MANILA, Philippines—Sineng Pambansa is introducing a new program, “Sine ng Masa,” in Baguio City.
While the main screenings will take place at SM City Baguio Cinema 1 and 2 (Monday till March 30), the fest has a mobile component with Burnham Park and other communities as setting (Monday night and Tuesday).
The open-air screenings will feature both critically acclaimed and commercially successful films like Mike de Leon’s “Kung Mangarap Ka’t Magising,” Joyce Bernal’s “Don’t Give Up on Us,” Erik Matti’s “Pa-Siyam,” Antonio Jose Perez’s “Mumbaki” and Chito Roño’s “Emir.”
“Mobile cinemas are trucks fitted with big LCD screens and equipped with sound systems and generators,” said Briccio Santos, head of the Film Development Council of the Philippines, fest organizer.
He added: “Sine ng Masa fully concretizes the goal of Sineng Pambansa to bring Filipino films to Filipinos, encourage audiences to watch local movies.”
Chosen venues for the mobile screenings (Melvin Jones, Burnham Park and barangay Engineer’s Hill) are “iconic places in Baguio,” he said.
As in the fest’s Iloilo (January) and Zamboanga (February) editions, the council is teaming up with the local government.
Santos said Mayor Mauricio Domogan “has been very supportive of the festival ever since preparations started early this year.”
A summer getaway, Baguio is also “recognized as one of the country’s most powerful and creative cultural capitals,” Santos said.
The FDCP, through the Philippine Film Export Services Office (headed by Angelo “Sarge” Lacuesta), is eyeing Baguio as a location for local and foreign productions.
Santos explained, “Foreign producers will be hard-pressed to find similarly breathtaking scenery, cool weather and comfortable amenities.”
“Kung Mangarap” was shot in Baguio three decades ago. Another De Leon film, “Itim,” which celebrates its 35th anniversary this year, will have a gala screening at SM Baguio Monday night.
De Leon is “one of our visionary filmmakers,” Santos noted. “He represents the apex of Filipino filmmaking. Sadly, many Filipinos, especially the present generation, have never seen a single De Leon film.”
Overlooked
By including De Leon classics in the lineup, Sineng Pambansa seeks to address this issue and introduce viewers to important films that are “overlooked and underappreciated.”
Other films to be shown in SM Baguio are: Adolfo Alix Jr.’s “Romeo at Juliet,” Ferdinand Balanag’s “Walking the Waking Journey,” Mes de Guzman’s “Mundo sa Panahon ng Yelo,” Jim Libiran’s “Happyland,” Gil Portes’ “Two Funerals,” Raymond Red’s “Himpapawid,” Roño’s “Emir” and Kidlat Tahimik’s “Bakit Dilaw ang Gitna ng Bahaghari.”
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