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Sam Pinto, Ramon 'Bong' Revilla, Si Agimat at si Enteng Kabisote The fantasy adventure Si Agimat at si Enteng Kabisote, starring actor-politician Ramon 'Bong' Revilla and Vic Sotto, remains the top box-office hit at the 2010-2011 Metro Manila Film Festival, during which only Filipino movies — eight of them this year — are screened in The Philippines. To date, Si Agimat at si Enteng Kabisote has taken in P131,213,092 (Us$2.98m). Starring former president Corazon Aquino's daughter Kris Aquino — who also happens to be the current president's (Benigno Aquino III's) sister — the horror thriller Dalaw has brought in P65,550,261 (Us$1.49m). Dolphy's Father Jejemon has been at the bottom of the box-office chart despite the veteran comedian's Best Actor win announced last weekend. Albert Martinez's Rosario, a socially conscious period drama starring Jennylyn Mercado, hasn't been performing all that well, either — possibly because, according to one journalist, Martinez's movie...

Metro Manila Film Festival Awards: Comedy Rules Best Picture: Ang Tanging Ina Mo, (Last Na 'To!) 2nd Best Picture: Rosario 3rd Best Picture: RPG Metanoia Best Director: Wenn V. Deramas, Ang Tanging Ina Mo, (Last Na 'To!) Best Actress: Ai-Ai delas Alas, Ang Tanging Ina Mo, (Last Na 'To!) Best Actor: Dolphy, Father Jejemon Best Supporting Actress: Eugene Domingo, Ang Tanging Ina Mo, (Last Na 'To!) Best Supporting Actor: Dolphy, Rosario Best Screenplay: Mel del Rosario, Ang Tanging Ina Mo, (Last Na 'To!) Best Cinematography: Carlo Mendoza, Rosario Best Editing: John Wong, Rosario Best Musical Score: Jesse Lasatem, Ang Tanging Ina Mo, (Last Na 'To!) Best Theme Song: "Kaya Ko", RPG Metanoia Best Production Design: Joel Luna and Miki Hahn, Rosario Best Sound Recording: Ambient Media, RPG Metanoia and Ditoy Aguila, Super Inday and the Golden Bibe Best Visual Effects: Rico Gutierrez and Co., Si Agimat at si Enteng Kabisote...

This holiday season, moviegoers around the world will be flocking to Tron: Legacy, Little Fockers, The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part I, and other cinematic masterpieces. Except in The Philippines. The Metro Manila Film Festival 2011, which kicked off on Christmas Day, will keep Filipino moviegoers busy with national fare for the next two weeks. Foreign movies are banned and entertainment taxes are lifted during that period, which works as a form of government subsidy for the Filipino film industry. Inevitably, the Metro Manila festival has already given rise to controversy. The comedian Dolphy has agreed to delete scenes from his latest starring vehicle, Father Jejemon, following protests from members of the Catholic Church. Directed by Frank Gray Jr, Father Jejemon tells the story of a musically inclined parish priest who teaches a bunch of rebellious kids to sing in...