Exactly two weeks before Christmas, the Movie and Television Review and Classification Board (MTRCB), under the leadership of Chairperson and CEO Lala Sotto, completed on Thursday, December 11, the review and classification of the eight official entries to the 2025 Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF).
This year’s MMFF lineup is largely ideal for family viewing, with the majority of entries receiving G (General Audience) and PG (Parental Guidance) ratings, indicating suitability for children when accompanied by parents or guardians.
The romantic film ‘I’m Perfect,’ directed by Sigrid Bernardo under Nathan Studios, earned a G rating, making it suitable for all ages. The movie centers on the love story of two adults with Down syndrome.
The comedy-drama ‘Bar Boys: After School,’ a sequel to the 2017 hit Bar Boys, received a PG rating. Directed by Kip Oebanda and produced by 901 Studios Inc., the film stars Carlo Aquino, Rocco Nacino, Enzo Pineda, and Kean Cipriano, and explores the lives of the characters ten years after graduation.
Also rated PG is ‘Call Me Mother,’ starring Vice Ganda and Nadine Lustre, directed by Jun Robles Lana and produced by ABS-CBN Film Productions, The IdeaFirst Company, and Viva Communications, Inc. The film follows a queer single mother whose adoption plans are complicated by the sudden appearance of her son’s biological mother.
Another PG-rated entry is ‘Love You So Bad,’ directed by Mae Cruz-Alviar and starring Will Ashley, Dustin Yu, and Bianca De Vera. Produced by ABS-CBN Film Productions, GMA Pictures, and Regal Entertainment, the romantic film tells the story of a young woman caught between two men.
The crime thriller ‘Manila’s Finest,’ directed by Raymond Red, also received a PG rating. Produced by Cignal TV and MQuest Ventures, the film stars Piolo Pascual, Enrique Gil, Romnick Sarmenta, Ariel Rivera, and Joey Marquez, and is set in 1969, following a group of Manila police officers.
The family drama ‘Rekonek,’ directed by Jade Castro under Reality MM Studios, likewise earned a PG rating. The film explores how six different families deal with a global internet outage ten days before Christmas. Its cast includes Gerald Anderson, Bela Padilla, Andrea Brillantes, Charlie Dizon, Zoren Legaspi, Carmina Villarroel, Cassy Legaspi, Mavy Legaspi, and Gloria Diaz.
Also rated PG is ‘Unmarry,’ starring Angelica Panganiban and Zanjoe Marudo, directed by Jeffrey Jeturian and produced by Quantum Films and Cineko Films. The story follows a couple as they separately process the dissolution of their marriage through annulment.
Meanwhile, the horror anthology ‘Shake, Rattle and Roll: Evil Origins,’ the 17th installment of the iconic franchise produced by Regal Entertainment, received an R-13 rating, restricting admission to viewers aged 13 and above. The film tackles mature themes through three interconnected stories involving a fictional malevolent character.
Sotto encouraged Filipino families to support all MMFF entries this Christmas season, emphasizing the importance of watching local films together.
