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Tag: Cinemalaya 18

  • Cinemalaya 18 Reviews: ‘Bakit ‘Di Mo Sabihin?’ and ‘Kaluskos’

    Bakit ‘Di Mo Sabihin?

    Directed by Real Florido
    Cast: JC De Vera and Janine Gutierrez
    My Rating: stars 2 5
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    Cinemalaya 18 Reviews: 'Bakit 'Di Mo Sabihin?' and 'Kaluskos'

    This is the fourth movie I’ve seen Janine Gutierrez in and I’m now convinced she can nail any role that is thrown at her. She brings so much honesty into her performances that you forget she just played a different character in her last movie. There’s a very lived-in, natural way about her portrayals that makes her characters seem so real. In ‘Bakit ‘Di Mo Sabihin?’ she expands her range even further by playing the deaf and mute artist Nat with such bravura that I was absolutely transfixed.

    Unfortunately, the film’s narrative structure takes on a non-linear form, which conflates the movie’s story and makes it feel incohesive. There’s the story of the challenges of a deaf-mute person, the toxic relationship she has with her husband Migs (a solid performance by JC De Vera), and the feminist undertones that come from having such an oppressive husband. The narrative jumps in and out of flashbacks and certain narrative points come at a much later time than when they are needed.

    Because certain backstory elements aren’t revealed until much later, what we experience in this film is the drama, the after effects, and these don’t grip us or hold on to us because they feel unmotivated. Why are the couple breaking up? How did they get to this point? Was Migs always this controlling? The answers come so much later that by the time that they do, I have already made judgments on certain characters that weren’t warranted or I’m totally disconnected from other characters completely.

    The non-linear structure (which is very reminiscent of the film ‘Blue Valentine’ to me) feels more cosmetic than functional. And there are certain storylines that I feel could have been explored (the world and struggles of the deaf and mute community) and a subplot with a farmer’s son, who is also deaf and mute, that Migs wants to teach sign language. While it shows Migs’ savior complex at work, it never really goes anywhere narratively and never really completes that it feels out of place. 

    There’s a lot of promise in this film but it needs to be able to take all the story elements and bring it back to what seems like the main point of the film, which is to fully explore the deterioration of this couple’s marriage. The film is a great showcase for its two lead actors, though, of how much they can convey without speaking one line of dialogue. If anything, watch it for their performances.

    Kaluskos

    Directed by Roman S. Perez Jr.
    Cast: Coleen Garcia, Queenzy Calma, Karl Medina
    My Rating: stars 1 0
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    Cinemalaya 18 Reviews: 'Bakit 'Di Mo Sabihin?' and 'Kaluskos'

    ‘Kaluskos’ is a horror film about a separated couple fighting over custody of their daughter. Career woman Rebecca (Coleen Garcia) has sole custody of her daughter Amaya (Queenzy Calma), which her ex-husband (played by Karl Medina) is fighting to overturn. Rebecca, who is dedicated to her job, is not at all connected to Amaya but will fight tooth and nail to keep her out of spite as her ex-husband cheated on her. But Amaya has begun to exhibit violent tendencies and strange behaviour and Rebecca is discovering that being a mother is a lot harder to do alone.

    Director Roman Perez Jr. is in quite a rush to get to the horror that he never really settles down to establish the setting, the characters, and the rules of this world.

    We never really get to know Rebecca’s job or how hard she works (it’s always mentioned but we never really get to see it) and because Rebecca never seems to really connect with her daughter, it’s hard for us to believe she really loves her when things start to go awry. We have no idea what Amaya was like before so when she starts acting strange or violent, we don’t know if this is due to the custody battle or if the child had always this issue growing under her, or if this is the effect of some supernatural element that is hinted upon in the film.

    In fact, the film is in such a rush to get to it that there are scenes when foreboding music is already at play in some normal, mundane scenes. In other moments, the camera is already angled in a peculiar way to suggest someone is watching, hidden, but the scene doesn’t really call for it.

    Without grounding the film in its setting and its world, Rebecca’s descent into madness feels rushed and not properly motivated. There are also quite a number of imagery and narrative elements that seem arbitrary. There’s a dream sequence of Rebecca on a boat, floating near the shore and she sees her daughter under the water but this image has no real connection to the story or the supernatural element that is uncovered as the story unfolds.

    The world seems small, operating only within the mechanics needed for the film to move forward and this is what makes ‘Kaluskos’ struggle to find its fear factor. I don’t see this happening to me or anyone around me. Detached from the real world, ‘Kaluskos’ seems to be an isolated story that is just there for Rebecca and Amaya. It never really turns their custody battle or Rebecca’s maternal issues as something universal and it makes the film feel small.

    —

    Cinemalaya 18 runs until August 14, 2022. at the CCP, and will hold screenings at select Ayala Malls Cinemas and SM Cinemas until August 16, 2022. Online streaming is scheduled for October 2022.

