Filmmaker Jun Robles Lana has voiced strong criticism over the rising cost of movie tickets, saying the issue has stripped the local film industry—particularly the Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF)—of its soul.
In a post shared on X on Thursday, January 1, Lana lamented how the MMFF, long regarded as a “people’s festival,” has gradually become inaccessible to ordinary Filipino families due to expensive cinema tickets.
“For decades, the MMFF was the ‘people’s festival.’ It was the one time of year when ordinary workers took their children to the mall to see their idols. But today, a family of four would need at least ₱1,500 just to enter the theater, not including transportation or even a single bag of popcorn,” Lana wrote.
He stressed that high ticket prices have transformed cinema from a shared cultural experience into a privilege enjoyed mainly by the middle class.
“By pricing the ordinary Filipino out of the theater, the industry hasn’t just lost customers, it has lost its soul. Cinema has shifted from a shared national culture to a middle-class privilege,” he added.
The director warned that if the current pricing system continues, the local film industry may face a slow decline.
“You cannot promote a ‘National’ Film Festival while maintaining prices that exclude the nation. Until we admit that cinema has become a luxury that the ‘₱500 Noche Buena’ family cannot afford, we are simply watching the slow, expensive sunset of Philippine cinema,” Lana said.
Following his post, several netizens echoed similar frustrations, with some arguing that the decline of the MMFF cannot be blamed on ticket prices alone.
“Can’t blame its collapse on pricing alone, it collapsed from lack of standards, because the industry chose comfort over craft & turned the MMFF into a yearly reminder that we would rather sell familiarity to the masa than risk offering them something worthy of their intelligence,” one netizen commented.
Others questioned the management of the festival itself. “I think MMDA needs to step up or give it to FDCP instead. MMDA shouldn’t be handling film fest anyway. Give it to [the] proper film agency,” another wrote.
Some moviegoers also recalled how ticket prices were raised during the pandemic and never lowered afterward. “Itinaas nila ang ticket price kesyo limited seating due to social distancing after ng lockdown. Hindi na nila ibinalik nung pwede na ulit mapuno ang mga sinehan,” a netizen said.
Current cinema ticket prices reportedly range from ₱300 to ₱550, based on rates from major theater chains, further fueling public debate on affordability.
Lana is the director of the 51st MMFF entry Call Me Mother, starring Vice Ganda, Nadine Lustre, and Lucas Andalio. He is also known for acclaimed films such as Die Beautiful (2016), Kalel, 15 (2019), and Bwakaw (2012).
As of this writing, MMFF organizers have yet to issue an official response to concerns regarding ticket pricing and audience turnout.
