Star-studded gala to serve as prelude to MMFF's golden edition

"We're offering many activities to promote the Philippine movie industry."

- By JERRY DONATO

"We're offering many activities to promote the Philippine movie industry."

That was Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) chairman, lawyer Romando Artes, speaking and giving everyone an idea of what to look forward to with the 50th edition of the Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF) in a recent press conference.

“Marami po tayong plano na gustong gawin. Marami rin po tayong activities (there's a lot of plans and activities we intend to do),” added Artes, who also sits as the chairman of MMFF.

Part of the activities is the "Golden Gala" that will happen on Nov. 11, with the Manila International Film Festival (MIFF) as part of the event, the Movie Workers Welfare Foundation, Inc. (MOWELFUND) as the beneficiary, and City of Dreams Manila as the venue and event partner.

"It's the first-ever gala of MMFF," said he.

Their respective websites inform one that MIFF is a platform with the goal "to showcase, promote, and help uplift Filipino films in Hollywood and beyond," while MOWELFUND is "a non-stock, non-profit social welfare, educational, and industry development foundation" with the aim "to serve the marginalized workers in the Philippine motion picture industry."