& lsquo;Tokwifi& rsquo; wins Best Short Feature Film at Cinemalaya 2020
Besting nine other films, Tokwifi prevails in this year's edition of Cinemalaya Philippine Independent Film Festival as it brought home the coveted Best Short Feature Film and NETPAC Prize awards during the Awarding Program held on Aug. 12 live on CCP and Cinemalaya Facebook pages, Vimeo and KUMU......»»
Philippine director puts women at the ‘heart’ of drug war film
Widows and mothers are at the "heart" of a gritty documentary by Philippine filmmaker Sheryl Rose Andes, who turns the camera on women left behind by former president Rodrigo Duterte's deadly drug war. More than 6,000 people were killed in police anti-drug raids during Duterte's six-year term, which ended in June 2022, government data shows. Rights groups estimate the real figure was in the tens of thousands, mostly poor men living in slums who died at the hands of law enforcers, hitmen and vigilantes. Many of the victims had wives or partners and mothers, who have had to deal with the heartbreak and hardship of losing a loved one and often the family's main breadwinner. In her new documentary "Maria", Andes follows two of these women, Mary Ann Domingo and Maria Deparine, as they struggle to survive and find justice. "We have to register that this thing really happened. And now people need to see what has happened to their families," Andes told AFP in an interview. Andes said she was inspired to make the film out of fear that Filipinos could forget, or never learn, about the brutal period in their nation's history. She got a "huge wake-up call" when one of her students in a filmmaking course she teaches at Mapua University in Manila expressed surprise that the drug war was "really happening". That moment in 2020 -- four years into Duterte's drug war, which made headlines around the world and sparked an international investigation into alleged human rights abuses -- left her aghast. Three years later, "Maria" is the first full-length documentary to compete in the country's independent film festival Cinemalaya, which opened August 4. "Maria" -- a common name for women in the Catholic-majority Philippines -- focuses on the harrowing experiences of Domingo and Deparine, which Andes says gives the film "heart and emotion". The documentary shows the women doing menial jobs to support their families and making tearful visits to the tombs of their loved ones. "I zoomed in on the details because it should not just be about numbers," said Andes. "This is a story about women. I don't want this to be remembered as a drug war story." 'It is very difficult' Deparine lost two of her sons within days of each other in September 2016. One was with a local drug dealer when they were abducted by unidentified men. They were both shot in the head and their bodies dumped under a bridge. Six days later, a second son was arrested by police at the home of a drug-dealing couple. He was later found dead under another bridge. Since their deaths, Deparine, who works in a fish cannery and voted for Duterte in 2016, has moved multiple times with her husband and surviving son as they struggle to make enough money to pay the rent. In the same month Deparine lost her sons, Domingo's partner and teenage son were killed in a nighttime police raid while the family slept in their shanty home. Later, she and three of her surviving children had to flee for fear of their safety. Lawyer Kristina Conti, who is helping Domingo seek justice for their deaths, said the four officers who allegedly shot dead her partner and son had been freed on bail and were back in uniform after serving short suspensions. That's despite the men facing a homicide trial. "As a mother who lost her partner, it is very difficult. At times I just wanted to give up, and at times I actually did," Domingo, 49, told AFP in an interview. "This (film) is our chance to show to the world what happened to us." 'Political stand' Catholic priest Flaviano Villanueva, who appears in "Maria", said widows, mothers and grandmothers endured "unimaginable" hardships to keep their remaining family members alive. Villanueva, who runs a support group for the families of the drug war's dead, said there was a "social stigma" that led to discrimination against those left behind. Orphans were "bullied" at school and widows excluded from government assistance because "her husband got killed for being a drug addict", he told AFP. Another woman who features prominently in the film is former Philippines vice president Leni Robredo, a vocal critic of the drug war who is seen consoling Domingo and Deparine. Robredo ran in the 2022 presidential