Local cinemas to pull out "Thy Womb"
By iluvusabado
@iluvusabado (2560)
Philippines
December 29, 2012 4:06am CST
in the MMFF awards, "Thy Womb" an internationally acclaimed movie starring the superstar Nora Aunor won several big awards including Best Actress, Best Director, Best in cinematography and production design. but still there are rumors that some cinemas are going to pull out the movie from showing because of low box office results. i watched the MMFF awards night and you can really feel their sadness because despite the quality of the movie they created, people just didn't wanna spend money to watch it.
even nora aunor said in her acceptance speech as best actress that she will create movies even if there are only few people who will watch it as long as it's of quality. brillante mendoza even jokingly said "we're still showing".
honestly, i really feel sorry for the creators of "Thy Womb". i really feel like the movie s not really commercial enough for the people to watch it in theaters. though i haven't really watched the movie yet, i can see with the trailer that the movie will not be appreciated by the masses which is the bulk of the mmff audience. i feel like the local audience would never be able to appreciate its content. it will really make well with the international film fests.
i still feel like the movie "thy womb" should never be pulled out from showing in local cinemas. i feel like the mmff should be a celebration of the filipino arts. though i still can't blame the cinema owners since it really is business.
5 people like this
11 responses
@rohanmona (159)
• India
30 Dec 12
Such things happens. Don't feel sorry for it dude. No matter how good the movie is, if it is not earning them money, it is a bad movie for them and also vice versa. Let them show the movies where it will be truly appreciated and welcomed with open mind. All my best wishes for movie if they would work. Be cool dude!
1 person likes this
@stringer321 (5643)
• Kiryat Ata, Israel
30 Dec 12
Having an open mind is the key word for many things. Including appreciation of a good quality movie. Many people just don't have an open mind and they are used to some specific things and types of movies, never trying new things.
That's the problem with many people today. When a child is young, he doesn't have a specific taste for things, he has his open mind to learn and he loses it as he grows up. We need to learn to keep the open mind.
@syoti20 (5293)
• Philippines
9 Jan 13
That's a rude comment from a person who haven't watched the movie. You are already judging the movie by trailer. Not all movies possess a good trailer means the movie is great. I have experienced that the trailer was really inviting. When the movie start rolling. I didn't like it at all. I just wasted the money to watch that movie. The movie was adopted from a cartoon. Forgot the name already.
@iluvusabado (2560)
• Philippines
9 Jan 13
so sorry if you were offended with my comment. i agree with you that sometimes the trailer can be deceiving. good trailers doesn't easily translate to a great movie. i was just saying that you could see with the texture and lighting of the film that it's a bit documentary style. it actually is an indie film.
@Cutie18f (9551)
• Philippines
30 Dec 12
It only goes to show how shallow are the local moviegoers nowadays. They only want the usual trash like shouting, drama, fighting, two-timing, so cheap and so predictable. I think they should tap schools to watch this in order to educate people. That is why we are always producing poor quality films because our moviegoers are so shallow and mindless.
@jeanneyvonne (5501)
• Philippines
30 Dec 12
Don't be so hard, cutie. people watch movies to be entertained. That's what all there is sometimes. And sometimes,they cannot tell a good quality film even when it is before their eyes. and of course,some people in power wants a certain way or another if you catch my drift.
@jeanneyvonne (5501)
• Philippines
30 Dec 12
Ahh, you beta me in posting this topic. Let us first remember that the MMFF is just to make sure that local cinemas and producers will have revenue for the year against foreign films. It's not a battle for quality nor artistry. And as quoted many times, the best picture has a component category wherein it is important the film has a great impact on revenue. Don't expect some people to have a thought-provoking movie in this kind of festivals. Thy Womb won in International film shows because of its quality and those people aren't the same movie goers here. The local Filipino moviegoer is only for escapism this season. That the reason why serials like Enteng Kabisote, Panday and Mano Po have good legacies as you might say.
I guess what Briliante want is some exposure and revenue at the same time. After all, what he got form the film festival aboard is recognition (which he won) but making a film requires money and he has to have that to producer more films. If he doesn't he'll go broke as a director. I often reminded of him of teh director of Bayaning Third World and a Rizal movie which title escapes me.
The film industry requires money and one of their biggest cost is promotion. This is the reason why the local produces love the MMFF - less promotion and less competition. However, that doesn’t translate to really quality films.
@iluvusabado (2560)
• Philippines
30 Dec 12
i've watched bayaning third world. it was a great movie. again, it didn't do well in the box office. i think it joined the manila film festival during june, not really the mmff in december.
