MANILA (UPDATED) — The Star Cinema project of Dingdong Dantes and Marian Rivera leads the first four entries for the 49th Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF) announced Monday.

"Rewind" is the highly anticipated project which is a collaborative effort among Star Cinema, APT Entertainment, and Agosto Dos Media, with Dantes and Rivera in the lead roles.

It is joined by "A Mother and Son's Story" by Cineko Productions, Inc. starring Sharon Cuneta and Alden Richards, "(K)ampon" by Quantum Films starring Beauty Gonzales and Derek Ramsay, and "Penduko" by Sari Sari Network starring Cristine Reyes and Matteo Guidicelli.

MMFF earlier said it received 26 scripts from 32 production companies for its 49th edition this year.

• MMFF receives 26 script entries for 49th edition

The top four scripts to be included in the film festival were selected based on the following criteria: artistic excellence (40%), commercial appeal (40%), Filipino cultural sensibility (10%), and global appeal (10%).

"Ako naman kasi, hindi ho ako nagbabasa ng script pero sa nakita ko hong synopsis, title, 'yung mga bida po na naka-indicate sa synopsis na nakita ko is satisfied naman po ako. 26 po 'yan, marami po magaganda," Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) acting chairman Atty. Romando Artes said after the announcement.

"Among them, pinili po 'yung pinakamagaganda, based on the script. Hindi naman po ibig sabihin na hindi po maganda 'yung iba pero maaaring hihintayin po natin 'yung finished film kung sakali nilang gawin o i-submit," he added.

Artes said they are hopeful that they would hit the P500-million mark and surpass last year's gross sales.

"Ma-hit lang natin 'yung P500 (million) okay na. Hindi pa naman tayo fully recovered, ine-encourage na bumalik sa sinehan pero sila mismo 'yung nagsabi na confident sila na masu-surpass 'yung previous year," he said.

"With these submissions po na 26, magaganda po 'yung titles, magaganda rin po 'yung artista. They're projecting na mahi-hit namin 'yung P500 (million) and masu-surpass namin 'yung previous year na P500 (million). Nagpo-project naman sila na mas mataas 'yung ating (earnings)."

• MMFF 2022 reaches P500 million gross sales target: MMDA

The deadline for the finished film submission where the other 4 official MMFF entries shall be chosen will be on September 29.

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