election but lost by a huge margin to the son and namesake of the country's late dictator Ferdinand Marcos, who has continued the drug war. Andes, who spent a decade working for a non-government organisation before turning her hand to filmmaking, refuses to shy away from difficult subjects. She said documentaries were a "powerful tool" in retelling history, but she feared that Filipinos preferred "escapism" and were not prepared to face grim reality. Despite Duterte stepping down more than a year ago and Marcos Jr vowing to take the drug war in a new direction, Andes said the killings "never stopped". "A documentary takes a political stand," she said. "We are not fiction and we are not here to titillate." The post Philippine director puts women at the ‘heart’ of drug war film appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Phl cinema in the first year of BBM
Here, we look back at the state of the Philippine film industry since he took the seat of power 13 months ago. When President Marcos Jr. became the 17th leader of the nation, the country was on the brink of the “new normal.” The campaign elections even saw multitudes of crowds in the streets, the Filipinos’ political passion overpowering the fear of a Covid-19 infection. Covid-pandemic viewing By May 2022, the month of the presidential campaigns, the Department of Health said the country was at “minimal-risk case classification” with an average of only 159 cases per day. By June 2022, when the President took his oath, 69.4 million Filipinos had been fully vaccinated. Along with the country, the Philippine film industry started healing. On the same month, the country went under Covid-19 Alert Level 2, with 50-percent allowed capacity in indoor cinemas. Live film festivals The Marcos administration saw the return of Filipino film festivals in theaters. On Marcos’ fifth month as president, the QCinema International Film Festival, with the theme “in10City,” held hybdrid screenings — in-person and online. The Metro Manila Film Festival in December 2022, six months into the new presidency, went full force in cinemas for the second time during the pandemic. Earlier, in 2020, during the Duterte administration, the festival was held online for the first time, and the following year, in December 2021, after level alert measures in the Philippines were relaxed, the MMFF finally went back to the cinemas. However, only around 300 cinemas (down from the usual 900) were allowed to screen the MMFF entries. Meanwhile, the 18th edition of the Cinemalaya Philippine Independent Film Festival was held from 5 August to 31 October 2022 at the Cultural Center of the Philippines, in select mall cinemas and online. But what made a mark during the Marcos administration’s first year was the inaugural edition of the 2023 Summer Metro Manila Film Festival. The SMMFF was held in Metro Manila and throughout the Philippines. Organized by the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority in partnership with the Cinema Exhibitors Association of the Philippines, the first MMFF was supposed to be held in 2020, but was canceled due to the Covid-19 pandemic. In 2023, held from 8 to 18 April 2023 with the theme “Tuloy-tuloy ang Saya,” the summer festival featured eight entries and, like its December counterpart, even held a Parade of Stars. About Us But Not About Us by Jun Lana, produced by The IdeaFirst Company, Octobertrain Films and Quantum Films, emerged as the first Best Picture of the summer festival. [caption id="attachment_161372" align="aligncenter" width="1200"] About Us But Not About Us by Jun Lana[/caption] The Film Development Council of the Philippines’ sixth edition of its own mini-film festival, held during the Marcos administration’s third month, headed back to cinemas, offering free access to award-winning classic films of the new National Artists for Film and Broadcast Arts at TriNoma Cinema in Quezon City and in all Cinematheque centers nationwide (Manila, Iloilo, Negros, Davao and Nabunturan). CCP closes for renovations On 1 September 2022, CCP president Margarita Moran-Floirendo announced during a hearing of the Senate committee on cultural communities, that The Cultural Center of the Philippines — home to the Cinemalaya festival — will close its doors starting January 2023 for renovation and structural retrofitting works, and will reopen in March 2025. This marks the first time that Cinemalaya, on its 19th year, which has the theme “ilumiNasyon,” will be held at various venues inside the adjacent Philippine International Convention Center, from 4 to 13 August 2023. The rise of political films With the country deeply driven by