Aside from all the dazzling holiday festivities and nonstop eating, one thing that many Filipino families look forward to in December is MMFF or Metro Manila Film Festival season—the time of the year when Pinoy movies are put front and center in cinemas nationwide. And this year’s event is surely shaping up to be one you shouldn’t miss: Moviegoers are in for an exciting mix of genres and themes, with some of the industry’s best actors and actresses bringing amazing stories to life. Ready for your annual year-end movie marathon? Catch the 2022 MMFF movies at an SM Cinema near you! Here’s your cheat sheet to this year’s entries (plus, who to watch them with!) :
Watch with your besties or officemates: Deleter
Starring Nadine Lustre, Louise delos Reyes, and McCoy de Leon (Directed by Mikhail Red)
This thriller tells the story of Lyra (Nadine Lustre), who works at an online content moderation office as a “deleter” or a person tasked with filtering graphic uploads from online platforms. While Lyra seems unfazed by the disturbing imagery she sees regularly, the truth is she’s hiding a deep trauma masked under her apathetic expression.
Watch with the whole fam: Partners in Crime
Starring Vice Ganda and Ivana Alawi (Directed by Cathy Garcia-Molina)
In this laugh-out-loud comedy, two exes (Vice Ganda and Ivana Alawi) unexpectedly cross paths only to get caught up in a crime. Together, they must find a way out of their dilemma—but not without encountering some crazy (and funny) hitches along the way.
Watch with your S.O. or crush: Labyu with an Accent
Starring Coco Martin and Jodi Sta. Maria (Directed by Coco Martin)
When broken-hearted Trisha (Jodi Sta. Maria) comes home to the Philippines after spending two decades in the U.S., she stumbles upon a boyfriend-for-hire biz and enlists the services of Gabo (Coco Martin), who promises to help heal her heart. Will they or will not fall in love for real?
Watch with your dad or brother: Mamasapano: Now It Can Be Told
Starring Aljur Abrenica, Edu Manzano, Paolo Gumabao, and Claudine Barretto (Directed by Lester Dimaranan)
This movie is the big-screen retelling of the events that unfolded back in January 2015—when 44 Special Action Force officers of the Philippine National Police (PNP) were killed during a botched anti-terrorist operation in Mamasapano, Maguindanao.
Watch with your BFFs: Nanahimik ang Gabi
Starring Ian Veneracion, Heaven Peralejo, and Mon Confiado (Directed by Shugo Praico)
This romantic thriller revolves around the covert relationship of a woman (Heaven Peralejo) with a corrupt police officer (Ian Veneracion), who acts as his “sugar daddy.”
Watch with your mom and titas:My Teacher
Starring Joey de Leon, Toni Gonzaga, Ronnie Alonte, Loisa Andalio (Directed by Paul Soriano)
A high school teacher (Toni Gonzaga) returns to her hometown and learns life's most valuable lesson from the most unconventional student—a 70-year-old man (Joey de Leon).
Watch with your parents and grandparents: Family Matters
Starring Noel Trinidad, Liza Lorena, Agot Isidro, Nonie Buencamino (Directed by Nuel Naval)
From the creative team that gave us the box office tearjerker Miracle in Cell No.7 comes this Pinoy dramedy: It follows a family whose members squabble with each other over who will take care of their senior parents, Eleanor (Liza Lorena) and the stroke-stricken Francisco (Noel Trinidad).
The 48th MMFF will run from December 25, 2022 to January 7, 2023. Visit SM Cinema for the complete movie schedules and to book your tickets.
Looking for the perfect movie outfits? Score fab fashion discounts via SM Deals or shop from your favorite stores, like The SM Store, Uniqlo, H&M, and more with the help of the SM Mall Directory and SM Malls Online app.
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Images courtesy of SM Cinema, Viva Films, Star Cinema, ABS-CBN Film Productions, Borracho Film Production, Rein Entertainment, and Cineko Productions
