For decades, the MMFF was the "people's festival." It was the one time of year when ordinary workers took their children to the mall to see their idols. But today, a family of four would need at least ₱1,500 just to enter the theater, not including transportation or even a single bag of popcorn. By pricing the ordinary Filipino out of the theater, the industry hasn't just lost customers, it has lost its soul. Cinema has shifted from a shared national culture to a middle-class privilege. You cannot promote a "National" Film Festival while maintaining prices that exclude the nation. Until we admit that cinema has become a luxury that the "₱500 Noche Buena" family cannot afford, we are simply watching the slow, expensive sunset of Philippine cinema.