MMFF 2020 moves to small screens with GMovies and new streaming hub, Upstream

MMFF-2020
Image: PhilNews

The best part about the MMFF this year? The streaming rates for the festival films are an absolute steal!

For its 46th edition, the Metro Manila Film Festival braves the new normal by moving from the silver screens to smaller screens. That’s right — this year, the MMFF will be fully online.

In partnership with ticketing platform GMovies and the new content hub UPSTREAM, the MMFF 2020 will push through with its annual custom so families and friends can still enjoy local movies while safely sat in their homes this holiday season.

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Image from Instagram: @erikmatti

‘Yung MMFF natin ay bahagi na ng kapaskuhan dito sa Pilipinas. Bahagi na ‘yan ng ating tradisyon, at gawa ng ating sitwasyon ngayon na pandemya, hindi pwedeng mawala ito, so gumawa tayo ng paraan na kahit papaano, maging masaya pa rin ang ating mga pamilyang Pilipino,” said Danilo Lim, chair of the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority, the one in charge of arranging the annual film fest.

Here’s where film fans get a treat: tickets are still priced at the usual PhP250, but these are per screening time, not per head. This means that whether you’re watching alone or with the whole family, you’d only have to pay the base price. This also means that Filipinos abroad will also get the chance to watch festival films. Sweet!

But if people would be watching from their TVs, laptops, and personal devices, wouldn’t the film be at risk of piracy? 

Not a problem, says MMFF Spokesperson Noel Ferrer. According to him, their streaming platform, UPSTREAM, uses state-of-the-art digital right management used by leading international video streaming services, as well as encryption technology to ensure audiences won’t be able to download the content from its source. 

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Image: Erik Matti

Ernest Cu, Globe President and CEO, echoed this sentiment regarding security. According to him, the partnership for the film festival is aligned with Globe’s anti-piracy campaign called #playitright. 

So far, only four films have been announced for this year’s festival: Chito Roño’s Ang Mga Kaibigan ni Mama Susan with Joshua Garcia, Christian Acuna’s Magikland with Miggs Cuaderno, Fifth Solomon’s The Exorcism of My Siszums with Alex and Toni Gonzaga, and Jun Lana’s The Super Praybeyt Benjamin with MMFF staple Vice Ganda. However, rumor mills are reporting that Vice Ganda’s film might not make the film’s premiere, as shooting restrictions put forth by health authorities have been holding production.

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Nonetheless, an announcement regarding the remaining four films is due by mid-November, so expect the “Magic 8” to be complete by next week.

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