MANILA, Philippines – Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF) executive committee member Dominic Du denied accusations that he directed the disqualification of Director Erik Matti’s Honor Thy Father from the Best Picture category.

Appearing at the second House hearing on the recent MMFF controversy, Du said he was just tasked by the special committee, together with the rules committee, of the festival to explain why they were recommending the exclusion of Honor Thy Father.

“I did not do it on my own. I have no authority to do it on my own,” Du said on Wednesday, January 13. 

His defense contradicts the statement of MMFF juror Carmen Musngi during the hearing on Monday.

On December 11, Musngi said that Du and fellow execom member Marichu Maceda attended the 3rd night of their deliberations on December 21.

“When we were talking about the Best Picture, Mr Dominic Du and Marichu suddenly said, don’t put in ‘Honor Thy Father’ because it’s disqualified,” Musngi testified. 

Clear bias?

Laguna 1st District Representative Dan Fernandez, who authored the House resolution that called for the probe, questioned Du’s presence in the jurors’ meeting.

“There is something fishy here: Dominic Du, a member of the powerful executive committee, attending the deliberation of the board of jurors,” said Fernandez, who played a supporting role in Matti’s film. 

“He would exert an influence on our board of jurors,” the congressman said.

Du, however, emphasized that he was never involved in the judging and that he and Maceda were only at the meeting to tend to the needs of the board of jurors.

During Monday’s probe, Fernandez exposed that Du, a member of the MMFF execom for 8 years, is also the owner of foreign film distributor Axinite Digicinema Incorporated, which promoted two 2015 MMFF entries Walang Forever and Buy Now Die Later.

These two films respectively won the first and second places in the Best Picture category, said Fernandez, who seemed to be hinting at a conspiracy.

Meanwhile, Representative Juan Revilla, vice chairperson of the Metro Manila development committee, revealed that there was no execom meeting where “Honor Thy Father” was disqualified until Du and Maceda’s intervention with the jurors. 

“We found out that the two execom members decided. These two [did] real injustice,” he said during the committee hearing.

Revive MMFF spirit

Also present during the hearing was former Manila mayor and currently Buhay Representative Lito Atienza.

Atienza said it was obvious that there was bias and injustice, and urged House members and film stakeholders present to bring back the real spirit of the MMFF.

“[The MMFF] is now run by people with vested interests, contrary to the original intention of the festival. If we are not deviating from [its] original intention, Honor Thy Father would not have been disqualified,” he said in Filipino.

“We should look into the commercialization of the festival. Check if the revenue really goes to the local film industry.” (READ: John Lloyd Cruz on PH cinema: ‘Kapag mahal mo, ipaglalaban mo’)

For his part, newcomer MMDA Chairperson Emerson Carlos also appealed for help in reforming the now tainted reputation of the annual film festival. 

“I extend my hand to all members, to all stakeholders of the movie industry. We want this MMFF. It has produced movies of quality.  We need some adjustments organizationally [and] procedurally. You can help us for the betterment of the endeavor in the movie industry.” – Rappler.com