CCP, MTRCB agree on Cinemalaya self-regulation
The Cinemalaya Film Festival is living up to its name.
Executives of the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP), which is organizing the event, and the MTRCB (Movie and Television Review and Classification Board), has signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) allowing Cinemalaya producers to self-regulate their respective entries.
MTRCB chair Atty. Toto Villareal told Yahoo! Philippines OMG! in a phone interview that his office won’t review CCP-Cinemalaya entries anymore since they will practice self-regulation.
The norms for self-regulation, he adds, follow that which MTRCB abides by (e.g. what constitutes an ‘X’ rating).
Even Cinemalaya films shown in commercial establishments like Trinoma, need not go through MTRCB review and practice self-regulation instead.
“Any venue, or even commercial establishments used for government purposes (CCP is a government office) becomes a government facility,” says Villareal.
But once any film is shown on commercial run, he explains, it will be reviewed by MTRCB.
Thus, all he has is a list of Cinemalaya entries and the theaters where they will be shown.
Precautions for theater owners
This list, he goes on, will guide him on what theaters are allowed to show the entries.
“Kasi baka may theater owner na magpapalabas ng Cinemalaya entry, hindi pala kasama sa listahan.”
The 2013 Cinemalaya festival will run from July 26 to August 4 at the Cultural Center of the Philippines, Greenbelt 3 and Trinoma.
