MMFF crime drama set to capture 1960s Manila

THIS YEAR, Manila’s Finest, a crime action-drama and entry to the Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF), is setting out to depict the grit and vibrancy of Manila in the 1960s.

The film is centered on police officer Capt. Homer Magtibay (played by Piolo Pascual), who must investigate a series of brutal killings in Manila’s growing slums, with the help of his trusted partner Lt. Billy Ojeda (played by Enrique Gil). In solving the crimes, they end up testing their loyalty and courage as well as confronting the sacrifices that must be made in a city with a rapidly changing identity.

Led by director Raymond Red, the entire production is “proud and excited” to present the film as their entry to this year’s MMFF, said Jane J. Basas, president of MQuest Ventures, which produced Manila’s Finest alongside Cignal TV and Spring Films.

Previous MMFF entries which MQuest Ventures produced are The Kingdom in 2024 and GomBurZa in 2023.

For the director, Mr. Red, the film is unique in that, beneath the action scenes and the period elements in the production design, it is still a human drama.

“I can’t call it an action film. At its core, it’s a human drama set against the backdrop of very significant events. It also tackles some parts of history, but the main story is fiction,” he said at the press conference on Dec. 5 in Quezon City.

The narrative was written by screenwriters Michiko Yamamoto, Moira Lang, and Sherad Anthony Sanchez, which reflects the spirit of collaboration that brought the film to life.

“What makes Manila’s Finest special is the collaboration,” Mr. Red said. “The challenge was to channel all that energy into one cohesive vision, and that’s what makes the film feel so alive.”

Including the two leads, the cast is packed with star power: in the cast are Ariel Rivera, Romnick Sarmenta, Joey Marquez, Soliman Cruz, Cedrick Juan, Jasmine Curtis-Smith, Kiko Estrada, Rico Blanco, and Rica Peralejo-Bonifacio.

The newer and younger faces in the ensemble are Ashtine Olviga, Ethan David, Dylan Menor, Paulo Angeles, Inday Fatima, and Pearl Gonzales.

Because of the sprawling cast and specific setting, the biggest challenge making the film was “creating the reality to the point that viewers would not be distracted by it,” said Mr. Red at the press conference.

“They have to believe that they’re in that period so that they pay attention to the story itself. As a visual storyteller and as the cinematographer as well, I could imagine the shots. I nitpick the small details. I have memories of the ’60s as a kid,” he added.

For Mr. Pascual, as the lead actor, a major realization he had was the importance of looking back at history. “The political unrest that’s happening now — we were shown clippings back in the ’60s of a lot of riots — fast forward to now, it’s still happening,” he said.

Seeing how there is still unrest among Filipinos led him to hope for change in the system. “Ang kinakatakutan ko ang kawalan ng accountability sa bansa natin (What I fear is the lack of accountability in our country),” he explained.

For Mr. Gil, meeting people who were officers back in the day allowed them to immerse themselves and help tell their story.

“We asked them questions, little things like how they behaved in the station, what their camaraderie and brotherhood was like, so that we can try to replicate it on set,” he said.

He recounted that the whole experience felt like stepping into another time, with “everyone on set so passionate about bringing that era to life.”

On what viewers can expect, Mr. Red described the film as one that “captures Manila at a pivotal moment — beautiful, wounded, and alive… about the people who kept moving, even as the city around them was changing.”

Manila’s Finest opens on Dec. 25 as an official entry to the 51^st MMFF. — Brontë H. Lacsamana