MANILA, Philippines – The Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF) 2023 entry Rewind is now the Philippines’ highest grossing film of all time after earning P889 million worldwide as of January 26, surpassing Hello, Love, Goodbye’s total worldwide gross of P880 million.

ABS-CBN’s Star Cinema, one of three producers of the comeback reunion film of real life Kapuso couple Dingdong Dantes and Marian Rivera, updated the box-office earnings of Rewind on Friday night in social media posts. 

In his Instagram post on January 17, MMFF 2023 spokesman Noel Ferrer congratulated Star Cinema and its partners, Dantes’ film outfit, Agostodos Pictures, as well as Tony Tuviera’s APT Entertainment company. 

“I would now even venture into saying that, if and when the awards for Box Office King and Queen for 2023 be given at all (calling the all-new Multi-Media Press Awards): the rightful winners should be —DINGDONG DANTES and MARIAN RIVERA of REWIND, bar none,” Ferrer wrote. “GOOD THINGS HAPPEN TO GOOD PEOPLE.” 

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Last January 17, with its P845 million gross earnings (which includes international ticket sales), Rewind had surpassed the box-office record of P838 million in 24 days set by Star Cinema’s Hello, Love, Goodbye, starring Kathryn Bernardo and Kapuso star Alden Richards, in 2019.

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A post shared by ABS-CBN Films, Star Cinema (@starcinema)

Hello, Love, Goodbye, however, was not shown during the MMFF, which means it competed with foreign and other local films. It opened in cinemas on July 31, 2019.

Excluding international sales, Rewind earned P815 million compared to P691 million in total domestic gross earnings of Hello, Love, Goodbye, and P660 million for Bernardo and Daniel Padilla’s 2018 Star Cinema movie, The Hows of Us, Star Cinema told Rappler on Wednesday night.

In a message posted on his Instagram after the MMFF 2023, Dantes thanked moviegoers “for believing in the magic of movies and for appreciating these films during the festival.”

“When we joined the MMFF, my prayer was for the strength to be an effective storyteller, aiming to touch lives, particularly during this holiday season. The other prayer was for the revival of vibrancy in local cinema, a return to its glory days.

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A post shared by Dingdong Dantes (@dongdantes)

“Now, as the curtain falls on the MMFF, I extend a salute to the ten films that courageously shared their beautiful stories. These films are destined to be timeless pieces, outliving us all. It’s an honor to be part of the historic 49th MMF,” he said as he also thanked Star Cinema and APT Entertainment. 

Dantes also recognized his wife for what they have accomplished. 

“And finally, thanks to you, Marian, my leading lady on and off camera. Telling this story is a gift, and successfully sharing it with millions fulfills a mission. Accomplishing this mission alongside you, my wife is a rare privilege, one that I believe comes once in a lifetime. I am genuinely grateful for this extraordinary experience, forever holding a special place in my heart,” he said. 

In a thanksgiving celebration in ABS-CBN on Wednesday night, Rewind Director Mae Cruz-Alviar thanked Dantes and Rivera for “allowing us to teach you,” and for “teaching us to trust you.” 

She said Rewind was supposed to be done in 2019, got stalled, and became a reality in 2023 when “we all needed it, not just the company [ABS-CBN], but also the people who need a good cry.” 

Rivera was emotional when she was shown a video of the work they put in for Rewind. She also thanked Alviar for opening her heart and helping her explore her character, Mary. 

“She [Alviar] will give you the right feeling para ma-deliver mo ng tama yung (so you can rightly deliver your) character,” Rivera said. 

“Nung binasa namin ni Dong ‘to, siguro bonus nalang na ito yung figure na nakuha natin. Pero sa simula palang alam namin na maraming pinagdaanan ang mga tao nung pandemic, at sabi namin ni Dong, sana gawin tayong instrumento ni Lord para kapag napanood nila yung pelikula ay mayroong mabago at mas mahalin pa ng mga to ang pamilya nila at lahat ng nakapaligid sa kanila,” Rivera also said. 

(When Dong and I read the script, perhaps the figure we got is just a bonus. But from the start, we knew people went through a lot during the pandemic, and as Dong and I said, we hoped the Lord would use us as instruments so that when they watch this film, there will be change and they will love their family and those surrounding them more.) 

ABS-CBN Films Managing Director Kriz Gazmen said Rewind’s success is “also a win for the audiences” and for the Philippine film industry. 

“I want to share this success with the whole film industry. Finally, after everything that happened, lahat tayo takot na takot sa (everyone was afraid of) box office, magkakaroon pa pala ng ganitong (but it turns out we now have this) opportunity. We also want to share the success of Rewind with all the other MMFF entries, it was a very beautiful [MMFF] run. This is also a win to all our audiences, salamat sa lahat ng nakapanood (thank you to all those who watched),” he said.

Dantes said that when they read the story for Rewind four years ago, “grabe and impact sa amin (It had a strong impact on us).” He then hoped that they would have the strength to rightly fulfill their roles in the movie. “Buti na lang nagkatotoo, natuloy yung project (It’s good that the project became a reality),” he added. 

Dantes expressed hope that through Rewind and the 9 other MMFF films, the Philippine movie industry would be revitalized not just during the film festival’s two-week run but throughout the year. 

As of January 26, Rewind was still being shown in over 270 cinemas in the Philippines, UAE, US, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, Guam, and Saipan, Star Cinema said.  – Rappler.com

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