The Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF) is once again set to be the centerpiece of the Filipino Christmas tradition, kicking off on December 25. With the theme “A New Era for Philippine Cinema,” the 51st edition presents a meticulously curated, diverse roster of eight official entries that promise to deliver a compelling mix of star power, relevant social issues, and powerful storytelling.
The year 2025 has not been kind to Filipinos, presenting challenges and issues left and right, from politics to natural disasters. These include corruption in flood control projects, midterm elections, and major events like Typhoon Opong and the earthquake in Cebu. All of these can be overwhelming and leave you with a negative emotion.
However, to end the year on a positive note, watching the MMFF entries brings you not only laughter, lessons, and realizations, but also a fresh mindset and a firm resolve to stand back up and continue to fight for what is right – for our rights.
Here is the list of entries for the MMFF 2025:
Call Me Mother (Comedy-Drama) starring two of the biggest stars, Vice Ganda and Nadine Lustre, and directed by Jun Robles Lana, tells the story of a single queer mother, Twinkle (Vice Ganda) who needs to process the papers to make the son he raised legally adopted. Thus, he seeks the help of the son’s biological mother, Mara (Nadine Lustre). This pairing of superstar comedic flair with a serious reflection on the meaning of family, motherhood, and queer identities is sure to make you laugh and cry.
Rekonek (Family Drama) directed by Jade Castro and Jericho Aguado brings together prominent names including Gerald Anderson, Carmina Villarroel and Zoren Legaspi, Andrea Brillantes, Gloria Diaz, and Alexa Miro. Rekonek is the story of multiple characters navigating the days leading up to Christmas after a sudden, worldwide internet outage cuts off all digital communication, forcing them to genuinely reconnect with their family, community, and themselves. It’s a story of love, forgiveness, and the true Filipino spirit of connection when screens are no longer an option.
Manila’s Finest (Crime Thriller) is a film by Raymond Red starring Piolo Pascual and Enrique Gill. The story is set in 1970 Manila, focusing on Homer (Piolo), a principled police officer, and his trusted partners, Billy and Conrad as they investigate a brutal series of murders in the slums. As they delve deeper into the killings, they uncover a darker web of systemic decay involving powerful businessmen, corrupt politicians, and the police force. The film is expected to be a raw and intense look at the blurred lines of justice and morality within the city’s police force.
Shake, Rattle and Roll: Evil Origins (Horror) is the most ambitious installment in the iconic Filipino horror anthology, presenting three interconnected stories across three distinct timelines that trace the perpetual cycle of an ancient evil. The trilogy begins in 1775 during the Spanish colonial period, following a group of nuns who must fight for survival after a dark entity is unleashed within their cloister. It then jumps to the chaotic 2025 present day, where a serial killer targets friends attending a lavish Halloween masquerade ball. Then finally, it thrusts the audience into a dystopian 2050, where the Philippines has been ravaged and is now a post-apocalyptic landscape ruled by a new, evolved breed of aswang. A film directed by Shugo Praico, Joey De Guzman, and Ian Loreños, featuring Richard Guiterrez, Janice De Belen, Manilyn Reyes, and PBB housemates.
I’mPerfect (Romantic Drama) is a pioneering romantic drama that centers on the love story between Jessica and Jiro, two young adults who both have Down syndrome, and is notably headlined by actors with Down syndrome themselves. The film follows them as they meet, fall in love, and navigate the typical challenges of life, love, and self-discovery, while also confronting societal misconceptions about their capabilities and independence. The film is directed by Sigrid Andrea P. Bernado who’s also the director for the film Kita Kita, and stars Krystel Go and Earl Amaba.
Love You So Bad (Romance) is a romantic love triangle story centered on Savannah, a sassy, confident, and unapologetically bold college senior who is forced to navigate her messy love life and confront her own insecurities. She finds herself torn between two very different men: LA, the magnetic bad boy and campus athlete who fuels her wild and impulsive side, and Vic, the principled, ambitious academic who challenges her to grow and offers a more steady, grounded kind of love. It is directed by Mae Cruz-Alviar and stars PBB housemates Bianca De Vera, Will Ashley, and Dustin Yu.
Unmarry (Drama) revolves around the painful and complex process of dissolving a marriage through annulment in the Philippines. The film follows the journeys of Celine (Angelica Panganiban) and Tom (Tom Rodriguez), a couple struggling with the collapse of their family, and Ivan (Zanjoe Marudo) and his wife, who are reluctantly fighting their own annulment, as they stand on trial to narrate their heartbreaking experiences and ultimately find an unexpected connection and support in each other as they try to rebuild their lives. A film directed by Jeffrey Jeturian and starring Angelica Panganiban and Zanjoe Marudo.
Bar Boys: After School (Drama) is a sequel set ten years after the original film, which reunites the four friends Torran, Christian, Erik, and Joshua, who are now established professionals grappling with the ethical compromises and struggles of adult life. The plot centers around a pivotal moment when their beloved mentor, Justice Hernandez, falls gravely ill and is abandoned by her own family, prompting the barkada, along with a new generation of law students, to step up and care for her, forcing the successful lawyers to confront how far they have drifted from the ideals they once fought for in law school and reminding them that life itself is the ultimate and most challenging classroom. The film is directed by Kip Oebanda and stars Carlo Aquino, Rocco Nacino, Enzo Pineda, Kean Cipriano, and Odette Khan.
The MMFF 2025 is a powerful mirror of Filipino resilience. By watching and engaging these compelling stories, audiences are given a much-needed opportunity to laugh, learn, feel, and gain new perspectives. This Christmas, supporting the MMFF is not just about watching movies, it’s about investing in the soul of the nation and ushering in a brighter, more courageous new era for Philippine cinema and the Filipino people.