The 49th Metro Manila Film Festival officially kicked off with the Parade of Stars held 16 December.
The annual parade featuring floats of this year’s 10 official MMFF entries traversed four cities: Caloocan, Malabon, Navotas and Valenzuela — a first in the film festival’s history.
The motorcade started at 2 p.m. from the Navotas Centennial Park, passed through Circumferential Road 4 (C-4), Samson Road and MacArthur Highway and ended at the Valenzuela People’s Park for the main event.
Take a look at the stars and their eye-popping floats:
‘(K)Ampon’
Kampon, stylized as (K)Ampon, is a horror film produced by Atty. Joji Alonso and directed by King Palisoc for Quantum Films. It is topbilled by Derek Ramsay and Beauty Gonzalez.
‘A Family of 2 (A Mother and Son Story)’
Produced by CineKo Productions, this family drama film by director Nuel Naval features Sharon Cuneta and Alden Richards as mother and son.
‘Penduko’
Actor-host Matteo Guidicelli plays the titular role of Pedro in this film by Epik Studios that reintroduces one of the Philippines’ most beloved comic book characters to a new generation.
‘Rewind’
Star Cinema’s Rewind, headlined by Dingdong Dantes and Marian Rivera, is a family drama that marks the comeback film of the Kapuso royal couple and also their first film with the Kapamilya network.
‘Becky and Badette’
Jun Robles Lana’s Becky and Badette sees Eugene Domingo and Pokwang as best friends who accidentally goes viral for a story they made about a high school batchmate.
‘Broken Hearts Trip’
Broken Hearts Trip, directed by Lemuel Lorca, follows the lives of five brokenhearted LGBQTIA+ individuals who participated in a reality show to move on. The cast includes Christian Bables, Jaclyn Jose, Teejay Marquez, Marvin Yap, Petite, Iyah Mina and Andoy Ranay.
‘Firefly’
Firefly, a fantasy film by Zig Dulay, stars Alessandra de Rossi and child actor Euwenn Mikaell, with the special appearance of Dingdong Dantes as Antonino Alvaro.
‘GomBurZa’
The historical biographical film GomBurZa, by Pepe Diokno, features Cedrick Juan as José Burgos, Dante Rivero as Mariano Gomez and Enchong Dee as Jacinto Zamora — the three Roman Catholic Filipino priests who were publicly executed by garrote during the Spanish colonial era in the Philippines.
‘Mallari’
Mallari, a story based on the life of the country’s first recorded serial killer Fr. Juan Severino Mallari, is headlined by Piolo Pascual, JC Santos, Elisse Joson, Janella Salvador and Gloria Diaz.
‘When I Met You in Tokyo’
This romance film written by Suzette Doctolero and set in Tokyo stars the enduring tandem of Christopher de Leon and Vilma Santos.
The MMFF will run from 25 December to 7 January 2024 in more than 100 cinemas nationwide. Proceeds will benefit the organizations Movie Workers Welfare Foundation Inc., the Motion Picture and Anti-Film Piracy Council, Film Development Council of the Philippines and the Optical Media Board.