10 next best reasons to not miss the 12th Cinemalaya Film Fest
Cinemalaya has been paving the way for the Philippine independent film industry to surge to prominence. For the past 12 years, they’ve given unknown directors their biggest breaks and have kept the local film industry going. This year, the 12th Cinemalaya Independent Film Festival, which is happening from August 5-14, promises a bigger festival with more films, the return of the Open Competition, and a wider reach, staying true to their theme “Break the Surface.”
THE 12TH CINEMALAYA FAMILY. Open Competition and Short Feature directors gather with the organizers of the Cinemalaya Film Festival.
During the press conference held earlier today, July 7, at the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) Main Lobby, festival director Chris Millado gave us the 10 Next Best Reasons to Not Miss this year’s Cinemalaya Film Festival:
1. Cinemalaya x Eigasai. As you’ve probably heard from us earlier this year, Eigasai has partnered with Cinemalaya to showcase two of Japan’s best independent films during the Cinemalaya Film Festival, namely Ken and Kazu (2015) and August in Tokyo (2014). These films will be shown free of charge during the 2-week film festival.
Also read: Eigasai 2016
2. Experience Asian films via the Asian Showcase. Apart from Ken and Kazu and August in Tokyo, viewers will be able to catch the best Asian films as chosen by the Network for Promotion of Asian Cinema (NETPAC):
– Child of Debt (India/Canada, 2015)
– Mina Walking (Afghanistan/Canada, 2015)
– Motor Bicycle (Sri Lanka, 2015)
– Stranger (Kazakhstan, 2015)
– The Kids (Taiwan, 2015)
– Under Heaven (Kyrgyzstan, 2015)
– Until I Lose My Breath (Turkey-Germany, 2015)
– River Road (China, 2014)
3. Francis Xavier Pasion tribute. In honor of the late Cinemalaya director Francis Pasion who passed away last March 2016, his films Buwaya (Cinemalaya 2014 Best Film, Best Cinematography, Best Score), Jay (Cinemalaya 2008 Best Film, Best Editing, Best Actor), and Sampaguita (2010 Cinemalaya Special Jury Prize) will all be shown during the festival.
4. Lav Diaz “feels” long and short versions. Award-winning director Lav Diaz, who has competed in the previous editions of Cinemalaya, will have two of his films shown in the Special Screenings section: the 8-hour Hele sa Hiwagang Hinagpis, which won the Silver Bear Alfred Bauer Prize at the 66th Berlin International Film Festival, and his 16-minute short film Ang Araw Bago ang Wakas, which competed at the 62nd International Short Film Festival Oberhausen in Germany.
5. See exactly why Jaclyn Jose won Best Actress at Cannes. We all know that veteran Filipina actress Jaclyn Jose won Best Actress this year at the Cannes Film Festival. Everyone is curious as to how and why she won the title, so several of her award-winning performances will be shown during the festival, including Ma’ Rosa, the one that gave her the Best Actress plum at Cannes.
Also read: Filipino Actress Jaclyn Jose wins Best Actress at Cannes Film Festival
6. Green Carpet Screening. Everyone knows what a red carpet screening is, but we doubt you’ve heard of a green carpet screening. If you’ve been to the CCP building, then you should have noticed their green lawn in front. During the festival, they’ll be screening Lakbay 2 Love, which stars Solenn Heussaff, Dennis Trillo, and Kit Thompson. Get all the feels you need for free! If it rains, there will be an alternate venue. We’ll keep you posted.
7. Meet up with Celebrity Navigators. What are celebrity navigators, you ask? Well, according to Millado, they are either young cast members from the competing Cinemalaya films or young actors and actresses who have competed at Cinemalaya before. They’ll be going to the festival to both prime audiences for their movie and be available for informal talks after their film.
8. Pitch your dream project to producers. In partnership with the Directors’ Guild of the Philippines, Inc. (DGPI), Cinemalaya will help budding film makers get a head start with their dream projects through the 2016 Cinemalaya DGPI Film Pitching on August 6 at the CCP Silangan Hall. You can get more details and download the form here to find out more.
9. Private barkada screening. Have you ever wanted a private Cinemalaya screening just for your barkada (friends) and/or family? You now have that chance! This year, Cinemalaya has partnered with Samsung to bring you the Samsung Screening Lounge, a private screening lounge for competition films which you can reserve just for your barkada.
10. More screening venues. This is probably the biggest reason for you not to miss Cinemalaya 2016. In addition to the CCP theaters, you can now catch all of the Cinemalaya films at Ayala Cinemas in Greenbelt 3 and Glorietta in Makati, Trinoma and UP Town Center in Quezon City, and Solenad in Nuvali, Sta Rosa. Can’t be in Luzon for the festival? No worries! If you’re in Cebu, you can catch screenings of Cinemalaya films at the Ayala Mall from August 9-14!
Apart from these 10 reasons, you’ll have 85 more reasons (read: FILMS) to not miss this year’s Cinemalaya Film Festival, including the 9 entries for the Open Competition and the 10 entries for the Short Feature category:
Open Competition
– Ang Bagong Pamilya ni Ponching by Inna Miren Salazar and Dos Ocampo
– Dagsin by Atom Magadia
– Hiblang Abo by Ralston Jover
– I America by Ivan Andrew Payawal
– Kusina by David Corpuz and Cenon Palomares
– Lando at Bugoy by Vic Acedillo, Jr.
– Mercury Is Mine by Jason Paul Laxamana
– Pamilya Ordinaryo by Eduardo Roy, Jr.
– Tuos by Derick Cabrido
Short Feature
– Ang Hapon Ni Nanding (Nanding’s Afternoons) by Rommel Tolentino
– Ang Maangas, Ang Marikit, at Ang Makata by Jose Ibarra Guballa
– Bugtaw by Noah Del Rosario
– Butas by Richard Cawed
– Fish Out of Water by Mon A.L. Garilao
– Forever Natin by Cyrus Valdez
– Get Certified by Isaias Herrera Zantua
– Mansyong Papel by Ogos Aznar
– Nakauwi Na by John Relano, Patric Baleros and Luis Hidalgo
– Pektus by Isabel Quesada
Cinemalaya is a project of the Cinemalaya Foundation, the Cultural Center of the Philippines and the Ayala Malls Cinemas. Established in 2005, it is an all-digital film festival and competition that aims to discover, encourage, and honor cinematic works of Filipino filmmakers.
For more information about Cinemalaya, including tickets and all the events that will go down from August 5-14, 2016, visit www.cinemalaya.org, www.culturalcenter.gov.ph, and the Cinemalaya Facebook page. You can also call CCP Media Arts at 02-832-1125 local 1704-1705 and the CCP box office at 02-832-3704.