Ticket sales for 21st Cinemalaya Philippine Independent Film Festival more than doubled compared to last year’s figures, according to festival officials.
According to Cinemalaya festival director Chris Millado, box office data showed that ticket sales climbed from P5.8 million last year to P13.4 million this year during the festival’s run from October 3 to 12 across Shangri-La Plaza in Mandaluyong City, Ayala Malls Cinemas, and Gateway Cinemas.
‘This marks more than a 100 percent increase in ticket sales,’ he said, noting that audience reach also grew slightly-from 30,000 last year to 32,000 this year.
Millado added that the surge in sales signals the continued expansion of Cinemalaya’s footprint beyond the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) where the festival was originally held.
He noted that if this upward trend continues, the festival’s revenues could surpass pre-pandemic levels by next year.
‘Patuloy ito sa karampot na budget at sa matinding pagpupunyagi na ikuwento ng ating filmmakers ang buhay, kamatayan, pinagsaluhan, at pinagtagumpayan ng ating buhay-buhay bilang Pilipino,’ Millado said.
[Despite working with limited budgets, our filmmakers continue to persevere in telling stories about the life, death, struggles, and triumphs of the Filipino people.]
He added, ‘Habang iningungudngod tayo sa burak ng mga sakim, binabago naman natin ang reputasyon at kamalayang Pilipino sa paraan ng ating patuloy na makasining paglikha, pagkukuwento, at pagdadalumat.’
[While we are being dragged through the mud by the greedy, we are, at the same time, reshaping the Filipino’s reputation and consciousness through our continuous artistic creation, storytelling, and reflection.]