With only one more day to go before the 2013 Sineng Pambansa: National Film Festival All-Masters Edition ends its seven-day nationwide run, the Film Development Council of the Philippines apologized on Monday for the delays that resulted in changes in screening schedules in many SM theaters nationwide.
“We apologize for delays and changes in screening schedules in theaters across the country. Rest assured, FDCP and its partners have been working on these matters before and throughout the festival,” the FDCP said in a communiqué furnished to InterAksyon.
As the FDCP found out, organizing a film festival of national magnitude for the first time is not without its share of headaches and birth pains.
Of the original 12 new films that were formally introduced during the festival’s grand reception last September 7 at the SM Mall of Asia, only eight films opened at SM Cinemas last September 11. Even then, some of the Digital Cinema Package prints of these films reportedly arrived late in some cinemas, mostly those located in the provinces.
As a result, the original plan to show nothing but Filipino films at SM Cinemas during the entire Sineng Pambansa festival did not materialize.
Without the prints of the scheduled films, most SM theaters were forced to extend the screenings of movies they were showing prior to the festival, including Hollywood films like “Elysium” and “Jobs”.
Of the four delayed films, three of them namely Chito Roño’s “Badil”, Romy Suzara’s “Tinik” and the late Celso Ad Castillo’s last film, “Bahay ng Lagim” were subsequently screened in succeeding days.
Tikoy Aguiluz’s “Eman” has yet to open and is no longer likely to make it even to the festival’s last day. Even though Aguiluz is said to have already backed out of the festival, no formal announcement has been made by either the director’s camp or the FDCP.
Despite all these hitches, the FDCP is thankful for the public’s support for the festival. FDCP chairman Briccio Santos in particular, thanked the viewing public for their “consideration and continued understanding”.
“We would also like to reiterate our gratitude to SM Cinemas for partnering with us in this endeavor. Their willingness to provide more than 300 screens all over the nation for a whole week is truly nothing less than a strong affirmation of their all-out support to Philippine Cinema. This is an example of a public-private partnership that we hope will continue for years to come.”
Santos also acknowledged the participating “master directors who have come up with masterpieces that we are truly proud to have co-produced.”
“A festival of this scope and reach is truly unprecedented. FDCP is doing its best to bring Filipino films to more Filipinos nationwide. We ask that the public and our partners remain committed in sharing our mission and advocacies,” the FDCP concluded.
FDCP apologizes for screening delays in All Masters festival, thanks public for support
Source: InterAksyon.com (September 16, 2013 at 02:10PM)
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