cultural Award; Best Director for Jose Javier Reyes; Best Actor for Marvin Agustin; Best Original Theme Song "Kasalanan Ba" interpreted by Thor; Best Editing for Vito Cajili; and Best Musical Score for Jaime Fabregas.
Within the midst of howls of protests (from festival "opponents," how predictable), the low profile "Kutob" producer Orly Ilacad, is taking everything in stride. We got hold of him on the phone last Monday, and we asked him how is he reacting to this gigantic uproar?
Boss Orly, as he is more popularly known in the local show biz industry, laughed heartily and told us, "we all know that when we join a festival, there will be losers and winners at the end of it. Through the years, we have participated enthusiastically in the MMFF and through the years, we have accepted defeat graciously because yes, we were not always winners. You never heard us raising protests or holding press cons or accusing anybody of shortchanging us.
"This has been our attitude for so long because when we made the decision to join a festival, that goes without saying that we are placing our complete trust and confidence in the body. The festival elected a body of jurors who they think are capable of doing a good job."
So what does he have to say about Mother Lily’s allegations of cheating and the Mafia in the MMFF? Boss Orly simply said, "It will be better if we just accept the decision of the jurors, be sport about our victory and defeat and look forward to a better competition in the next festival."
Still celebrating, Boss Orly said his film outfit, Canary Films and Octo-Arts Films will be more visible this year. "We plan to produce about five films this year, three of which will be non-festival projects and another two in the 2006 MMFF," he said adding that Judy Ann Santos and Ryan Agoncillo’s first movie together maybe part of that line-up.
On allegations that he "bribed" some jurors to win in the festival, Boss Orly simply said, "in all the years that I have been in this business, never have I been branded as someone who does that. Never did we influence anybody to get an award. Alam ng mga tao sa industriya yan," he ended.
* * *
While everyone is busy dissecting the controversies of the 2005 MMFF, Optical Media Board (OMB) chief Edu Manzano is also celebrating a feat right in his own backyard in connection with the festival.
Edu has reported that there was not a single MMFF entry that has been pirated. How did he do it? His spokesman told us that the massive raids that he conducted right at the very heart of Quiapo in Manila every day paid off because Edu used his personal touch. The spokesman said Edu went out of his way to personally talk to the "vendors" to refrain from selling any 2005 MMFF entry film. The good news is that they heeded his request.
But the story didn’t end there. Edu, in his show of gratitude according to the spokesman, went back to Quiapo the following Wednesday to thank the "vendors" for acquiescing to his request.
The OMB chairman is also glorying over the idea that piracy has been losing its ground since the quality of the pirated products are steadily deteriorating. "Soon, everyone will wake up to the fact that pirated products will no longer give us the value for the amount of money we pay for it," he was quoted as saying, wishfully.
* * *
Buenavista Pictures publicist and our very good friend Jay Gonzales sent us this wonderful news yesterday.
Walt Disney Pictures’ fantasy adventure "The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe" has cast its spell at the Philippine box office as it opens at No. 1 with a nationwide opening day gross of a staggering R18.66 million last Sunday, Jan. 8. Jay said it was announced Monday by Victor R. Cabrera, general manager of Columbia Pictures which sub-distributed the Buena Vista International (BVI) film.
In Mega Manila, the magical adaptation of C.S. Lewis’ classic masterpiece grossed a roaring R14.67 million, making it BVI’s alltime highest opening day (beating "Pearl Harbor" at R6.74-million) and the third biggest opening day ever in the industry (surpassing "Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire" which opened with R14.53 million.)
The Top Ten cinemas that posted the biggest receipts for "Narnia" are Glorietta 4 (R859,420), SM North EDSA (R790,938), SM Megamall (R759,875), Power Plant Mall (R676,157) and Robinson’s Galleria (R601,290). They are followed by Festival Mall (R572,447), Gateway Cineplex (R517,771), Greenhills (R512,392), Greenbelt 3 (R507,269) and Robinson’s Manila (R485,760).
"Narnia’s" phenomenal success in the Philippines is mirrored by its smash business in the U.S. and international markets. Combined with a North American gross of 8 million after three weeks, the worldwide "Narnia" total has hit 5 million — clearly winning the battle with "King Kong" whose worldwide gross is only 4 million, according to Variety.
|
