Award-winning filmmaker Jun Lana voiced disappointment over the rising cost of movie tickets, saying cinema-going—especially during the Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF)—has become a “privilege” rather than a right for ordinary Filipinos.
In a social media post, Lana recalled how the MMFF was once considered the “people’s festival,” a time when working families could afford to watch films together. He lamented that steep ticket prices have pushed many Filipinos out of theaters.
“For decades, the MMFF was the “people’s festival.” It was the one time of year when ordinary workers took their children to the mall to see their idols. But today, a family of four would need at least ₱1,500 just to enter the theater, not including transportation or even a single bag of popcorn,” Lana said.
The director of Call Me Mother, the MMFF 2025 3rd Best Picture winner, warned that the industry is losing more than just audiences.
“By pricing the ordinary Filipino out of the theater, the industry hasn’t just lost customers, it has lost its soul. Cinema has shifted from a shared national culture to a middle-class privilege,” he said.
Lana added, “You cannot promote a “National” Film Festival while maintaining prices that exclude the nation. Until we admit that cinema has become a luxury that the “₱500 Noche Buena” family cannot afford, we are simply watching the slow, expensive sunset of Philippine cinema.”
Actor Cedrick Juan, star of Manila’s Finest and MMFF 2023 Best Actor, echoed Lana’s sentiments, calling moviegoing a privilege rather than an accessible form of entertainment.
“Naging pribilehiyo na ang panonood ng sinehan. Hayyy… Sana makinig sila sa hinaing na pababain ang presyo ng panonood ng sine,” Juan said.
Industry sources said the 2025 MMFF may fall short of a ₱750 million total box-office gross, largely due to high ticket prices in Metro Manila. If realized, it would mark the festival’s lowest earnings since 2023.