MANILA, Philippines?The Cinema Evaluation Board (CEB) gave both Jose Javier Reyes? ?Magkaibigan? and Mark Meily?s ?Baler? an ?A? grade.

The two drama movies are entries to this month?s Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF), which opens on Christmas Day.

Another entry, the Wenn V. Deramas comedy ?Ang Tanging Ina N?yong Lahat,? got a ?B.?

?Magkaibigan,? about a friendship tested by the travails of cancer, was commended for ?highly disciplined? direction and ?well-structured? screenplay?both by Reyes.

Lead actors Christopher de Leon as a dying man and Jinggoy Estrada as his best friend, along with co-stars Dawn Zulueta and Maricel Laxa as their spouses, were similarly praised.

?I?m ecstatic,? Reyes said. ?This film is a heartfelt tribute to Rudy Fernandez from Jinggoy and to Khryss Adalia from me.?

Fernandez and Adalia died of cancer this year.

?Baler,? a romance epic set during the Philippine revolution against Spain, was hailed by the CEB as ?a praiseworthy effort.?

Direction was described as ?capable? and the cinematography (by Lee Meily) as ?beautiful.?

Meily told the Philippine Daily Inquirer: ?I hope the ?A? grade will inspire other filmmakers to take risks and make more movies that highlight Filipino culture.?

?Ang Tanging Ina N?yong Lahat? is a sequel to the box-office hit ?Ang Tanging Ina? and follows the sudden rise to power of a single mom (Ai Ai de las Alas) as the country?s president.

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