Bong Go pushes for 2 MMFF editions a year
Credit to Author: Javier J. Ismael| Date: Sat, 28 Dec 2019 16:16:34 +0000
Sen. Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go, whose proposal to hold the Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF) twice a year to further help film workers and artists has been approved by the festival’s executive committee, has asked Filipinos to support the second edition of the MMFF, or the “Metro Manila Summer Festival.”
“Hopefully, after the success of the MMFF, we will also support the Summer Festival. Holding the MMFF twice a year was my humble suggestion,” he said on Friday.
“I really wanted to help the Philippine [movie industry] and have it invigorated. Let’s patronize Filipino movies. We are Filipinos, let us love our own arts,” Go added.
Also on Friday, the senator expressed his support for Filipino artists, including actors and actresses, filmmakers and all those involved in the production of this year’s film entries to the MMFF. He encouraged moviegoers to show the same amount of support for the Philippine movie industry.
”I am one of the jurors. All the films for this year’s [MMFF] are beautiful. I hope we will patronize our films. Let’s support the Filipino movie industry,” Go, a member of the executive committee of this year’s festival, said during an interview at the MMFF Awards Night.
The MMFF is an annual film festival in Metro Manila, running from December 25 until the first week of January.
During this period, only films approved by the festival jurors are shown in the country’s cinemas.
No foreign movies are shown except in 3D theaters and IMAX theaters.
Go also said in the interview that he had always been a movie fan and was excited when he found that he would sit with actress Vilma Santos as one of the festival jurors.
The senator even shared a photo with the veteran actress, who also currently serves as the representative of the Lone District of Lipa City, Batangas.
“Since my childhood, I was already an avid fan of Filipino movies. This is the reason why my name is Christopher, which my mother got from her idol, Christopher de Leon. My mother is also a ‘Vilmanian.’ That’s why I told Miss Vilma that it’s an honor to sit beside her as a juror,” he said.
According to the senator, he would push for measures to reinvigorate the Philippine film industry and also protect the welfare of industry workers.
“I have a lot of friends who are actors and actresses who want their concerns heard. They said, if I become a senator, they wanted me to help pass laws that will provide protection to the workers in the movie industry,” he said.
Go took his oath as a new member of the executive committee of the Metro Manila Film Festival in July this year, where he vowed to strengthen and revitalize the movie industry.
“I am with you in our vision to further strengthen and make this industry progressive and will continue to generate jobs for our countrymen” he said in his speech during his oath-taking.
Go assured that he and President Rodrigo Duterte would always support the industry and the Filipino films.
“Whatever help I can give you, just tell me, we will help each other. Do not just count on me as a legislator, but as a bridge, as well, to President Duterte. The President is also committed to help the Philippine movie industry,” he said.