On December 19, director Zig Dulay admitted he felt puzzled upon hearing the number of cinemas assigned for their Metro Manila Film Festival 2023 movie, ‘Firefly.’
At the media conference for ‘Firefly,’ which LionhearTV covered, Dulay voiced his reaction to the number of cinemas showing their MMFF 2023 entry.
“Personally, ako din, palaisipan din sa akin ‘yung bilang ng cinemas kasi hindi ko rin naman talaga alam ‘yung proseso kung paano nangyari. Pero, noong dumating naman ‘yun hanggang ngayon, kabilang kami doon sa mga pelikula na pinaka-kaunti ‘yung bilang ng sinehan.”
He highlighted the hardwork the cast and creative team put into the project, citing his hopes of sharing their film with more moviegoers.
“Kaya naman, sa amin, sure kami na ginawa namin lahat ng makakaya para mapahusay, mapaganda ‘yung pelikula. At ginawa talaga namin ‘yun para sa mga tao. So nakakalungkot na kaunti lang ‘yung makakapanood. Parang nade-defeat yung purpose na gumawa ka ng pelikula, gusto mong mapanood ng mas nakararami kasi may gusto kang iparamdam, may gusto kang iparating, sa kanila. Tapos hindi makakarating.”
He hoped that ‘word of mouth’ would help their film reach more audiences.
“So sana, lalong-lalo na doon sa unang araw, doon sa December 25, panoorin ng mga tao ‘yung Firefly, tapos wala namang sapilitan ‘yun, pero kung nagustuhan nila ‘yung pelikula, sana ipakalat nila kasi hanggang sa kasalukuyan, ‘yun pa din ‘yung inaasahan namin na magpapadami ng sinehan.”
He then responded to people clamoring to have their film in more cinemas.
“Dahil ang Pasko, ay panahon ng pagbibigay, gusto nilang i-share ‘yung pelikula sa mga tao. Gusto nilang i-share kung ano ‘yung naramdaman nila habang pinapanood nila ‘yung pelikula and then I think gusto nilang i-share kung ano man ‘yung mensahe or pakiramdam na naiparating ng pelikula doon sa audience.
“Feeling ko hindi lang ito natatapos sa doong gusto nila kaming tulungan, na gusto nilang tulungan ‘yung pelikulang Firefly para magkaroon ng maraming sinehan, kung hindi gusto nilang mapanood ng mas maraming tao din kagaya kagustuhan namin.”
‘Firefly,’ under GMA Public Affairs, stars Alessandra de Rossi, Euwann Mikaell, Miguel Tanfelix, Ysabel Ortega, Yayo Aguila, Max Collins, and Cherry Pie Picache with a special participation from Dingdong Dantes.
Under the direction of Zig Dulay, ‘Firefly’ opens in cinemas on December 25 during the MMFF 2023.
