Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, August 2) – Cinemalaya – one of the most anticipated annual film festivals in the country – will again enthrall cinephiles as it opens next week!
This will be the second onsite screening of Cinemalaya since the COVID-19 pandemic.
Here’s what to expect in the 19th edition of Cinemalaya on Aug. 4-13.
Venue
For the first time in nearly two decades, Cinemalaya will have its new home at the Philippine International Convention Center (PICC). It’s traditional venue, the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP), is closed for up to three years for major renovation.
PICC, a few blocks away from CCP, is a popular destination for global conferences, school graduation, and other cultural festivals.
Cinemalaya will also hold screenings in four Ayala Malls cinemas, namely, Manila Bay, TriNoma, Glorietta, and U.P. Town Center. Screening venues in PICC are Cinema Rizal, Cinema Bonifacio, and Cinema Felipe.
PICC and Ayala Mall cinema screenings will begin on Aug. 5.
Full length films
The 19th Cinemalaya will feature 10 full length competing films. These are:
“Maria” by Sheryl Rose Andes
“Maria” is the first full-length documentary in Cinemalaya. In the Philippines, with limited civic and democratic space amid a culture of impunity, three women named Maria are on the journey to seek truth and fight for justice.
‘ ’86’:
“Gitling” by Jopy Arnaldo
A young Filipino translator and a middle-aged Japanese director test the limits of language. They discover the beauty of understanding during the unlikeliest of times: while creating Ilonggo subtitles for the director’s Japanese film. They race to the finish before the film’s festival premiere in Bacolod City.
‘ ’87’:
“Tether” by Gian Arre
After a one-night stand, an arrogant playboy and a timid young woman discover that any kind of pleasure or pain they inflict on themselves is felt simultaneously by the other person.
‘ ’88’:
“Ang Duyan ng Magiting” by Dustin Celestino
The film is a collection of scenes among the protagonists, antagonists, and victims of war, terrorism, and politics in the Philippines.
‘ ’89’:
“Bulawan Nga Usa (Golden Deer)” by Kenneth De La Cruz
After his beloved grandfather’s death, Makoy embarks on an expedition to a mystical mountain in search of the golden deer that possesses the power to grant wishes. He befriends a spirited young boy who joins him in the quest for the mythical creature and self-discovery.
‘ ’90’:
“Rookie” by Samantha Lee
A tall, awkward teenager moves to a new town and is forced to join the volleyball team of her new all-girl Catholic high school. Everything changes when she falls for the volleyball team captain.
‘ ’91’:
“Huling Palabas” by Ryan Machado
In the summer of 2001, 16-year-old Andoy searches for his long-lost father in the most unlikely of things — VHS tapes. His reality becomes mystified when two movielike characters appear in their small hometown.
‘ ’92’:
“When This is All Over” by Kevin Mikhail Mayuga
A disconnected desperate guy forges a deal with a group of privileged misfits to plan a secret party at the height of a global pandemic, for a chance to escape his reality.
‘ ’93’:
“Iti Mapupukaw (The Missing)” by Carl Joseph Papa
When an alien comes back to take him, a mouthless young man’s life twists and turns as his memories untangle. It is the first animated film to compete in Cinemalaya.
‘ ’94’:
“As If It’s True” by John Rogers
A fading social media influencer and a struggling musician exploit each other in a not-so-fake relationship.
‘ ’95’:
Short films
Similarly, 10 short films will also compete for this year’s Cinemalaya. These are:
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