Film Development Council of the Philippines (FDCP) Chairperson and veteran filmmaker Jose Javier Reyes addressed the troubling box-office slump facing the local movie industry, pointing to public perception rather than economics as the primary culprit.
Speaking in an interview, Reyes highlighted the stark contrast between the lackluster performance of domestic releases and the massive success of foreign blockbusters such as “Spider-Man: Brand New Day” and “The Odyssey.”
“Ang pelikulang Pilipino ay naghihikahos. Bakit naghihikahos ang Pelikulang Pilipino? Dahil almost ₱800 million ang kinita ng Spider-Man at almost ₱500 million ang kinita ng Odyssey,” Reyes observed.
While ticket prices are frequently blamed for low theater turnout, Reyes argued that the root cause lies in how local audiences view domestic cinema.
“Ito ay opinyon ko lamang. Hindi presyo ng ticket ang problema, ang problema ay ang attitude ng Pilipino sa Pelikulang Pilipino,” he added.
The local box office has seen sporadic wins this year, with romance titles like “The Loved One,” “Tayo Sa Wakas,” and “Almost Us” pulling in decent numbers.
However, other genres continue to struggle against international competition; the local horror film “Rosario,” which opened directly alongside the dominant Hollywood releases, has failed to gain traction in theaters.