QC vice mayor sees ‘mature’ Pinoy moviegoers

Quezon City Vice Mayor Joy Belmonte (Photo by Valeria Sorrenti)

Quezon City Vice Mayor Joy Belmonte thinks that the success of independent film festivals such as Cinemalaya are raising the consciousness of the movie-going audience on which motion pictures to watch.

“Kasi ’yung independent filmmaker… ang kanyang layunin ay hindi masyado ’yung kumita (o kung) ano ’yung papatok sa takilya,” Belmonte told Bulletin Entertainment at the recent launch of the QCinema 2014: Quezon City International Film Festival. “Ang kinukwento nila makatotohanan; minsan malungkot, minsan madi-disappoint ’yung audience, pero kwentong totoo.”

She feels that the “mature” Pinoy audience has become more appreciative of films with substance, particularly those with unconventional themes.

“Hindi lang ’yung rich-girl-poor-boy ta’s na-i-in love sila… Hindi ’yung formula films. Marami pang ibang kwento.”

Belmonte is aware of the fact that the regular moviegoer is not used to watching non-commercial films and is still reluctant to spend on them without big-name stars such as Sarah Geronimo and Piolo Pascual in the billing. Her solution to this, at least last year, giving out free tickets to select communities.

“Gusto ko lang ipakita sa kanila na, ‘Punta kayo, libre naman to eh. Magaganda rin ’tong mapapanood niyo,’” she explained.

More indie

Belmonte believes that independent filmmakers are still not getting enough support from the government and the private sectors, saying, “napakaganda ng mga kwento na maari nilang ipakita nila sa atin kung sila ay mabigyan ng pagkakataon.”

That is why in its own little way, the Quezon City government has again launched QCinema 2014, through the QC Film Development Commission (QCFDC), which the vice mayor admits is “geared more towards the independent filmmaker.”

For Belmonte, it the responsibility of the government to support quality filmmaking, as it upholds the culture and the arts.

“Iniisip kasi ng lahat (ang) government parang (pang) infrastructure lang o kaya livelihood projects – ’yung traditional… Pero tingin ko, role din natin ’yung palaganapin ang pag-iisip ng ating mga mamamayan (by supporting the arts). It’s part of educating them,” she said.

Earlier this year, the QCFDC held a competition for production grants to give local filmmakers a chance to bring to life their dream projects, with Arnel Mardoquio’s “Alienasyon” awarded a P2-million full-length feature grant.

Each of the five short films, which will be part of the anthology Quezon City Experience, qualified for a P150,000 production grant; five indie features received P150,000 each as post-production grants; and five indie features Real S. Florido’s “1st ko si 3rd,” a Cinemalaya 2014 New Breed finalist.

QCinema 2014, which for the first time will include a foreign film exhibition category, will run from Nov. 5 to 11 at TriNoma mall.

QC vice mayor sees ‘mature’ Pinoy moviegoers

Source: Mb.com.ph (August 30, 2014 at 02:00PM)

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