NEWSFLASH

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FVR ASKS FILMMAKERS TO BE ORIGINAL

Manila, Dec. 30, 1997 - President Ramos last night challenged Filipino movie makers to give their best in producing films that all Filipinos could be proud of as a people, and not cheap "Hollywood copycats or cheap Xeroxes."

The President spoke at the Gabi ng Parangal of the 23rd Metro Manila Film Festival at the PICC.

"I urge everyone to abandon the practice of churning out films that are influenced by other films, and instead return to the creative impulse of making films that are directly influenced by life itself," the President said.

The President pointed out that in 1996, only 16 of the 160 local films made money, and only 30 broke even.

"In the first quarter of 1997, movie houses reported a 50% drop in attendance for local films, but only a 10% drop for foreign films," the President noted.

To reverse this trend, he urged the movie industry to make movies "that not only lighten the burden of our movie goers with entertainment, but which also enlighten them and strengthen their will to persevere.

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