MANILA -- Screen veteran John Arcilla expressed his excitement to be part of two official entries to this year's Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF).

Arcilla is part of the comedy-thriller "Big Night" and "A Hard Day," the Filipino adaptation of the 2014 hit Korean film.

"The Metro Manila Festival is happening only once a year and I'm really very happy to tell you that I have two exciting beautiful projects," Arcilla said in Star Magic's "Inside News" on Thursday.

"It's really mixed emotions. The pandemic is still here. Sabi ko nga I don't want to preempt the excitement for everyone. Gusto ko 100% tayo maging masaya to celebrate this festival once more. Ayaw kong ma-hamper 'yung excitement dahil doon sa ating fears at paranoia. So we still have to enjoy this moment a 100% but consideration to the restrictions," he added.

In the interview, Arcilla also shared some details about his two MMFF entries.

"The challenge is how to make it more interesting that the audience of this popular Korean action-thriller will say 'Wow! You did well' or 'You are better than the original.' I can not say that it is better or far more better than the original because we have different concepts when it comes to which is better and not," Arcilla said about "A Hard Day," which also stars Dingdong Dantes.

For the "Big Night," Arcilla praised co-star Christian Bables. "If you've seen 'Panti Sisters' it has that kind of comic relief," Arcilla said.

Asked if he is hoping to win best actor at this year's MMFF, Arcilla said: "Sana. Kasi sabi ko nga lahat naman ng actors who are part of any festival are actually expecting to win. Siguro sa akin kasi kung sino man ang manalo, it's everybody's win. So just being part of this festival and sharing two of my films is a way of celebrating Christmas with my fellow Filipinos. That is the most important thing to me. So that itself is already an award."