Telling the Filipino story via the 1st Indie Bravo! fest

“ANG PAGBABALIK ng Bituin.” INQSnap this page to view the trailers.

For its fourth year, the Philippine Daily Inquirer’s annual Indie Bravo! Tribute presents a timely new component, a festival of documentaries and short films from the regions.

Mounted in cooperation with the Film Development Council of the Philippines (FDCP), the 1st Inquirer Indie Bravo! Film Festival will be held from Dec. 9 to 11, at the My Cinema of Greenbelt 3, in Makati City.

The featured films from Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao tell the Filipino story from different, engaging, at times compelling, perspectives.

In the lineup are Sheron Dayoc’s “Mientras su Durmida,” a Chavacano short set in Zamboanga long before the recent military crisis; and “Chasing Fireflies,” which tackles the issue of human trafficking in the south.

“ANG BABAE sa Likod ng Mambabatok”

Also on the list is “Ang Pagbabalik ng Bituin,” a docu by Sherbien Dacalanio and Sheryl Manalastas. It chronicles a domestic helper’s Ro-Ro (roll-on, roll-off) trip from Metro Manila to Cabadbaran, Agusan

“MIENTRAS su Durmida”

del Norte. The film showcases countryside scenes, from Quezon and Bicol to Samar and Leyte (two provinces devastated by “Yolanda”).

Another docu, Lauren Sevilla Faustina’s “Ang Babae sa Likod ng Mambabatok” is about a 92-year-old woman renowned here and abroad as the “last traditional tattoo artist of Kalinga.”

Regional runs
To be spotlighted are short films directed by internationally acclaimed visionaries in the Philippine independent film movement: Brillante Ma. Mendoza, Raymond Red and Lav Diaz.

All the fims will take viewers on an enlightening journey across the archipelago.

After the Makati run, the festival goes to the FDCP Cinematheques in Baguio, Iloilo and Davao cities.

The My Cinema screenings are open to the public. But due to the limited number of seats, interested parties should preregister via e-mail ([email protected]) or by calling 8978808 loc. 352.

“CHASING Fireflies”

An invitational gala screening of Hannah Espia’s full-length feature debut “Transit” officially opens the festival on Dec. 9 at 4 p.m. (Watch for the complete schedule in this section.)

“TRANSIT”

A special mention winner in this year’s Busan fest, “Transit” is the country’s entry in the best foreign language film category of the Oscars.

Espia is among this year’s honorees in the Inquirer Indie Bravo! Tribute. The fest culminates with the annual fete on Dec. 12 at the PDI main office in Makati.

The paper is celebrating its 28th anniversary that same week and there are 28 honorees this year—actors and filmmakers who brought home awards from international film festivals.