The Philippine cinema scene is currently witnessing a mix of emotions—excitement and disappointment.
The excitement comes from the long queues of moviegoers eager to watch the foreign film ‘How To Make Millions Before Grandma Dies.’ This Thai movie, despite having no promotional efforts in the Philippines and being exclusively shown in SM cinemas, has become a massive hit through word of mouth and clever marketing gimmicks like tissue giveaways. Recently, the film reportedly earned PHP2 million in a single day, bringing its total earnings to PHP39 million.
Adding to the excitement, the animated film ‘Inside Out 2’ has shattered records in the Philippines, raking in PHP88.8 million on its first day. According to Disney Southeast Asia, this sequel has achieved the highest opening day earnings of 2024 in the country, making it the third biggest film opening of all time in the Philippines, just behind ‘Avengers: Endgame’ and ‘Avengers: Infinity War.’ It also holds the record for the biggest opening day for an animated film in the nation.
In stark contrast, the fate of local films released on the same holiday, June 12, 2024, is disheartening.
Despite it being a holiday, the two local movies—’Fruitcake’ from Regal Films and Cornerstone, and ‘Playtime’ from GMA Pictures and Viva Films—struggled at the box office. While exact earnings for these local films were not disclosed, their performance paled in comparison to ‘Inside Out 2,’ which drew massive crowds, leaving the local productions with virtually no queues.
This trend is troubling, as Filipino films have consistently underperformed at the box office since the beginning of the year. The disparity raises questions about why Filipino audiences prefer foreign films, which, upon closer inspection, are not vastly different in quality and storytelling from local productions.
The situation calls for a deeper examination of the factors influencing this preference for foreign films over local ones.
Is it the marketing strategies, the storytelling, the production quality, or simply the allure of international cinema that draws in Filipino audiences?
Understanding these elements is crucial for the local film industry to reclaim its place in the hearts of Filipino moviegoers.
