OPINION: Stop giving away MMFF passes at producers’ expense

The MMFF must reform its complimentary pass system to protect Filipino filmmakers from huge financial losses.

The Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF) has completed its eight-film lineup for 2026, with the final four entries announced on October 12.

Competing this Christmas are “The Greatest Showdown,” “2nd Miracle in Cell No. 7,” “Amir,” “Haunted Carnival,” “Los Salvajes Bravos,” “Little Hope,” “Seeds of Peace,” and “A Perfect Marriage.”

To its credit, the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) has addressed one major complaint behind the festival’s disappointing box office performance in recent years: expensive tickets.

The ₱299 ticket price ceiling is a welcome move. But another longstanding problem remains: the excessive distribution of complimentary MMFF passes.

And this practice must stop.

Free passes, lost revenues

In December 2024, authorities pursued individuals allegedly selling fake MMFF passes through Facebook. In 2025, the MMDA again warned against the unauthorized online selling of complimentary passes.

But beyond these documented incidents is a more troubling concern: reports of large quantities of legitimate passes being distributed to politicians, local government officials, and other beneficiaries.

Industry insiders recount producers visiting packed cinemas, believing their films were performing well, only to discover disappointing revenues because many viewers allegedly entered using complimentary passes.

These accounts demand investigation, not dismissal.

Imagine spending millions producing and promoting a film, only to have your potential earnings sacrificed to accommodate people who could easily afford movie tickets.

That is not supporting Filipino cinema. That is exploiting it.

Stop the political giveaways

The MMFF must disclose how many passes it prints, who receives them, and whether producers are compensated for redeemed admissions.

If politicians want to give their constituents free movies, they should pay for the tickets themselves. Film producers should never be forced to subsidize political generosity.

Complimentary passes must be strictly limited, traceable, and subject to producers’ consent.

The MMFF enjoys a privileged Christmas theatrical window. That privilege should benefit Filipino filmmakers, not become an opportunity for political accommodation.

The ₱299 ticket ceiling addresses affordability. Now the MMDA must confront the complimentary pass system.

Otherwise, the festival risks becoming a cash cow where a privileged few enjoy the benefits while producers shoulder the losses.

Filmmakers spend millions creating movies, not financing politicians’ goodwill. Stop treating their investments as giveaways.

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