MANILA -- After six decades, the film festival will be revived for the annual Araw ng Maynila this June.

Held from the time of Manila Mayor Antonio Villegas in the 1960s, the new festival will be officially called The Manila Film Festival (TMFF).

It had its signing of the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) and issuance of the call for the submission of original feature film screenplays last February 10.

TMFF is open to films by young filmmakers from all over the country. It is open to grants so that even students from both private and public schools can submit entries, but must be officially endorsed by their heads.

Six directors, including Jay Altarejos and Al Tantay, will be part of the Committee of Mentors of the TMFF. Joven Tan is the chairperson, with Jose Javier Reyes, Joel Lamangan and Pancho Maniquis as members.

Manila Vice Mayor Yul Servo (a.k.a. John Marvin Nieto) was the one who initiated TMFF and prodded Mayor Honey Lacuna to revive the film fest.

“Okay lang ba na magkaroon tayo ng Manila Film Festival?” Servo asked Lacuna. “Her answer was ‘Sure.’ Trabahuhin mo.’ This will not be possible without the support of our mayor."

The mayor lauded the idea to start the film festival with students who are inclined towards film.

Servo and councilor Lou Veloso are both passionate in resuscitating the film industry to launch TMFF.

“The vision of the festival is to uplift the film industry and for the event to go global,” said TMFF co-chairperson Edith Fider, who is also an independent film producer. “We want to compete in the international market.

“We thought about the new filmmakers, new graduates who have fresh ideas. We are still looking for scripts – a total of eight. So far, the schools are responsive. We gave them the preliminary selection.”

Fider disclosed they are also reaching out to veteran producers to submit entries. She is thankful how the leadership of Manila gave importance to TMFF this time around.

“I wanted the young producers who will join to submit films that are out of the box, from new minds, new generation. The festival will screen films on the cinemas, streaming platforms and in schools," she said.

“We want to support TMFF full blast. Especially the newbies, they need all the support they can get.”

Fider visited South Korea recently and saw for herself how the government gives assistance to young film directors and producers.

“The newbies, the ones in the schools, they are trained. The process is tedious. They are in lock-in for two years. The government also subsidizes the productions, so the filmmakers are able to explore,” she said.

It was way back in 1966, when then-Manila Mayor Antonio Villegas started the Manila Tagalog Film Festival.

The Metro Manila Film Festival actally gives the Gat Antonio Villegas special award to the deserving film in honor of Villegas

However, in 1973, the film fest came to a halt. Two years later, it was revived and was called Metropolitan Film Festival.

Subsequently, in 1977, it became Metro Manila Film Festival.

In the City of Manila, the Manila Film Festival started in 1992, but was stopped in 2003.

However, when Isko Moreno became mayor of Manila in 2019, he worked hand in hand with his constituents to improve tourism in Manila even at the height of COVID-19 pandemic.

“He [Moreno] made sure tourism is alive,” Lacuna said. “When I became Manila mayor, we made sure we sustain tourism through food and other outlets.”

TMFF is open to all students. “Even if they are merely starting, we can hone the future generation of filmmakers, with the mentorship of senior ones in the industry,” Lacuna added.

From 300 entries, the committee will select 20 then down to eight that will be given grants of P300,000 to a maximum of P500,000.

Entries must highlight a specific landmark in Manila, like Rizal Park, Quiapo Church or Binondo.

“This festival is to promote, discover and inspire a new generation of filmmakers from the youth studying film as their career,” said TMFF executive director Dr. Charles Deita.

“It seeks to promote and jumpstart a new wave of youthful capability to help and augment the film industry, so that they may reach the pinnacle of success.”

“Hopefully, after this, we can do this film fest annually and help launch this new breakout stars, new wave of directors and producers of the next generation.”

The premiere night of the TMFF will be on June 14. Screening of official entries will be from June 17 to 24, culminating on the actual Araw ng Maynila celebration on June 24.

Awarding of the winners will be announced before the Manila cityhood celebration.