The Metro Manila Film Festival 2023 entry Mallari may have been picked up for theatrical release by the global entertainment conglomerate Warner Bros., which is also the top distributor of Hollywood movies in the Philippines, but it doesn't mean the horror flick bankrolled by Mentorque Productions will be shown in more theaters when the MMFF opens on 25 December.

"We're playing by the rules. MMFF has rules to ensure fairness," Mentorque Productions' president John Bryan Diamante told DAILY TRIBUNE in an interview at the announcement of the partnership between the upstart film outfit and Warner Bros. For starters, Diamante and the representatives of the nine other official entries will draw lots to determine which theaters nationwide will play their movies on opening day.

He pointed out, "May bunutan talaga. May rules na hindi ka rin puwedeng pumili (There's really drawing lots. There's another rule stating you cannot choose which theaters will play your movie)." After the opening day, though, cinema operators can decide which movies they will continue to play based on box-office results.

That's why, Diamante said, the film has to perform well in terms of ticket sales. Otherwise, "wala ring mangyayari (nothing will happen)" to make it through the entire MMFF run until 7 January 2024. The top-grossing films may even extend their theatrical run to meet moviegoers' demand.

A partnership meant to happen

In Mallari's case, the movie about the first documented serial killer in the Philippines has the advantage of having Warner Bros. to get it distributed outside the country. "Hopefully I'll be able to pitch this to our colleagues at least in the Asian region and hopefully in some other territories that Warner Bros. that service. We'll take from there," said Rico Gonzales, director of Distribution at Warner Bros. Philippines, also at the event.

Gonzales recalled that the first Filipino film that Warner Bros. distributed was Mga Munting Tinig (2002), an indie production directed by Gil Portes and starring Alessandra de Rossi. Twenty-one years later, they're distributing Mallari.

"So this is really a historic moment for us," he exclaimed. "The first Filipino feature [mainstream] is happening on the 100th anniversary of Warner Bros. Pictures…We're hoping that the usual moviegoers who patronize Warner Bros. movies will somehow patronize this film outside the usual market of Filipino movies. At the same time, it's an exposure for Warner Bros. to tap another audience that doesn't really watch our movies."

Gonzales agreed with Diamante that the "stars aligned" to make the partnership happen, describing it as "serendipitous." He remembered getting a call from Enrico Santos, a former colleague who wrote Mallari's script, a week after he received new directives from his bosses at the regional office "to look out for local movies that are worth our while." He was asked by Santos if Warner Bros. was "open to the idea of distributing a local film."

Soon, Gonzales had a meeting with Santos and Diamante, along with the movie's director, Derrick Cabrido, who pitched Mallari to him. "I knew about the project because it was announced a few months back, as early as May…So when it was pitched to me, I got more interested. But I told Bryan that we [at Warner] had several requirements before we agree to anything."

Diamante admitted the process "was not easy," explaining, "And you know how sensitive ang (the) international standards ng (of) Warner Bros., even the logos on all our materials talagang sensitibo sila d'yan (very sensitive about that), that's why ang dami naming legal na pinagdaanan (we went through a lot of legal procedures)."

The final requirement was viewing the finished product. "I was able to view the movie, and it's really, really good," Gonzales said. "I'm happy with the performances of the cast. You've seen nothing like this. This is a different horror movie.

"Mahirap magbuhat ng sariling bangko, di ba? (It's hard to lift one's own chair and brag) But Warner Bros. will not give the stamp of approval to something if it's not worth it. Sabi nga sa akin (Like what I've been told), it should be worth out while, and this is definitely more than worth our while."