polarized political views, the Marcos administration saw a war between political commercial films. [caption id="attachment_161370" align="aligncenter" width="1800"] ‘MAID in Malacanang’ stars Cristine Reyes, Diego Loyzaga and Ella Cruz. | Photograph courtesy of viva[/caption] On 29 July 2022, Darryl Yap’s period drama Maid in Malacañang, touted as “the most controversial film of the year,” was released to packed cinemas. The movie, about the Marcos family’s last three days in Malacañang Palace before they were forced into exile, premiered at SM North EDSA and was released nationwide on 3 August 2022. Yap, who passionately campaigned for Marcos, became a controversial filmmaker with the release of his Marcos film. Leni Robredo supporters tried to boycott the film, with some Filipino movie critics exposing themselves as heavily political and non-neutral with their reviews, accusing the film of propaganda and historical revisionism. The attempt to quash the movie’s release failed and it became a box-office hit, with producer Viva Films releasing a statement that it earned a whopping P21 million on its opening day and P63 million three days after its release. It was the first time in Philippine cinema history that local theaters nationwide saw a deluge of moviegoers lining up to watch a movie on the big screen, mostly driven by political affiliation. Another unsuccessful political attempt to diminish the film’s release was Vince Tañada’s re-release of his Martial Law film Katips to counter Maid in Malacañang. Tañada’s film eventually won Best Picture at the Famas Awards. MIM actress Ella Cruz’s remark during a press conference, that “history is like tsismis,” further fanned the flames of political debate online. Eight months later, in March 2022, Viva released Yap’s second installment in his Marcos trilogy, Martyr or Murderer, which now focused on Ferdinand Marcos and the assassination of Ninoy Aquino. Two anti-Marcos movies rose to combat the film — Joel Lamangan’s Oras de Peligro, released on the same day, and Tañada’s movie adaptation of his musical play Ako Si Ninoy, released one week earlier. Movie buffs, political analysts, film critics, the press and social media influencers dove into feverish commentaries on the three films, and Philippine cinemas were ignited and, for a while, became alive with social discourse. New FDCP head On 21 July 2022, Tirso S. Cruz III officially assumed his position as the head of the country’s national film agency, the Film Development Council of the Philippines. He replaced Liza Diño, who was appointed by President Rodrigo Duterte as FDCP chairperson on 12 August 2016. [caption id="attachment_161368" align="aligncenter" width="736"] FDCP chair Tirso Cruz III. | PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF FDCP[/caption] Cruz, a veteran actor, said that the target of the FDCP under the Marcos administration was to support local films, not just in Metro Manila, but also from regional filmmakers. He also professed support for film students and highlighted archiving as part of the FDCP’s agenda, with 42,000 materials in its archives to be salvaged. MTRCB In September 2022, the Movie and Television Review and Classification Board released a statement addressing the controversy about its proposal to expand its jurisdiction to online streaming services like Netflix, Vivamax, Amazon Prime and other streaming platforms. The MTRCB said it was responding to multitudes of complaints from parents and other concerned groups demanding that the agency regulate movie and TV online platforms to protect children from harmful viewing. The Marcos administration has seen a continuous boom in streamers, which began during the pandemic, with Vivamax becoming one of the leading local streamers due to the popularity of Filipino sexploitation films. On 23 February 2023, MTRCB chairperson Lala Sotto-Antonio expressed her gratitude to Senators Francis “Tol” Tolentino, Grace Poe and Sherwin Gatchalian for the separate bills they filed that would amend and expand the board’s mandate. “We welcome the move to amend the charter of the MTRCB as it will allow the agency to adequately adapt to changes in technology and the ever-evolving needs of the viewing public and our other stakeholders,” Sotto-Antonio said before the Senate Committee on Public Information and Mass Media chaired by Senator Robinhood C. Padilla. Eddie Garcia Act In January 2023, the chamber passed through voice voting House Bill 1270, or the proposed Eddie Garcia Act, at the House plenary session. [caption id="attachment_161367" align="aligncenter" width="1000"] HOUSE Bill 1270 has been proposed in honor