4. “Hindi nila nirespeto ang gusto ng Pilipino.”

The Assumption: We’re mostly going round in circles here, with out-of-touch millionaires dictating to us what the masses want, and it’s not whatever the current films supposedly have to offer.

The Reality: The criteria was already established early on. So why are they objecting to it now? Oh, that’s right. Because for once, the criteria actually got enforced.

The Counterpoint: You agreed to the rules of the festival. Abide by the rules of the festival.

3. “Sa Pasko, just spend quality time with your families at home.”

The Assumption: Now, we’ve hit outright sabotage from people. Recently, this was allegedly said on Eat Bulaga by the hosts in an attempt to make sure that the MMFF this year flops at the box office.

The Reality: The MMFF celebrates Filipino films. Are they now saying that these 8 films aren’t Filipino enough?

The Counterpoint: This is typical crab mentality at work. Let’s face it: the people who got snubbed this year are mostly bitter, as if missing out on the festival for one frigging year is such a tragedy, after having been there for nearly two decades.

2. “Hindi naman iyan kikita, eh.”

The Assumption: Stripping away all sense of decorum, the loudest naysayers have blatantly attacked the profitability of this year’s MMFF lineup, because that’s all they have left to do.

The Reality: Please show me in the current MMFF’s rules and objectives where “profitability” is. We all want to make money, that’s fine, nothing wrong with that. But other people also want to make money, and the new lineup of the MMFF is our time to give this opportunity to other film makers, for once. Without competition from any other films, these movies will have a better chance to make money than they ever would, and as we keep harping on, these films need that boost.

The Counterpoint: Kikita sila kung hindi ka sobrang nega at sinuportahan mo ang pelikulang Pinoy.

1. “Quality is subjective.”

The Assumption: The screening committee chose wrongly, which is what happens when you try to screen for quality, because that is such a vague thing to look for.

The Reality: If anything, quality is now easier to find than ever because of the picture-lock rule. The fact of the matter is, while personal tastes vary, there has been zero motivation for the mainstream cartel of the MMFF to ever offer actual quality to begin with.

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Exhibit A for “lacking in quality.”

The Counterpoint: If you want to be in next year’s film fest, maybe make sure you have a quality film to submit this time, and not the same product-placement laden garbage you’ve been foisting on us for the last decade or so. Remember: if people were willing to pay money to see a garbage film by Vic Sotto, people would be more than willing to pay money to see a quality film by Vic Sotto. About damned time we saw one.

Remember: nobody said Vic Sotto, Vice Ganda, or Mother Lily needed to submit garbage for this year’s MMFF. They chose that all on their own.

Which of the films in this year’s MMFF are you excited to see? Tell us below!

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