“Loob, Lalim, Lakas” is this year’s theme of the 20th Cinemalaya Independent Film Festival that will run from August 2 to 11, 2024.
Competing in the Full-Length Category are: ALIPATO AT MUOG by JL Burgos; AN ERRAND by Dominic Bekaert and Sarge Lacuesta; TUMANDOK by Arlie Sumagaysay and Richard Salvadico; BALOTA by Kip Oebanda; GULAY LANG MANONG (NO MORE THAN VEGGIES) by BC Amparado; KANTIL (TRENCH) by Joshua Medroso; KONO BASHO by Jaime Pacena II; LOVE CHILD by Jonathan Jurilla; THE HEARING by Lawrence Fajardo and Honee Alipio; and THE WEDDING DANCE by Julius Lumiqued.
Short Feature films in competition include: ABOGBAYBAY by P.Patindol; ALL THIS WASTED SPACE by C. Bringas; AMBOT WALA KO KABALO UNSAY I-TITLE INI by R. Villaverde; CROSS MY HEART AND HOPE TO DIE by S. Manasca; I WAS WALKING ON THE STREETS OF CHINATOWN by R. Capili; MAMA by A. Brizuela; MARIPOSA by M. Tampos; PAMALANDONG SA DANOW (REFLECTION IN THE MARSH) by B. Harani; PRIMETIME MOTHER by S.Calvento; and THE RED TRAILS (AN BAGA SA DALAN) by M. Jolejole and R. Dolim.
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The past winning films in the New Breed category are Pepot Artista (2005), Tulad ng Dati (2006), Tribu (2007), Jay (2008), Last Supper No. 3 (2009), Halaw (2010), Ang Babae sa Septic Tank (2011), Diablo (2012), Transit (2013), and Bwaya (2014).
The winners in the Directors’ showcase are Donor (2010), Bisperas (2011), Posas (2012), Sana Dati (2013) and Kasal (2014).
The winners in the Main competition are Pamilya Ordinaryo (2016), Respeto (2017), Kung Paano Hinihintay ang Dapithapon (2018), and John Denver Trending (2019), The Baseball Player (2022) and Iti Mapukpukaw (2023)
Eddie Garcia won Best Actor thrice for ICU Bed#7 (2005 ), Bwakaw (2012), and ML (2018) while Baron Geisler twice for Jay (2008) and Donor (2010).
Two actresses won the Best Actress awards twice: Merylle Soriano for Room Boy (2005) and Donor (2010) and Ina Feleo for Endo ( 2007) and Sanglaan (2009).
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Two persons won the Best Director award twice : Aureus Solito for Pisay (2007) and Busong (2011) while the late Eduardo Roy, Jr for Pamilya Ordinaryo (2011) and Fuccbois (2019). Roy died last February 21 due to pulmonary embolism.
Roy also directed Quick Change where transgender Mimi Juareza won as Best Actor in the 2013 New Breed section.
In the Directors’ showcase, Vilma Santos won Best Actress in Ekstra (2013) while Nora Aunor won the following year for Hustisya (2014) while there was no winner for Best Actor in 2013.
In 2012, the best actress award was given in the Director’s showcase to an ensemble, Judy Ann Santos, Iza Calzado, Agot Isidro, and Janice de Belen of Mga Mumunting Lihim. The same happened in the New Breed category in 2007 when the cast of Tribu grabbed the trophy for best actor award also as an ensemble.
The youngest winner of best actor award was Noel Comia, Jr. for Kiko Boksingero (2017) when he was then 13 years old followed by 15-year old Jansen Magpusao for John Denver Trending (2019).
Other Best Actress awardees include Angel Aquino for Donsol (2006) Lovi Poe for Mayohan (2009). Eugene Domingo for Ang Babae sa Septic Tank (2011) Ama Quiambao for Diablo (2012), Irma Adlawan for Transit (2013), Eula Valdez for Dagitab (2014), Hasmine Killip for Pamilya Ordinaryo (2016), Angeli Bayani for Bagahe (2017), Ai-Ai Delas Alas for School Service (2018), Ruby Ruiz for Iska (2019), Max Eigenmann for 12 Weeks (2022) and Pat Tingjuy for Rookie (2023).
Best Actor awardees also include Alchris Galura for Batad (2006), Baron Geisler for Jay (2008), Lou Veloso for Colorum (2009), John Arcilla for Halaw (2010), Edgar Allan Guzman for Ligo na Ü, Lapit na Me (2011), Kristoffer King for Oros (2012), Dante Rivero for 1st ko si 3rd (2014), Tommy Abuel for Dagsin (2016), Tommy Alejandrino for The Baseball Player (2022) and Mikoy Morales for Tether (2023).
Only short films competed in 2015, 2020 and 2021.
Although it did not won the Best film award in 2005, “Ang Pagdadalaga ni Maximo Oliveros” by fellow UP alumnus Auraeus Solito became one of the icons of indie films.
I have been watching Cinemalaya since it started in 2004, or 20 years ago, which is held annually at the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) and various cinemas.
My passion in watching Cinemalaya films perhaps is an offshoot of my exposure to experimental films during my college years in the late ‘80s and ‘90s at the UP Diliman where I saw several highly sensitive and political films.
The UP Film Center served as a venue to screen films free from censorship as some of them were even banned from commercial viewing.
Some of the films I saw included Lino Brocka’s “Maynila, Sa Mga Kuko ng Liwanag” (1975) and “Bayan Ko: Kapit sa Patalim” (1985), Ishmael Bernal’s “Himala” (1982), Mike de Leon’s “Sister Stella L.” (1984), and Marilou Diaz-Abaya’s “Karnal” (1984) and whose daring works portrayed revolt, labor unionism, social ostracism, and class division.
(Peyups is the moniker of the University of the Philippines. Atty. Dennis R. Gorecho heads the Seafarers’ Division of the Sapalo Velez Bundang Bulilan Law Offices. For comments, e-mail info@sapalovelez.com, or call 09175025808 or 09088665786.)