Director Erik Matti on gunning for MMFF Best Picture: ‘Awards are just gravy sa trabaho namin’

Rhea Manila Santos

<img src='' alt='122516-ErikMatti_PUSH.jpg' width='400' height='290' align='left' border='0'>With the start of the 42nd Metro Manila Film Festival this year, director Erik Matti said he is very proud of his latest film Seklusyon which stars Ronnie Alonte and child actress Rhed Bustamante. 'It’s been a long time since gumawa ako ng real horror movie. Last kong ginawa Pasiyam pa. Of course I did several na may mga horror horror na creature pero may mix siya na comedy and action. This one talaga is going back to how we started. Kung sinimulan namin yung Reality Entertainment by doing Pasiyam and it was successful so we are hoping that this time around, sobrang tagal na niyan sampung taon na. I’m hoping to apply what I’ve learned over the years and maybe give the audience something new in terms of the horror genre. Hindi lang yung jump scares kundi a real horror story na mapapag-usapan, na ma-e-enjoy ng lahat, ma-e-engage sila and at the same time buong buo yung kuwento,” he shared during the HOOQ celebrity premiere of Seklusyon held last December 22 at SM Megamall. The Seklusyon director admitted he already wants to see how the MMFF films will fare at the box office this weekend. 'Oo, nakakatakot because parang MMFF started on the wrong foot this 2016 but I think with the help of everyone ABS-CBN, GMA, TV5, they’re all trying to support the festival so that everyone else can hear about it, would follow and watch all the films in the festival and not just one type of film. I think with the help of media sana sa 25 pagbukas ng mall lahat ng tao manunuod ng sine,” he admitted.When asked if his horror film will be in contention for the Best Picture award at the festival, the talented director said he aspires for something bigger than an award this year. 'Actually yung biggest lang na challenge this year which pag na-achieve namin okay na kami is that people go out and watch and see the new kind of MMFF this year. The awards are just gravy sa trabaho namin. Pero it’s to introduce different stories produced by different types of producers para naman 2017, 2018 we would see a lot more persity in cinemas,” he said.During the HOOQ HANGOUTS event, director Erik said he plans to bring Seklusyon to more international film festivals after it’s premiere at the Macau International Film Festival earlier this month. 'With Seklusyon we’re going the rounds of the festivals and we’re talking to a few international sales agents for the film. We’ve sent out the links and all those so hopefully they’ll get interested and we’ll see a lot more crossover potential of Seklusyon in other countries,” he said.Despite all the controversy surrounding the MMFF for the past two years, Erik Matti said he agrees that they are going in the right direction. “Happy na ako sa MMFF this year. After what happened in 2015, I wasn’t really hoping for big changes but I was surprised that when the new rules were announced that actually puwede naman pala mangyari na may malaking change. So we’re not going to win every battle. I am very, very passionate about fighting my own battles but this time around parang sige, isa isa muna,” he said.

During the HOOQ HANGOUTS event, director Erik said he plans to bring Seklusyon to more international film festivals after it’s premiere at the Macau International Film Festival earlier this month. 'With Seklusyon we’re going the rounds of the festivals and we’re talking to a few international sales agents for the film. We’ve sent out the links and all those so hopefully they’ll get interested and we’ll see a lot more crossover potential of Seklusyon in other countries,” he said.Despite all the controversy surrounding the MMFF for the past two years, Erik Matti said he agrees that they are going in the right direction. “Happy na ako sa MMFF this year. After what happened in 2015, I wasn’t really hoping for big changes but I was surprised that when the new rules were announced that actually puwede naman pala mangyari na may malaking change. So we’re not going to win every battle. I am very, very passionate about fighting my own battles but this time around parang sige, isa isa muna,” he said.

<img src='' alt='122516-ErikMatti_PUSH.jpg' width='400' height='290' align='left' border='0'>With the start of the 42nd Metro Manila Film Festival this year, director Erik Matti said he is very proud of his latest film Seklusyon which stars Ronnie Alonte and child actress Rhed Bustamante. 'It’s been a long time since gumawa ako ng real horror movie. Last kong ginawa Pasiyam pa. Of course I did several na may mga horror horror na creature pero may mix siya na comedy and action. This one talaga is going back to how we started. Kung sinimulan namin yung Reality Entertainment by doing Pasiyam and it was successful so we are hoping that this time around, sobrang tagal na niyan sampung taon na. I’m hoping to apply what I’ve learned over the years and maybe give the audience something new in terms of the horror genre. Hindi lang yung jump scares kundi a real horror story na mapapag-usapan, na ma-e-enjoy ng lahat, ma-e-engage sila and at the same time buong buo yung kuwento,” he shared during the HOOQ celebrity premiere of Seklusyon held last December 22 at SM Megamall. The Seklusyon director admitted he already wants to see how the MMFF films will fare at the box office this weekend. 'Oo, nakakatakot because parang MMFF started on the wrong foot this 2016 but I think with the help of everyone ABS-CBN, GMA, TV5, they’re all trying to support the festival so that everyone else can hear about it, would follow and watch all the films in the festival and not just one type of film. I think with the help of media sana sa 25 pagbukas ng mall lahat ng tao manunuod ng sine,” he admitted.When asked if his horror film will be in contention for the Best Picture award at the festival, the talented director said he aspires for something bigger than an award this year. 'Actually yung biggest lang na challenge this year which pag na-achieve namin okay na kami is that people go out and watch and see the new kind of MMFF this year. The awards are just gravy sa trabaho namin. Pero it’s to introduce different stories produced by different types of producers para naman 2017, 2018 we would see a lot more persity in cinemas,” he said.

Director Erik Matti wants Pinoys to support all the MMFF films this year.

Director Erik Matti on gunning for MMFF Best Picture: ‘Awards are just gravy sa trabaho namin’ | PUSH.COM.PH