See the unseen. That is the tagline for this year’s Cinemalaya, the Philippine Independent Film Festival, which is now on its seventh year. With 31 digital films in competition, plus more than 100 in exhibition, the tagline might very well be “See the must-see.”
Cinemalaya, a project of the Cinemalaya Foundation, Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP), Film Development Council of the Philippines and Econolink Investments, Inc., is “an all-digital film festival that aims to discover, encourage and honor cinematic works of Filipino filmmakers that boldly articulate and freely interpret the Filipino experience with fresh insight and artistic integrity.”
From its inception in 2004, Cinemalaya has opened doors for new filmmakers nationwide, providing them an avenue to showcase their artistry and talent, and most importantly giving film afficionados an opportunity to have a taste of quality films free of low-brow humor, over-the-top drama and frivolous romance which are common in most Filipino mainstream films.
This year’s Cinemalaya which will run from July 15 to July 24 also hopes to take the filmfest into a whole new level by adding new sections. Focus Asia will feature eight independent works by Asian directors from Korea, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, China, Vietnam, Singapore and Japan.
“This will help our filmmakers to network with the filmmakers from other nations so we can promote our indie films in international festivals,” states Nestor Jardin, CCP president at the press conference last June 8 at the CCP.
This year will also have the Ronwaldo Reyes Retrospective, presented in cooperation with the Society of Filipino Archivists for Film, which will spotlight the directorial works of National Artist Fernando Poe, Jr., better known to Filipinos as an action star. Competition director Laurice Guillen will also get a chance to showcase her first indie movie called Maskara, a tribute to his late husband, revered actor Johnny Delgado.
This year’s filmfest also aims to reach a wider audience as it expands to a second main venue with two cinemas at Greenbelt 3 in Makati City, in cooperation with the Ayala Theaters Management (apart from the main venue at the CCP).
The main competition categories are the New Breed full-length feature category and the Short Feature category featuring works by new directors. The Directors Showcase is a competition for works by already established directors. This year, nine films will compete in the New Breed full-length feature category, ten in the Short feature category and four in the Directors Showcase.
Competing in the New Breed are Amok by Lawrence Fajardo; Ang Babae sa Septic Tank by Marlon Rivera and Chris Martinez; Ang Sayaw ng Dalawang Kaliwang Paa by Alemberg Ang and Alvin Yapan; Bahay Bata by Eduardo W. Roy, Jr. and Jerome Zamora; Cuchera by Joseph Israel M. Laban; I-libings: Your Loss, Our Luck by Rommel Andreo Sales; Ligo na U, Lapit Na Me by Noel Ferrer, Jerry Gracio and Erick Salud; Nino by Loy Arcenas; and Teoriya by Alistaire Christian E. Chan.
The four finalists in the Directors Showcase are Bisperas by Jeffrey Jetturian; Busong (Palawan Fate) by Auraeus Sotto; Isda (Fable of the Fish) by Adolfo Alix Jr. and Patikul by Joel Lamangan.
In the Short Feature category are Debut by Pamela Llanes Reyes; Every Other Time by Gino M. Santos; Hanapbuhay by Henry Frejas; Hazard by Mikhail Red, Immanuel by Gabriel “Gio” Puyat; Niño Bonito by Rommel “Milo” Tolentino; Oliver’s Apartment by Misha Balangue; Samarito by Rafael Santos; Un Diutay Mundo by Ana Carlyn V. Lim; and Walang Katapusang Kwarto by Emerson Reyes.
This year’s competition line-up is the most diverse this year, with the films focusing on themes of social relevance (Filipino drug mules in Cuchera) to modern-day romance (Ligo na U, Lapit Na Me) to losing and finding hope (the overcrowded and low-maintained maternity ward in Bahay Bata) to the outrageously funny and unexpected (three filmmakers confer with Eugene Domingo to star in their debut film set in the Payatas dumpsite in Ang Babae sa Septic Tank).
(www.asianjournal.com)
(OCIE June 17-23, 2011 Red Carpet pg.2)
| < Prev | Next > |
|---|