of the late actor Eddie Garcia. | Photograph courtesy of gma-7[/caption] Camarines Sur Rep. Luis Raymund Villafuerte authored the bill, which aims to provide workers in the movie, television and radio entertainment industry opportunities for well-paid employment and protect them from economic exploitation, abuse and harassment, as well as hazardous working conditions. The bill was named after the late veteran actor Eddie Garcia, who died in 2019 after suffering a neck injury while shooting the television series Rosang Agimat, produced by GMA Network. According to Villafuerte, productions would go from 16 to 24 continuous work hours per set and would rush productions to save costs. The proposed law mandates that normal work hours of the worker or talent shall be eight hours a day; overtime work should not exceed more than 12 hours in a 24-hour period; and the total number of work hours shall not exceed 60 hours in a week. Paul Soriano Relatively unknown to most Pinoy moviegoers, filmmaker Paul Soriano was put on the limelight as the man behind the President’s advertisements — way back from campaigns since Marcos started out as vice governor, and then, governor of Ilocos Norte, up until his senatorial campaign, and eventually his campaign for the vice presidency and presidency. [caption id="attachment_161371" align="aligncenter" width="781"] PRESIDENTIAL Adviser on Creative Communications Paul Soriano. | PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF ig/PAUL SORIANO[/caption] Of course, the opposition in the film industry predictably canceled Soriano, the blood nephew of First Lady Liza Cacho Araneta-Marcos. Dolly de Leon It was also during the BBM era that Filipina actress Dolly de Leon gained international fame for her performance in the 2022 Cannes Palme d’Or winner Triangle of Sadness. [caption id="attachment_161366" align="aligncenter" width="705"] Dolly de Leon gained international fame for her performance in the 2022 Cannes Palme d’Or winner ‘Triangle of Sadness.’ | Photograph courtesy ofig/dolly de leon[/caption] The 54-year old film, television and theater actress made history by becoming the first Filipino actor to be nominated at the British Academy Film Awards and Golden Globe Awards. Filipino movie fans and critics, having been exposed to global content since the rise of the streamers, plus the proliferation of self-published movie reviews, are generally still disappointed with the output and system of the Philippine film industry, but filled with hope that, with full support from the government, Philippine cinema will finally become truly internationally competitive, sustainable and recognized. The post Phl cinema in the first year of BBM appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Cinemalaya sails to new direction with mentorship program& nbsp;
Amid the social realities brought by the global health situation where existing protocols make it impossible for the 2020 and 2021 batch to complete their films on time, Cinemalaya re-thinks its direction and strategy to remain significant while continuing to fulfill its mission of discovering, encouraging, supporting, training and recognizing gifted Filipino independent filmmakers......»»
& lsquo;Tokwifi& rsquo; wins Best Short Feature Film at Cinemalaya 2020
Besting nine other films, Tokwifi prevails in this year's edition of Cinemalaya Philippine Independent Film Festival as it brought home the coveted Best Short Feature Film and NETPAC Prize awards during the Awarding Program held on Aug. 12 live on CCP and Cinemalaya Facebook pages, Vimeo and KUMU......»»
The inevitable quarantine path of Cinemalaya 2020
The trouble with Zoom press conferences is that you thought you knew it all......»»
No features
BY NESTOR CUARTERO * SHORT FILMS ONLY: By force of circumstance, Cinemalaya 2020 shall be limited to 10 expanded short films in competition instead of the usual feature films in festivals past. Cinemalaya director Laurice Guillen, however, assured that the 10 films approved for production this year shall be added to next year’s […].....»»
‘I Love You 2’ ni Maymay humamig na ng 1M views; 10 short films pasok sa Cinemalaya 2020
INANUNSIYO na ng Cinemalaya Philippine Independent Film Festival ang mga short films na maglalaban-laban ngayong 2020. Dahil pa rin sa COVID-19 pandemic, mapapanood an short film finalists simula Agosto 7 hanggang Agosto 16 sa Vimeo LLC online video. Narito ang 10 short films na maswerteng napili para sa 2020 Cinemalaya at mapapanood sa pamamagitan ng […] The post ‘I Love You 2’ ni Maymay humamig na ng 1M views; 10 short films pasok sa Cinemalaya 2020 appeared first on Bandera......»»
