Citizen Jake, acclaimed director Mike De Leon’s first film since 1999, will not be joining this year’s Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF).
The news was announced by De Leon on Tuesday via the film’s Facebook page. He stressed that they are “not even considering” the festival and alluded to corruption in the event. It was not clear whether or not the festival intended to extend an invitation.
https://www.facebook.com/CitizenJakeFilm/photos/a.281222225634331.1073741828.275495916206962/358127677943785/?type=3
“I realized that any reforms well-intentioned filmmakers may clamor for are only doomed to failure,” De Leon said.
The director said this realization came after the MMFFF executive committee chose four entries based only on the films’ scripts.
READ: Full trailer of Atom Araullo’s ‘Citizen Jake’ released
In a statement shared with media, MMFF Spokesperson Noel Ferrer said he immediately reached out to De Leon after the director’s statement was made public.
He told De Leon that it is of the festival’s best interest to know more about the allegations so they can address any problems accordingly. De Leon, however, did not provide more information about the allegations.
The first four entries announced in June include the remake Ang Panday, romantic comedy Almost is Not Enough, and comedies The Revengers and Love Traps #Family Goals — picks that seem to signal a return to the festival’s reputation as a home for mainstream, studio films.
Shortly after, three members of the MMFF’s executive committee resigned because they thought the committee was “putting too much emphasis on commerce over art.” They said that they joined the committee because they were “excited to maximize the gains” of last year’s festival, where more alternative genres like a documentary and animation were presented.
Although the three executive committee members resigned just days after the first four entries were announced, their statement said that this had nothing to do with their decision.
The MMFF is hosted by the government’s Metro Manila Development Authority.
Not much is known yet about Citizen Jake’s plot but it will star TV reporter Atom Araullo as an investigative crime reporter.
In his statement, De Leon also called out the MMFF for corruption after a source told him that the film was a shoo-in if he wanted to join the festival.
“Corruption has returned in full force to this festival that purports to make children happy during the holiday season, a euphemism for profit and greed,” he said.
In the end, he says that Citizen Jake should be seen “without cuts and without compromise” as it is meant to reveal “truths we ignore at our own risk.”
A release date for Citizen Jake has not been announced. Watch the full trailer here:
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