Apparently, cinema owners do not have a strong sense of humor.

That’s how it appeared when the marketing forces behind the indie comedy Ang Pangrap Kong Holdap (which translates to “My Dream Robbery”) announced on its Facebook account on Saturday that the film couldn’t get cinema showings because theater owners felt that its title could send a bad public message.

Open Minded Ka Ba Media wrote: “According to them (cinema owners), the movie is sending a bad connotation to the public because of its title (when the only intention is to entertain the audience and give a good laugh for less than 2 hours). This is our own way of making it lite [sic] for the Filipino people.”

The agency added: “The movie is more than its title.”

The movie, showing on Nov. 28, tells the story of three men who dream of pulling off the perfect robbery to earn the respect of their peers. To succeed, they recruit another member whom they think will make their team stronger. Written and directed by Marius Talampas, it stars Paolo Contis, Pepe Herrera, Jerald Napoles, and Jelson Bay.

The development led Herrera to post a statement on his Instagram account yesterday, wherein he said that he understands the perspective of these cinema owners — well, sort of.

He wrote in a mix of English and Filipino: “I understand the concern. Sort of. But times are changing. The audience is evolving. They’re smarter and more critical. If a content is dedicated purely to entertain, I believe the audience will feel it. And that’s our objective. To make people laugh and share jokes that make us happy.”

Herrera then appeals to cinema owners to give the movie a chance. He wrote: “I assure you, the crime rate in the Philippines will not rise because of our [f]ilm. It might even go down. Our way of fighting anything negative is to make people laugh. So please. Let the movie play in your cinemas. If you do that, we all win.”

In a Facebook message sent to Coconuts Manila, Open Minded Ka Ba Media said the movie’s producer or director couldn’t give any interviews. It said: “[W]e are still currently working on getting more cinemas for the opening on Wednesday. Thank you for reaching out. We will get in touch with you and other people too once we sort this out.”

But here’s the good news: Open Minded Ka Ba Media announced yesterday that the movie will be shown in five more theaters. That’s not a lot, but hey, it’s still progress.

These are Gaisano Davao, in Bajada, Davao City; Gaisano Tagum in Pasig City; Gaisano Gensan in General Santos City; Sta. Lucia East Grand Mall in Cainta, Rizal; and Greenhills Theater Mall in San Juan, Metro Manila.

To see what the movie itself is about, check out its official trailer below.

Grove: Coconuts Brand Studio

Fast. Funny. Digital. We produce creativity that delights and influences customers. Join forces with us to slay buzzwords, rise above the noise, and sow the seeds of something great.