Cinemalaya, the country’s biggest independent film festival, is just around the corner. This year, on its 19th edition, Cinemalaya features 10 short films in competitions, vying for the most coveted Balanghai trophies.
We let the filmmakers themselves narrate what their films are all about:
Arvin Belarmino: “Hinakdal (Condemned) is a film about prejudice – the way disadvantaged people are treated as if they’re barely human. They are made to conform to the system and humans in power like zombies without a will or future of their own.”
Daniel Magayon: “In Maudi Nga Arapaap (Last Dream), we did not highlight the evil creature or the Batibat. We focus on the story of the mother-daughter relationship, and on the medication of the protagonist’s sleep paralysis caused by the trauma given to her by her mother. This project gave me the challenge to create a horror film in broad daylight.”
Diokko Manuel Dionisio: “As a queer person, it is important for me to relay this message [in the film Kokuryo: The Untold Story of Bb. Undas 2019] to the audience because the LGBTQIA+ community, especially trans people, still experience discrimination because of their sexual orientation, gender identity, and expression (SOGIE). It is also important for the audience to know and understand the cultural and material violence that trans people continuously live through.”
Januar Yap: “If there had been stories that point out the living irony that we are, Sibuyas ni Perfecto is my two cents into this dialogue. It takes its cue from two references – the Passion of Christ and Gulag Archipelago. This film, in most moments, takes the points of view either of invisible power (distant, cold) or that of an informed observer (sympathetic, inquiring).
The film closes in on Perfecto, the quintessential peasant who does not understand the Big Brother structure that had placed him in a cycle of poverty.”
Joshua Caesar Medroso: “In making ‘Tong Adlaw Nga Nag-snow Sa Pinas, it was always clear to me that the intent would always be to show the beauty of childlike dreams and innocence and the power of friendships in the face of a challenge. I’ve always told myself that we’ll make a film that will resonate not only with children but with adults as well.”
Kent John Desamparado: “I made this film [Ang Kining Binalaybay Kag Ambahanon Ko Para Sa Imo (These Rhymes And Rhythms Meant For You)] as a tribute to my hometown Sagay City, Negros Occidental, to my mother, and most of all, to my grandfather. I always miss the moments we had before he succumbed to Alzheimer’s disease.”
Kurt Soberano: “The memories of my grandfather, the supporting character in the story [in the film Golden Bells], and the dream he had will be eventually forgotten in time. It is through the medium of cinema, I wanted to immortalize the spirit of the building and the people who shaped it. Encapsulate every detail of that fleeting period and preserve the essence of our family.”
Mae Tanagon: “Despite having good amenities, the workers in this sector are underpaid. Low-wage employment has become an essential feature of the labor market and a controversial topic for debate in many countries. The filmmaker knew that if she did a film regarding the workers behind the horse racing industry in the Philippines, it would critique the poor management of horse racetracks and thus might help workers in this sector.”
Mike Cabarles: “As someone who does not have a strong relationship with my both parents, I think it is important to examine the effects of it that is oftentimes neglected. This [Makoko Sa Baybay (I Am Going To The Beach)] is a story of two siblings who wait for their mother to arrive with the tale they dearly hold onto. As a youth, we always want to seek answers. We are longing for love and affection yet always molded by obscurities.”
Kim Timan: “As someone who grew up in an abusive and toxic household, I know how important it is to tell a story about a seemingly jolly child and their traumatic reality. It’s a sad reality for so many children who don’t feel safe in a place that they’re supposed to call ‘home.’ Through playtime and colorful characters, we want to speak to the survivors of domestic abuse in a way that even children will understand. And hopefully, it [the film HM HM MHM) resonates with them as much as it does with us.”
Sam Villa-real: “In this film [HM HM MHM], I want to again explore that same feeling of isolation of being a young, closeted LGBT child navigating through self-discovery in a very Christian home. With this film, It will be like playing with my toys for one last time, sharing the story of my lonely younger self that she wasn’t brave enough to tell.”
