A poster of a competing film in the 2022 edition of the Cinemalaya Independent Film Festival
I cannot have favorites. The fact that they are finally showing their films is already an accomplishment by itself,” said Jose Javier Reyes, competition director and head of the monitoring committee of the 2022 Cinemalaya Independent Film Festival.
After a two-year wait as a result of the series of lockdowns due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Cinemalaya will finally have a full-length feature category in its two-week run in August at the Cultural Center of the Philippines in Pasay City.
Finalists
Thirteen new feature-length films will be competing from Aug. 5 to 14. “These are made by finalists from the 2020 and 2021 editions who weren’t able to shoot and exhibit their works because of the pandemic,” explained Reyes.
“I admire the perseverance of these filmmakers in completing their works—and finally they shall be able to exhibit their films in a public venue with a real audience,” he added.
“A diverse set of stories,” said the award-wining writer-director when asked to share about the kind of stories featured in the 2022 lineup. “More so, it is worthy to note that this is the debut of new filmmakers whose voices will hopefully shape the future directions of Philippine cinema.”
The following films will be competing in this edition: TM Malones’ “Argo,” Christian Paolo Lat’s “Ginhawa,” Ma-an L. Asuncion-Dagñalan’s “Blue Room,” Ronald Batallones’ “Batsoy,” Anna Isabelle Matutina’s “12 Weeks,” Cynthia Cruz-Paz at Milo Alto Paz’s “Retirada,” Real Florido’s “Bakit ‘Di Mo Sabihin?” Rain Yamson II’s “Angkas,” Roman Perez Jr’s “Kaluskos,” Briliant Juan’s “Parole,” Sheenly Gener’s “Bula sa Langit,” Manny Palo’s “Elehiya,” and Carlo Obispo’s “The Basketball Player.”
