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Will Ricky Lee's Ishmael Bernal biopic be ready for MMFF 2026?

MMFF 2026: Which finished films could claim the remaining festival slots?
by PEP Troika
Published 5 hours ago
Ricky Lee and Ishmael Bernal
The race for the remaining Metro Manila Film Festival 2026 slots is heating up as producers prepare to submit finished films. While speculation linked Ricky Lee's star-studded Ishmael Bernal biopic to the festival, insiders say the ambitious project is not expected to make this year's deadline, leaving the competition wide open.
PHOTO/S: courtesy of Ricky Lee

GORGY RULA

Noong Hulyo 7, 2026 ini-announce ang apat na script na pasok sa 52nd Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF).

Sa pagkakaalam namin ay matagal nang nagsimulang nag-shoot ang Amir ng GMA Pictures, kung saan tampok sina Dennis Trillo, Argus Aspiras, Will Ashley, at Glaiza de Castro.

Kinumusta namin ang The Greatest Showdown nina Vic Sotto at Vice Ganda. Nasa pre-production pa lang daw ito.

Ganundin ang Haunted Carnival ng Regal Entertainment.

Nasa preprod din daw ang horror movie nina John Arcilla, Julia Barretto, James Reid, Fyang Smith, RK Bagatsing, Ronnie Alonte, at Maricel Soriano.

Napapansin lang namin sa social media na todo pagpapayat pa si Aga Muhlach para sa 2nd Miracle In Cell No. 7. Pero wala pang sagot sa amin ang Viva kung nagsimula na rin ba sila ng shooting.

Ang narinig namin, naghahanda nang mag-submit ng finished film yung mga hindi napili sa script.

Ang ilan kasi doon ay tapos na nilang i-shoot at nasa post-production na. Kaya may sapat na panahon silang lalo pang pagandahin ang kanilang aspiring entry.

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Read: Vic Sotto-Vice Ganda movie among first 4 MMFF 2026 entries

BERNAL MOVIE FOR MMFF 2026?

Totoo bang isusumite sa finished films ang Bernal na biopic ng National Artist na si Ishmael Bernal?

Base sa mga unang napabalita, napakaambisyoso ng passion project na ito ng National Artist ding si Ricky Lee.

Ishmael Bernal did Himala, Relasyon and Broken Marriage with Ricky Lee.
National Artist Ishmael Bernal
Photo/s: ABS-CBN / Star Cinema
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Kabilang sa cast si Jericho Rosales bilang isa sa tatlong gaganap na Bernal, Judy Ann Santos bilang Nora Aunor, Iza Calzado bilang Rita Gomez, John Lapus bilang Bernardo Bernardo, at Atom Araullo bilang Spanky Manikan.

Nasa cast din sina Eugene Domingo, Chanda Romero, Lovi Poe, Shaina Magdayao, at Agot Isidro.

Gusto ni Maris Racal na makasama sa cast ng Bernal, kahit anong role.

Pero totoo bang naghahanap pa rin daw ng investors para sa pelikulang ito?

May nabanggit na aabot daw ng PHP30M ang inihahandang production budget.

May kaibigan kaming kinakausap ng humahawak nitong project na kinukumbinseng mag-invest, kaya nagtatanong sa amin kung okay bang sumali sila sa production nito. Ang sabi raw kasi sa kanya ay isa-submit din nila ito sa MMFF.

Kaya interesado siyang makumpirma kung ihahabol ito sa submission ng finished films.

Pero sa laki ng proyektong ito, kakayanin kaya ang deadline ng MMFF?

Read: Ricky Lee's passion project: a star-studded Ishmael Bernal biopic

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NOOD KA MUNA!

NOEL FERRER

Definitely, hindi isa-submit sa finished films ng MMFF ang tribute film on National Artist Ishmael BERNAL na isinulat ng isa pang National Artist na si RICKY LEE.

Isa itong monumental project na kailangang ayusin ang script, financing, at iba pang creative concerns bago simulan ang shooting — na tunay ngang monumental, significant at kaabang-abang na proyektong ito.

Maghintay na lang tayo ng susunod ng updates kapag handa na ang Kahon Collective ni Sir Ricky.

In the meantime, kaabang-abang ang mg hahabol sa finished films deadline sa katapusan ng Setyembre para sa MMFF 2026.

Kasi, it’s anybody’s ballgame, at sana makahanap tayo ng tamang balanse ng entries na makakaengganyo ng mas malawak na market na pampamilya para sa pinakahihintay lagi na Metro Manila Film Festival.

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JERRY OLEA

May sangkap ng magic realism ang biopic ni Ishmael Bernal kaya tatlong aktor ang gaganap sa kanyang karakter.

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Napabalitang si Jericho Rosales ang isa sa tatlong gaganap na Bernal, pero hindi pa masabi ni Echo kung sigurado na siya sa nasabing proyekto.

Isinusulong na gumanap ding Bernal sina Dingdong Dantes, John Lloyd Cruz, Coco Martin, at/o Dennis Trillo.

Sa ganang akin, puwede ring gumanap na Bernal sina Michael V, Joshua Garcia, Christian Bables, Cedrick Juan, Ian Veneracion, Paulo Avelino, Carlo Aquino, Allen Dizon, Paolo Ballesteros, Arjo Atayde, at Vice Ganda.

LIWANAG AT DILIM

Sa mga magsusumite ng finished film sa MMFF 2026, nawa’y mapili ang biopic na Liwanag at Dilim (Heneral Emilio Jacinto) na bida si Gerald Santos.

Kasama sa cast nito si Alden Richards bilang Dr. Jose P. Rizal.

liwanag at dilim heneral emilio jacinto
Gerald Santos with Alden Richards on the set of Liwanag at Dilim (Heneral Emilio Jacinto).
Photo/s: Facebook
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Nasa cast din sina Sid Lucero, Alexa Miro, Angel Aquino, Aicelle Santos, Mercedes Cabral, Aljur Abrenica, Ima Castro, Robert Seña, Isay Alvarez, Nikko Natividad, Jayson Gainza, at Alex Medina, sa panulat at direksiyon ni Antonino Rommel Ramilo.

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The race for the remaining Metro Manila Film Festival 2026 slots is heating up as producers prepare to submit finished films. While speculation linked Ricky Lee's star-studded Ishmael Bernal biopic to the festival, insiders say the ambitious project is not expected to make this year's deadline, leaving the competition wide open.
PHOTO/S: courtesy of Ricky Lee
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