Cinema Rehiyon set on Feb. 23 to March 1 in Dumaguete

The 11th installment of the Cinema Rehiyon Film Festival—a noncompetition film fest that highlights some of the best works in the provinces—will be held in Dumaguete City, Negros Oriental, from Feb. 23 to March 1.

“We’re not getting enough of what’s out there in the rest of the Philippines [outside Manila], of what stories they have. This is the main motive of Cinema Rehiyon,” said Teddy Co, head of the National Committee on Cinema, at a recent press conference organized by the National Commission for Culture and the Arts

(NCCA) to commemorate February as National Arts Month.

“This year’s lineup will attempt to show the public the new Philippine cinema. There is now representation coming from different regions, and so it becomes very diversified,” said Co, who is also head of the NCCA’s Subcommission on the Arts.

“One good thing about Cinema Rehiyon is that, after we show the films, the directors will be there for the Q&A. The audiences learn things about the making of the films, as well as the filmmakers’ philosophy,” he said, adding  that the film pitching project that began in 2018 will be continued.

The National Committee on Music will hold “Musicapuluan: Music of the Philippine Islands,” a music festival in Baguio City on Feb. 8; Catbalogan City, Samar, Feb. 1 and 8; and Dumaguete City, Negros Occidental, on Feb. 23. —MARINEL R. CRUZ