Cinemalaya promises a bounty of provoking films this year

FEED YOUR MIND, YOUR SPIRIT. This year, Cinemalaya offers films celebrating a distinctive Filipino milieu ,  one fraught with local context and culture, worthy of an industry that is experiencing rebirth after years of dispiriting, commercial mediocrity. Video by INQUIRER.net’s Cathy Miranda, teaser videos taken from YouTube

MANILA, Philippines–Cinemalaya, the country’s biggest, independent all-digital film competition,  has gained  interest from many local movie goers and international film aficionados worldwide.  This year, organizers are opening two simultaneous venues to host the competition.

Now on its seventh year, Cinemalaya will be screening at two different venues: the  Cultural Center of the Philippines in Manila,  and Greenbelt 3 cinemas in Makati City. An agreement was signed between organizers of the competition and the Ayala Theaters Management.

Cinemalaya is a project of the Cinemalaya Foundation, the Cultural Center of the Philippines, the Film Development Coundil of the Philippines, and Econolink Investments, Inc..

This year, 31 films will be competing on three different categories. The New Breed full length feature category and the Short Feature category, feature works by new, up and coming directors. The Directors Showcase is a competition for works by established directors.

Competing in the New Breed full-length film category are: Amok (Amok) by Lawrence Fajardo; Ang Babae sa Septic Tank (The Woman in the Septic Tank) by Marlon Rivera and Chris Martinez; Ang Sayaw ng Dalawang Kaliwang Paa (The Dance of Two Left Feet) by Alemberg Ang and Alvin Yapan; Bahay Bata (Baby Factory) by Eduardo W. Roy, Jr. and Jerome Zamora; Cuchera by Joseph Israel M. Laban; I-libings: Your Loss, Our Luck (E-funerals) by Rommel Andreo Sales; Ligo na U, Lapit Na Me (Star Crossed Love) by Noel Ferrer, Jerry Gracio and Erick Salud; Nino by Loy Arcenas; and Teoriya (Father’s Way) by Alistaire Christian E. Chan.

The four finalists in the Directors Showcase are: Bisperas (Eve) by Jeffrey Jeturian; Busong (Palawan Fate) by Auraeus Solito; Isda (Fable of the Fish) by Adolfo Alix Jr. and; Patikul by Joel C. Lamangan.

Finalists for both the New Breed Full-length category and the Directors Showcase each received a P500,000 seed grant from the Cinemalaya Foundation. The Best feature film for the New Breed full-length category will receive a P200,000 cash prize and a Balanghai trophy, while the winning film for the Directors Showcase will get P300,000 cash prize and a Balanghai trophy.

Among the ten finalists in the Short Feature category are: Debut by Pamela Llanes Reye; Every Other Time by Gino M. Santos; Hanapbuhay (Source of Living) by Henry Frejas; Hazard by Mikhail Red; Immanuel by Gabriel “Gio” Puyat; Nino Bonito by Rommel “Milo” Tolentino; Oliver’s Apartment by Misha Balangue; Samarito (Samaritan) by Rafael L. Santos; Un Diutay Mundo (One Small World) by Ana Carlyn V. Lim  and; Walang Katapusang Kwarto (An Endless Room) by Emerson Reyes.

The winner for the Short Feature Category will receive a prize of P100,000.00 and the Balanghai trophy.

A new feature in this year’s festivities is the Cinemalaya Documentary section, presented in cooperation with the Calata Corporation. Meanwhile, the Ronwaldo Reyes Retrospective, co-presented with the Society of Filipino Archivists for Film, will showcase directorial works of National Artist the late Fernando Poe Jr..

Focus Asia will likewise hold screenings of eight independent works by Asian directors from South Korea, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, China, Vietnam, Singapore and Japan.

Other mainstays of the Cinemalaya Film Festival are the NETPAC Philippine Premieres, which will screen eight competing films. Cinemalaya will also have the Cinemalaya Film Congress, with this year`s theme, Building Bridges Across Asia Through Films, and other film related events such as the Sine Taktakan (a forum with 2011 Cinemalaya filmmakers), lectures and exhibits.

Two theaters at Greenbelt 3 will be used for the screening of competing films, the NETPAC Philippine Premiers and films of the new Focus Asia section. Greenbelt 3 Cinemalaya screenings will run from July 16 to 24, 2011.`

Cinemalaya will have its opening night on July 15 at the CCP`s Main Theater, while the Cinemalaya Awards Night will be on July 24, 7:00 pm,  also at the same venue.

For more information, please call the CCP Box Office at 832-3704 and CCP Media Arts at 832-1125, local 1204/05, or visit the CCP website at www.culturalcenter.gov.ph and www.cinemalaya.org