‘Halimaw’ goes to Karlovy Vary

Shaina Magdayao in “Ang Panahon ng Halimaw”

Lav Diaz’s martial law musical, “Ang Panahon ng Halimaw,” is headed to another A-list film festival in Europe.

The Filipino film, which premiered at the Berlinale last February, is part of the Panorama section of the ongoing Karlovy Vary International Film Festival in the Czech Republic that runs until July 7.

“Siyempre, magandang mapanood nila du’n ang ‘Halimaw,’” Diaz told the Inquirer. “Iba ang audience sa Karlovy Vary. Malaki ang pagpapahalaga nila sa papel ng sining, kasama ang cinema, sa kultura.”

The fest’s website describes “the maverick writer-director’s” latest four-hour opus as a “stylistically clear-cut depiction of a cruel era under martial law.”

In the Karlovy Vary website, programmer Martin Horyna lauds the Filipino auteur “who is unsurpassed for his work with mise-en-scène and for creating ingenious allusions to the reality of his native land.”

Horyna points out that while loyal viewers will not be astounded by Diaz’s “signature style involving the use of extremely long black-and-white shots,” they will be surprised by his creative decision to tackle an unfamiliar genre: the musical.

“But instead of singing, his characters … melodically recite their lines, a cappella of course,” Horyna remarks.

The Karlovy Vary fest is considered “one of the oldest … and Central and Eastern Europe’s leading film events.”

Karlovy Vary belongs to the same category as Cannes, Berlin, Venice, San Sebastian, Moscow, Montreal, Shanghai and Tokyo, as one of the top-tier festivals in the world.

Every year, Karlovy Vary showcases “200 films from around the world, and regularly invites famous and important filmmakers.”

Diaz’s film will be shown in the same noncompetitive section as other movies that made waves in recent A-list festivals like Cannes and Berlin: Lee Chang-dong’s “Burning,” Spike Lee’s “BlacKkKlansman,” Asghar Farhadi’s “Everybody Knows,” and Terry Gilliam’s “The Man Who Killed Don Quixote.”

Back in Manila, “Halimaw” will have screenings at the Cinema Centenario on July 7 and 14 at 1 p.m. “We are also planning to tour different campuses all over the country,” Diaz said.

“Halimaw” is likewise part of the New Horizons International Film Festival, in Wroclaw, Poland, from July 26 to Aug. 5 and the Jerusalem Film Festival, in Israel from July 26 to Aug. 5, too.

Back in Manila, “Halimaw” will have screenings at the Cinema Centenario on July 7 and 14 at 1 p.m. Also ongoing are screenings at the Cinema ’76 Anonas until July 5. “We are planning to tour different campuses all over the country, too,” Diaz said.