The films to participate must be focused on at least one of the persons of the Trinity (God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Spirit.).

Throughout the festival, participants and other attendees may watch the submitted films for this will be a special opportunity to share with those who have not yet heard the Gospel. MMCFF will be held Nov. 3-8, 2009.

The festival’s recognition for quality is the "Gideon’s Flame Award," named to honor Gideon (6:12) a farmer whom God calls a mighty man of valor. Of all the fifteen men who ruled as judges of Israel, Gideon, the fifth judge, was the greatest, in courage, in wisdom, and in faith in God.

Any group or individual submitting a film for entry into The Festival must confirm that they hold all necessary rights for the submission and has given the legal authority to grant such rights to The Festival. Further, they have read, understood, and agreed with the Festival rules and guidelines. For more details on the Festival, please go to http://www.mmcff.ws for the full guidelines and online application form. Contact Rhon Bautista, MMCFF, 812-6062 Local 219; E-mail : rbautista@unionchurch.ph.

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This column is for promoting non-violent films–where they are, and why we are not getting enough. Friends and I until the recent past were chauffeur-driven on long trips. We now find ourselves in commute buses, comfortable and air conditioned. But excessively violent and disgusting movies are shown on board. There are children on the buses. The owner of the bus line must pick these films. Would he pick the same for his children to watch?

Does the Movie & TV Review/Classification Board (MTRCB) have any idea what gross videos are being shown in provincial commuter buses. Does MTRCB care?

The answer might be in the mission and vision of the MTRCB. However, on searching, the web shows nothing on mission and vision. MTRCB has no mission and vision?

What I found is MTRCB’s Guiding Principles which tells us what MTRCB is supposed to be doing:

The board shall review and classify motion pictures, television programs and related promotion materials and commercials for TV and cinema, applying as a general standard contemporary Filipino cultural values. No motion picture, television program, or promotional material intended for such exhibition shall be disapproved by reason of its topic, theme or subject matter, subject to Article 201, "Offenses Against Decency and Good Customs" of the Revised Penal Code.

The classification shall be based on the treatment of theme, violence, language, nudity, sex, horror, illegal drugs and other similar elements. In making the evaluation, the board shall not look at pieces of film, television, and related promotional materials in isolation, but shall consider the submitted material in its entirety. The board is fully aware of the State’s concern in molding and reinforcing the moral character of the people as well as protecting the artist’s freedom of expression.

The board’s obligation therefore as mandated by law is to safeguard these values without negating the vital roles and services that the motion picture and television industries render to the community as important components in building the national economy. The review and classification system rests on the doctrine of "parens patriae" as well as the natural right of parents in rearing their children under the Constitution.

The board recognizes the fundamental role of parents in their children’s choice of motion picture or television program, and thereby helps them decide what they will allow their children to watch. The board is a regulatory body which must not only function in terms of reviewing and classifying films or television programs brought before it but must also initiate plans and cooperate with the industry to improve, upgrade and make it viable as an important component of the national economy.