Philippines beats India for back-to-back wins in women’s Asia ice hockey tiff
The Philippine women’s ice hockey team picked up where they left off after their opening win in the 2024 IIHF Women’s Asia and Oceania Cup with a 7-0 shutout of India at the Bishkek Arena in Kyrgyzstan on Wednesday......»»
Dela Rosa considers war with China but admits: ‘Hindi naman natin kaya’
MANILA, Philippines — Senator Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa is already fed up with China’s persistent harassments in the West Philippine Sea, prompting thoughts of engaging in war with Beijing. But he knows, war is not an option. “Naubos na ang sasabihin ko dapat dyan. Short of declaring war na tayo dyan against sa kanila e,.....»»
GForest named 2023 national winner of Energy Globe Award in the Philippines
GCash, the Philippines' leading finance app, through its GForest feature, is the 2023 National Winner of the Energy Globe Award in the Philippines......»»
Angels rebound, Crossovers roll on
Petro Gazz and Chery Tiggo carved out contrasting wins over Capital1 Solar Energy and Nxled, respectively, and stayed in the thick of the fight for the semifinals of the Premier Volleyball League All-Filipino Conference at the PhilSports Arena last night......»»
Direk Zig Dulay continues to explore Fantasy Worlds
After helming the hit show “Maria Clara at Ibarra” and film “Firefly,” Zig Dulay is in charge of the mise-en-scéne of the GMA teleserye “My Guardian Angel.”.....»»
Reflecting on Your Business Wins
We’ve taken a look at moments of setbacks before, now let’s have a look at moments of triumph that have served as beacons of further hope that your business will be successful and personal validation, reminding us that our efforts and sacrifices are not in vain. These hard-earned victories, whether they manifest as surpassed sales […].....»»
Aloguinsan nabs back-to-back wins in Cabaron hoops
Aloguinsan nabs back-to-back wins in Cabaron hoops.....»»
Gundam series, Ultraman film coming this year
Streaming platform Netflix had fans excited after teasing what anime content it has in store for 2024, including a new "Mobile Suit Gundam" series and an "Ultraman" movie......»»
Melai Cantiveros gives updates on her English should there be Hollywood, Korean offer
Kapamilya host Melai Cantiveros revealed that she's hoping to have a Korean film. .....»»
The Daily Guardian: Windows feature left unupdated for 30 years
Microsoft’s Windows 11 still features a dialog box that was created almost 30 years ago, revealing the fascinating story behind its origin. Dave Plummer, a.....»»
‘Under a Piaya Moon’ director hopes he made mentor Peque Gallaga proud
In receiving the award for Mowelfund Film Institute Special Citation (full-length film category) at the just-concluded Puregold CinePanalo Film Festival at the Gateway Cineplex, “Under a Piaya Moon” director Kurt Soberano dedicated it to all his film and acting mentors, including the late multi-awarded filmmaker Peque Gallaga, Lawrence Fajardo, Jay Abello, and all the Ilonggo and Negrense directors......»»
Training on COA compliance for government institutions
To guide government institutions on their compliance with the Commission on Audit Circular 2020-006, the Center for Global Best Practices will be launching a two-session online training titled “COA Guidelines and Procedures for One-Time Cleansing of Property, Plant and Equipment Account Balances” on April 18 and 19, 2024 from 1:30 to 4:45 p.m. via Zoom......»»
Southeast Asian Police, Prosecutors Join Forces to Fight Scamdemic
Bangkok - Police and prosecutors across Southeast Asia are forging new ways of working together to thwart and pursue the sprawling criminal networks behind the online scam centers that have quickly taken root in the region, experts involved in the effort have told VOA.In a few short years, scamming hubs bilking billions of dollars out of victims across the globe have set up shop in Cambodia, Laos, the Philippine.....»»