MMDA chair Francis Tolentino bares top 4 Metro Filmfest entries
"The Amazing Praybeyt Benjamin,” “Feng Shui 2,” “My Big Bossing” and “Kubot: The Aswang Chronicles 2” – are the top 4 money earners of this year's Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF).
This, Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) Chair and overall MMFF head Francis Tolentino announced to media at SM Megamall on Friday, December 26, a day after the entries started screening in theaters nationwide.
Tolentino refused to give the box-office ranking of the Top 4 films, though.
“Ayaw namin mag-trending kasi. Hayaan muna natin mag-percolate, matapos ang awards night (on Saturday, December 27 at PICC) at i-validate ng moviegoers ang resulta ng awards. Ayaw namin ma-influence ang taste ng moviegoers.”
A reliable source told Yahoo Philippines that "The Amazing Praybeyt Benjamin" earned P53-million; "Feng Shui 2" -- P31-M; "My Big Bossing" -- P28-million and "Kubot" --P11-millon, so far.
Higher earnings
Meanwhile, Tolentino proudly told media that this early, box-office receipts show that the annual event has grossed 12 to 13 percent more than last year.
“As we speak, gross receipts are at P146-M. Kahapon, the MMFF exceeded last year’s earnings by 12 to 13 percent.”
Because of this, Tolentino expects the ongoing MMFF to gross P1.1- billion, a big leap from last year’s P996-million take at the end of the festival.
Longer theater hours and a new AB crowd patronizing films are doing the MMFF a lot of good.
AB crowd
“May mga movie houses na bukas till midnight. Mahaba ang theater operating hours. May bagong crowd and galing sa labas na pupunta uli sa sinehan.”
Tolentino also noted that a new AB crowd is trooping to the theaters to form the bulk of the audience watching a movie which he refuses to reveal.
The other MMFF entries are “Bonifacio: Ang Unang Pangulo”, “English Only Please”, “Shake, Rattle and Roll XV” and “Magnum Muslim .357.”
The next official announcements on the MMFF box office earnings will be on Sunday, December 28, Friday, January 2, 2015 and on Sunday, January 4, 2015.
