The traditional Parade of Stars will kick off the 39th Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF) on December 22.

The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA), the filmfest’s organizer, on Thursday announced the schedule of events for the MMFF.

MMDA Chairman Francis Tolentino, who is also chairman of the MMFF Committee, said the Parade of Stars, featuring the floats of the festival’s entries, will start at 2 p.m. from the Mall of Asia in Pasay City and end at the Quirino Grandstand.

The parade route will be from Seaside Boulevard, turning right at Macapagal Boulevard then to Edsa and Roxas Boulevard.

The awards night is on December 27, or two days after the December 25 opening of the annual MMFF. The ceremonies will be held at Meralco Theater in Pasig City.

“We are calling on the public to support MMFF. We have provided quality Filipino films that will surely entertain and touch your hearts this Christmas season,” Tolentino said.

The eight official mainstream entries to the prestigious film festival:

Robin Padilla’s 10,000 Hours, Pedro Calungsod, Batang Martir starring Rocco Nacino, Vice Ganda and Maricel Soriano’s Girl Boy Bakla Tomboy, Pagpag starring Daniel Padilla and Kathleen Bernardo, Kimmy Dora,  Ang Kiyemeng Prequel; My Little Bossings starring Vic Sotto and Kris Aquino; Golden Boy starring Jorge Estregan and KC Concepcion, and Kaleidoscope World.

Entered in the New Wave section are: Mga Anino ng Kahapon, Island Dreams, Dukit, Maestra and Saka Saka for full length.

Vim Yapan/Aelm Chua Productions’ Mga Anino ng Kahapon stars Agot Isidro and TJ Trinidad. Louise delos Reyes and Alexis Petitprez are among of the leading stars in Island Dreams of Kenau Pictures Production.

Center Stage Productions’ Dukit stars Raquel Villavicencio and Wilfredo Layug; Biboy Ramirez and Perla Bautista for Maestra of Pixel Works Ent./Scenema Concept Int’l while Ejay Falcon and Joseph Marco star in Saka Saka of Cinebro.

In the Animation category, the entries are: OMJ Origin of Mang Jose (Koji-Kabuto Enterprise), Kaleh and Mbaki (Dennis Sebastian), Ang Lalong ni Kulakog (Ateneo De Naga University), Gayuma ni Maria (Post-Advance Science and Technology Institute, Flash Animation) and Mamang Pulis (Hannah Espia).

In the Student short film category, the entries are : #No Filter by Luigi Lupe Rosario of Mapua Institute of Technology,  Hintayin Mo Sa Seq. 24 by Jose Lemuel Silvestre of Far Eastern University and  Gapos by Rizchel Anne Miguel of Colegio de San Juan de Letran.

The entries in the Full Length, Animation and Student Short Films categories will be shown at Glorietta 4 in Makati City and SM Megamall cinemas in Mandaluyong December 19 to December 24 for P100 only.

RITCHIE A. HORARIO