Several hashtags glide around as netizens on Facebook and Twitter choose to plea on “Ang Larawan.” The script-to-screenplay musical was pulled out from some cinemas and supporters are taking it online to ask for more people to watch and back the film up.
The film starring Joanna Ampil, Rachel Alejandro, and Paulo Avelino is an official Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF) 2017 entry, yet more than 20 theaters and mall owners decided to pull it because of its sale performance in the first few days of the festival.
While not all theaters chose the same path, a lot are unhappy and are expressing their dismay.
As of writing, “Ang Larawan” is one of Twitter’s trending topics, while other hashtags like #Ang Larawan, #AngLarawanPagbigyan, #AngLarawanNowShowing, and #ShowAngLarawanSomeLove have also remained afloat across social media sites for days.
Ryan Cayabyab, musical director of “Ang Larawan” also tweeted his sentiments to ask for support from the people.
“Try catching it where it is still showing. It will suffer the same fate if people don’t watch as soon as they can. I still have my fingers crossed. Am hopeful!” he wrote.
Jesus Buenaflor Martinez, a Facebook user commented on the official page of the film, “This is one of the reasons why MMFF shouldn’t be held during Christmas. Nasasapawan ‘yung mga magagandang (Great) films due to commercial viability (are outshone). Don’t get me wrong, I love comedy films but commercial viability shouldn’t be one of the criteria para maipalabas at pumasok sa (for a film to be screened and be entered in the) MMFF ang isang pelikula.”
Twitter user @harounsiladjan tweeted, “Breaks my heart to see Ang Larawan getting pulled out of cinemas for not doing well commercially. This is why we can’t have nice things. #MMFF2017”
On the other hand, @julisrenz89 pointed out that while it is great to show support for underrated films, people still have a choice.
“I appreciate how you endorse the quality and artistry of Ang Larawan, but what the h*** man? Let people watch what they want. It’s entertainment. Trash or not, people should watch the movies they want to watch,” he tweeted.
“Ang Larawan” is based on the play written by National Artist Nick Joaquin “A Portrait of the Artist as Filipino, translated by National Artist Bienvenido Lumbera, Libretto by National Artist Rolando Tinio, and Music by Ryan Cayabyab.
Stars, Robert Arevalo, Nonie Buencamino, and Menchu Lauchengco-Yulo are also in the film.
Meanwhile, MMFF 2017 Spokesperson Noel Ferrer in an interview with DZMM, said that the film will be screened again on January 1, to address viewers who prioritize films that are grossing high.
“’Di pwedeng alisin ang isang pelikula ng hindi nag-s-sign ang mismong producers and we’re very careful talaga kasi nagdurugo din ung puso namin kapag ganyan kapag nagtatanggal kami sa sinehan (A film cannot be pulled without the sign of its producers so we’re very careful since our hearts also bleed when movies are removed),” he said.
Ferrer also mentioned that in some instances, producers give their consent after realizing that their market is different.