The 39th edition of the Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF) will be held from January 25, 2013 up to the first week of January 2014. Fifteen entries were submitted to the festival for consideration. As per the tradition, only eight films were chosen for the festival. These were announced on June 18, 2013 by MMDA (Metro Manila Development Authority) Chairman Francis Tolentino. These eight official entries are as follows.

The rejected entries are Boy Golden, Everybody Loves, Hope in a Bottle, Ibong Adarna, Kaleidoscope World, Kulay Abo Ang Langit, and Sa Ngalan ng Ama, Ina at Mga Anak (Kuratong Baleleng).

A dark-comedy Tagalog film starring Enchong Dee, Eugene Domingo, Empress Schuck, Jake Cuenca and Leo Martinez will be hitting theaters in the Philippines soon. Titled Tuhog, the movie revolves around three characters and their rather unfortunate and peculiar lives. These are three strangers who due to cruel fate find themselves stuck with each other after a tragic bus accident.

Two buses figure in a road mishap and three passengers get pierced with a single steel bar, a very dangerous situation which doctors may not even be able to find a solution. But this tragic event just serves as the glue that connects the lives of three people together in a single clump. Is it fate? Or is it merely a coincidence?

Tuhog movie poster

Tuhog was directed by Veronica Velasco. It's a co-production by Skylight Films and Star Cinema. It will be released on July 17, 2013.

Tuhog trailer:

Synopsis of Tuhog 2013:

"Due to a road rage between two buses, an accident occurs which puts the lives of its passengers in jeopardy. But the ones greatly affected by such event are a middle-aged woman named Fiesta (Eugene Domingo), an old and retired family patriarch Tonio (Leo Martinez), and a lad named Caloy (Enchong Dee). These three people are pierced through a single steel bar – a dangerous situation that even their doctors find hard to solve. But even before this unfortunate circumstance, these three have their share of ill-fated lives.

Fiesta is a bus barker of Janus Express whose life revolves around taking care of her demented father Carding. Being a dedicated daughter to Carding turns her into a lonely spinster that scares men away with her fierce and masculine demeanor. Until she meets Nato (Jake Cuenca), a new driver hired by Janus Express that eventually wins her heart. But just when she thought that she’ll finally have her far-fetched happiness with Nato, things start to get complicated when she finds out Nato’s painful secret.

Tonio is a retired old man who after getting past his prime and being a refuge to his family, now wants to fulfill his shrugged off dream of becoming a baker. He decides to use his pension to fulfill this dream. At first, his own family is skeptical about it but he eventually gets their support along with his friends to make it happen. Now, it’s all up to him to make this work and find out if this is a dream worth all that risk. 

Caloy is a young man preserving his virginity for his girlfriend Angel (Empress). They have made an agreement to give up their virginities to each other and only to each other. However, Caloy gets challenged to remain faithful to this pact because of the difficulties of the long distance relationship she shares with Angel. Moreover, he starts to doubt the loyalty of Angel to him and to their relationship because of a guy named Jun Rey who is seemingly getting involved with his girlfriend.

Through one horrible mishap, the lives of Fiesta, Tonio, and Caloy get tied together. Who will be given another chance to live and make things right? And whose life is really bound to end"