@mariaperalta (19073)
• Mexico
30 Dec 12
I saw the same thing announced on a show here on cnn news. I think they should let the people decide if its good or not. Will you go and see it? happy new years......
@iluvusabado (2560)
• Philippines
30 Dec 12
honestly, i can't really say i will watch in in theaters.
@heaytheblogger (2876)
• Philippines
1 Jan 13
There are two things to consider why the film has been pulled out from local cinemas this could either mean that one, the film itself lacks profits in terms of ticket sales and two, some provinces disclose the movie's theme which involves ethnicity and religion.
On the first reason, we really can't blame movie theatres and it's movie audience... some aren't that open minded when it comes to Indie Movies which shows a more in-depth plot on their films that acts as a social statement.
They are much preoccupied on watching comical skit movies, which is more entertaining and more "pop-corn movie" than putting serious film critic. Also, Movie Theatres don't care much about the context of the film since it is still a business. And business is business, they need to profit rather than putting contextual movie appreciation, they stick to film's generating of revenues.
On the second reason, People rather watch films that don't include subject matter of religion, culture and ethnicity resulting that they pretty much go over what's "entertaining" not that i don't independent films not entertaining, it's just that they put on a more serious message to it and it is much appreciated by serious audience. Also, far flung provinces pretty much disclose films with subject matter of religion, ethnicity, and culture resulting that they prefer other movies.
@iluvusabado (2560)
• Philippines
9 Jan 13
i agree with all your comments. at the end of the day, this is film fest is still a business. the owners of movie theaters are after the profit they will get.
@rsa101 (37932)
• Philippines
31 Dec 12
Well of course cinemas would also like to reap the same amount of money like those films that are raking money because they are popular films and well promoted films. It is the moviegoers that is actually to be blamed for being unappreciative of the kind of film they would really want to watch. The competition is just too close and those well budgeted and well promoted ones are the ones picked up by the moviegoers that is why others are left behind when sales are being talked about. As for movie operators they would just want to earn from the invested money they placed on the movie of course if the audience is small of course you would want to go with the trend.
@aseretdd (13730)
• Philippines
29 Dec 12
Most of those who watch movies during the MMFF are children... so it is not a wonder why very few opted to for Thy Womb... but i think that was the same last with with Manila Kingpin... but people started to watch when it won tons of awards...
I am actually waiting for it to be released on DVD or VCD... and would require my older student to watch it... but that is when i start teaching again...
@iluvusabado (2560)
• Philippines
30 Dec 12
i really wish more people would be curious to watch "thy womb" because of the awards it won. but actually the movie really lacks appeal. it's like a tv documentary. which is like not that appealing to the mainstream public.
@CaptAlbertWhisker (32507)
• Calgary, Alberta
30 Dec 12
remember majority of charting singers right now are manufactured popstars who cant sing and uses autotune and dirty lyrics. Its the same market with people who watches movies that are shallow. Lets say the movie is way too classy for the taste of the masses. Our people are brainwashed by ABSCBN and GMA to watch cliche stuff only. when something fresh is introduced to our local audience, the masses have a withdrawal for not being able to watch their cliches. Its not only in our country, its a global phenomenal, I mean twilight is a lame movie and its popular.
@jureathome (5361)
• Philippines
29 Dec 12
It is sad to know that. I think it's the wrong time for them to release it because there are other movies that are purposely made to make money. This kind of movies, are unfortunately, not very enticing for moviegoers. Perhaps, schools and public offices should promote this movie to their students or staff, like what they did with the movie "Jose Rizal", by Cesar Montano, years ago.
@iluvusabado (2560)
• Philippines
30 Dec 12
i think the movie is endorsed by sen. loren legarda. here's an except of what she said:
"I highly recommend the film that explores the intricacies of rural life largely through the eyes of a Badjao midwife, revealing new facets of the plight of Filipino indigenous peoples. Mendoza tackles serious subjects that our society needs to pay attention to and this encourages other filmmakers to push the boundaries of art and storytelling for more meaningful films.”"
source: http://bit.ly/Ufacjb
@neelia27 (896)
• Philippines
29 Dec 12
That is a sad news., as we all know nora aunor is one of the best actress here in the philippines.. and I believe the movie thy womb is a quality movie that should be appreciated and watched.., but today is a different thing now.. people chooses movies that will greatly entertained them.. and with actors and actresses that is well knowned..
@iluvusabado (2560)
• Philippines
30 Dec 12
i was actually surprised that they accepted thy womb into the mainstream category. it really looks like an independent film.
