WATCH: Cinemalaya 2019 short features
‘WAG MO ‘KONG KAUSAPIN (PLEASE STOP TALKING) by Josef DielleGacutan A father attempts to repair his relationship with his estranged son, but a mysterious figure stands to make things difficult for him. DISCONNECTION NOTICE by Glenn Lowell Averia Living away from home, Paul struggles to shoulder the responsibilities of the eldest sibling while reconnecting with […]
Here’s a quick look at the full-length entries for Cinemalaya 2019
ANI (THE HARVEST) Kim Zuniga and Sandro Del Rosario An orphaned boy and his malfunctioning robot go on a journey to save his sick grandfather. BELLE DOULEUR Joji V. Alonso A woman in her 40s gets a fresh start with the help of a young lover and eventually finds out that despite love, there are […]
“Sol Searching” is funny but will sear your consciousness
One should always scratch the surface to get to the bottom of things. This is one of my key takeaways from Roman Perez Jr.’s entry to To Farm Film Festival, “Sol Searching.” This dark comedy about the plight of teacher Lorelei and student Bugoy as they try to find a place to put Teacher Sol’s […]
“Kauyagan” is great to listen to but hard to watch
Next in line to becoming the chieftain, a reluctant Piyo makes a sudden decision to reject his birth right and duty, much to his tribe’s dismay. He disappears from the lives of the Talaandig tribe. Unknown to them, Piyo was incarcerated for a crime he didn’t commit. Armed only with his love for music and […]
“Mga Anak ng Kamote” is (initially) a technical masterpiece
Secluded in the mountains, Iyong (Katrina Halili) religiously tends to her sweet potatoes along with her husband Banong (Alex Medina). As the sole means of their livelihood, the couple works diligently to protect the crop from an unseen wild boar, which is introduced to us in the opening scene. Set in 2048, “Mga Anak Ng […]
Cinemalaya 2018: Ranking this year’s movies
It was a fun year for me at the Cinemalaya festival. And despite this being only my second year, I was lucky enough to attend as part of the media. There were many impressionable films and they (except for one) did not disappoint. I enjoyed most of what the festival had to offer because they […]
“School Service” gives us a dismal look at what goes on in the streets of Manila
What’s great about Cinemalaya is that it allows filmmakers to talk about society’s maladies without filters. By being uncensored, these films give us a clearer picture of what’s going on around us. And they can do that unapologetically. Louie Ignacio’s “School Service” is one good example. Just like “Liway” and “The Lookout” the Ai Ai […]
“Kung Paano Hinihintay ang Dapithapon” is heartbreakingly beautiful
Carlo Enciso Catu’s unique love story that involves three seniors is a painful reminder of the thing most of us fear most: dying alone. Bene (Dante Rivero) lives out the rest of his days inside his gloomy, ramshackle home, with nothing to do but take care of his game cocks. Terminally ill, Bene has no […]
“Musmos na Sumibol sa Gubat ng Digma” presents a searing image of war’s true casualties
There are no winners in wars, only casualties. That’s the sad reality. But what’s even more despairing is that the ones who suffer most are the one who have the least to do with these battles: the children. Iar Lionel Arondaing’s “Musmos Na Sumibol Sa Gubat ng Digma” tells the story of a young Muslim […]
Relive the horrors of Marial Law in “ML”
They say we are a country that has a short attention span; and that we forgive too easily. That should be a positive thing but when we’re dealing with heinous crimes against the nation (i.e. Martial Law), being too forgiving might not be the best thing because we’re bound to make the same mistakes. Add […]