A guide to the Metro Manila Film Festival entries

THE usual dramas and comedies will be joined by a historical crime thriller, a horror anthology, and different shades of romance this year at the Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF).

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Organized by the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA), it runs from Dec. 25 to early January 2026.

The film festival celebrates its 51^st year with the theme of “A New Era for Philippine Cinema.” Its Parade of Stars was held for the first time ever in Makati last week.

The festival’s Gabi ng Parangal or awards ceremony will be held on Dec. 27.

Established in 1975, the Metro Manila Film Festival aims to promote and enhance Philippine cinema. During its run, no non-festival film, local or foreign, can be screened in regular theaters nationwide.

Here are the eight official entries to the MMFF 2025 in alphabetical order:

BAR BOYS: AFTER SCHOOL(produced by 901 Studios)

Directed by Kip Oebanda

This is a sequel to the 2017 comedy-drama Bar Boys, set 10 years after that film where a group of friends pursued their law degrees. Bar Boys: After School charts their lives as they discover the price of following their aspirations. Carlo Aquino, Rocco Nacino, Enzo Pineda, and Kean Cipriano reprise their roles in the first film.

MTRCB Rating: PG

CALL ME MOTHER(produced by ABS-CBN Studios, The IdeaFirst Company, and Viva Films)

Directed by Jun Robles Lana