The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) officially announced the first batch of entries for the 52nd Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF) during the MMFF Kickoff and Announcement of the First Batch of Official Film Entries held on Tuesday, July 7, at GH Mall in San Juan.
The launch event marked the start of the annual festival campaign, bringing together filmmakers, members of the entertainment industry, media, and film enthusiasts for the unveiling of the first four official entries that will compete in this year’s MMFF.
The first batch of official entries includes:
- Second Miracle in Cell No. 7 – directed by Nuel Naval
- Amir – directed by Zig Dulay
- Haunted Carnival – directed by Joey De Guzman
- The Greatest Showdown – directed by Jun Robles Lana
Among the announced films, ‘Second Miracle in Cell No. 7’ serves as the sequel to the 2019 Filipino adaptation of the hit Korean film and stars Aga Muhlach.
Meanwhile, ‘Amir’, produced by GMA Pictures, features Argus Aspiras, Dennis Trillo, Will Ashley, and Glaiza de Castro under the direction of acclaimed filmmaker Zig Dulay.
Representing the horror genre is ‘Haunted Carnival’, starring Julia Barretto, Fyang Smith, Maricel Soriano, James Reid, and John Arcilla.
One of the biggest crowd favorites during the announcement was ‘The Greatest Showdown’, which marks the first-ever film collaboration between noontime television icons Vice Ganda and Vic Sotto. The highly anticipated comedy is directed by Jun Robles Lana and was officially confirmed by the two stars on July 5 following their much-talked-about on-air exchanges on their respective noontime programs.
Hosting the kickoff event were Jervi “Kaladkaren” Wrightson and Kapuso actor Michael Sager, who guided the audience through the program.
The celebration also featured special performances from former ‘Pinoy Big Brother: Celebrity Collab Edition’ housemates Brent Manalo, Ralph de Leon, and River Joseph, along with rising girl group Baby Dolls.
During the event, MMDA Chairman and MMFF Overall Chairman Atty. Don Artes also announced that movie ticket prices during the festival will be capped at ₱299.
According to Artes, the agreed maximum ticket price was reached in coordination with the Cinema Exhibitors Association of the Philippines and will apply only throughout the MMFF period, with some cinemas potentially offering lower ticket prices depending on their location.
The remaining official entries for the 2026 Metro Manila Film Festival are expected to be announced in the coming months ahead of the festival’s traditional December run.
