With 19 entries in a competition alone, a huge number of short films in any festival plus a separate Panoramal section, CinePanalo Film Festival is making a big move to champion new voices in Philippine filmmaking landscape. The lineup was selected by a committee reviewing the screenplays before selecting the entries who would receive sizable production grants to their works. While a few films fell short of their scripts’ full potential, many were able to bring their visions to life.
But even if some of the films didn’t fully achieve the vision laid out during conceptualization, the mere fact that they finished and premiered their works in a major festival like CinePanalo is a wonderful opportunity for them to grow as filmmakers and do even better in their next outing.
While some films are still figuring out their voices, certain talents shine through instantly, like Jonalyn Mateo’s lead turn in “Ang Huling Banlaw ni Susan,” Kaleb Ong’s supporting role in “When Heaven Inched Towards the Earth,” or the VFX team of “Teks Battle: Shoot Pati Pato!”
Of the 19 entries, these are the ones that stood out to me:
The Sound of K
Directed by Jay Gabriel Canada (Visayas State University)
Raw in its execution, there is poetry in the script that plays out while the actor (who is also the director) showcases a wonderfully nuanced performance that truly captures the anxieties and fears of someone with a speech impediment. There is a strong indie feel to the whole production that amplifies the sincerity of the piece, making it stand out to me.
Alumahan
Directed by Christian Melvin Arejola (Polytechnic University of the Philippines)
A dark, very quiet coming-of-age story about a young boy searching for belonging in a seaside town. There is a constant state of danger that lies just underneath as the young boy joins a gang. It is a tight narrative that packs a punch and features some strong performances from its cast.
Pulis Dunggab
Directed by Maxine Dela Bajan (iAcademy – Cebu)
I was so involved with the direction, editing, and writing of this story about a kid’s game that turns frighteningly real. There is genuine love and respect for the locale and the milieu, and the characters really shine with strong performances by the two leads, Van Jordan Gacayan and Elj Seth Tababa. There is such good control here of the film elements that the whole movie felt truly polished.
Limlim
Directed by Samantha Beatriz Acoja Palaje (St. Dominic College of Asia)
Another example of a strong short film where the director had full control of the film elements, “Limlim” is a haunting story of a young girl with a dark history. The film tackles a challenging and very relevant issue with quiet grace and careful restraint.
Miss Intrams
Directed by Henri Marie Belimac (University of the Philippines – Mindanao)
Though a bit overwritten, Belimac’s “Miss Intrams” is an insightful exploration of a queer trans man’s understanding of hisself through joining a pageant. Belimac’s direction shows a good grasp of mainstream aesthetics and filmmaking, with strong performances from its cast and a great use of music.
Nang Matakasan Ang Tagay
Directed by Giancarlo Santiago (University of the Philippines – Diliman)
Santiago’s film navigates the inner struggles of a marino who is about to leave for another deployment while he spends time with his son and attends drinking sessions with his friends. The film explores toxic masculinity and the layers underneath. It is another entry where the rawness of the filmmaking amplifies the sincerity of the piece, and its almost-cliched ending brought me to tears with just the right amount of heart.
Kun Hain, Bisan Diin
Directed by Jomarie Reyes (University of the Philippines – Diliman)
A very polished work about a woman who embarks on a journey to find her activist mother in Samar before her wedding, the film makes excellent use of editing to convey the intense history of the complex relationship between mother and daughter. It is a smart film that shows great restraint from Reyes, who pulls back from the drama to let the story speak for itself.