    ALSO READ:
    Cinemalaya 18 Reviews: ‘Blue Room,’ ‘The Baseball Player,’ and opening film ‘Leonor Will Never Die’
    ‘Riding the Waves: 15 Years of Cinemalaya’ and More Books to Be Launched During the Film Festival
    Award-Winning Documentaries to Close This Year’s Cinemalaya 18

  • Cinemalaya 18 Reviews: ‘Blue Room,’ ‘The Baseball Player,’ and opening film ‘Leonor Will Never Die’

    Blue Room

    Directed by Ma-an Asuncion-Dagnalan
    Cast: Elijah Canlas, juan Karlos, Harvey Bautista, Nourijune, Keoni Jin, and Soliman Cruz
    My Rating: stars 5 0
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    Cinemalaya 18 Reviews: 'Blue Room,' 'The Baseball Player,' and opening film 'Leonor Will Never Die'

    Showcasing great direction, a strong and tight screenplay, and fantastic performances, Ma-an Asuncion-Dagnalan’s ‘Blue Room’ feels like the polished work of a filmmaker who is in control of their craft. The film begins with a long introduction of its characters, a band called Rebel Rebel, as they perform at a gig.

    This extended introduction revels in the nuances of the band’s interpersonal dynamics and, unapologetically, privileged backgrounds. Majority of these characters are middle class or upper middle class and for a while, the film feels like it’s not about anything but a band right at the precipice of something big.

    But after what feels like a good 20 minutes into the film, they get caught making a traffic violation at a police checkpoint and the whole film turns over its head and everything that was established in the first act – including intrusive snapshots of the band interacting with their fans in social media at some indiscriminate time frame – is put to the test in the gripping second and third act.

    The first act reeks of privilege and the succeeding acts underscore how none of that matter in the face of corrupt police but at the same time how it can also make all the difference. Elijah Canlas and Soliman Cruz are established actors, who do wonders with their parts but I was also very much impressed by Harvey Bautista’s and Nourijune’s performances that really jump out from the screen. 

    Asuncion-Dagnalan has a confident hand in her storytelling that the film moves along at a steady pace and brings its audience into a swirl of emotions that had the whole audience at the CCP stunned in silence and then fear and finally into loud cheers. Everything feels in place from the claustrophobic second and third act, the honest performances, the musical score, and the gorgeous songs played in the film. 

    In terms of its execution, ‘Blue Room’ is an exquisite feast compounded by a strong story that is grounded by characters that feel familiar and authentic and a social issue that we are all afraid of but can’t imagine. ‘Blue Room’ dramatizes a very probable horrific situation for us to experience and the effect is absolutely thrilling.

    The Baseball Player

    Directed by Carlo Obispo
    Cast: Tommy Alejandrino and JM San Jose
    My Rating: stars 4 0
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    Cinemalaya 18 Reviews: 'Blue Room,' 'The Baseball Player,' and opening film 'Leonor Will Never Die'

    Set in the rural backdrop of an unnamed area in Mindanao (though Sultan Kudarat and Cotabato are mentioned in the peripherals), ‘The Baseball Player’ takes us into an almost-idyllic presentation of provincial life except there is a lingering presence of danger at any moment.

    Director Carlo Obispo fills the camera with gorgeous scenery of rolling hills, lush greenery, and vibrant springs and takes it time to wrestle with the growing bonds of a young boy, who is taken in by a new family as a survivor of an armed conflict.

    Khalid (San Jose) is a young boy who has lost his family through the war in Mindanao. He is taken in by “the closest he’s got to a family” and goes under the wing of Amir, a teenager with dreams of becoming a baseball player but who has to train as a soldier for the Moro rebels. Without digging deep into Khalid’s past, Obispo manages to visualise the trauma that Khalid faces and how the presence of his new “older brother” begins the path to healing. 

    But there’s always the presence of danger looming right outside the frame.

    ‘The Baseball Player’ makes a case for artistic restraint, holding back so much in terms of filmmaking and even the story just for the audience to really take in the very lovely countryside and the growing trust and friendship between the two young leads. This quiet, almost slice-of-life story is merely an illusion for the armed conflict that threatens to tear away the lives and hopes, and dreams of the children caught in the crossfire. Using the less-is-more technique in filmmaking, when something does happen it feels explosive and in the first real display of heavy emotions, I found myself crying, not realising I was brought to that emotional space.

    As lovely as Pepe Manikan’s musical score is, there are times when I would have preferred for the film to be still and quiet. The music sort of feels counter the subtlety of the other aspects of the filmmaking but the core of this film is Obispo’s handling of the narrative elements and Tommy Alejandrino’s and JM San Jose’s very strong performances. San Jose carries the weight of that character’s trauma with him and never plays for sympathy while Alejandrino is such an intelligent and mature actor that he can convey so much with just the smallest of gestures and the intensity of a look or a smile.

    While those who are not a fan of slow cinema may get a bit restless with this film, it hits so hard in its finale that it’s worth every second of your patience. 

    Leonor Will Never Die

    Directed by Martika Escobar
    Cast: Sheila Francisco, Bong Cabrera, Rocky Salumbides, Anthony Falcon
    My Rating: stars 5 0

    Cinemalaya 18 opening film, ‘Leonor Will Never Die’ is a refreshing love letter to Filipino movies, especially the 80s action flicks of Fernando Poe Jr. and Philip Salvador and others of that genre. Quirky and whimsical, director Martika Escobar fills the screen with moments of surprising humanity at the most unsuspecting of moments.

    In its 99-minute running time, she manages to pay homage to all the stereotypes and tropes of 80s action films through the acting out of the script of the main character, Leonor, who happens to be an aging director of these action films, everything from the over-the-top acting, the flimsy love stories, the melodramatic plotlines but in the process of these reenactments, we also explore the relationship of Leonor and her two sons.

    Nothing is what it seems in this film. It’s so out-of-the-box that the cast includes the ghost of Leonor’s other son, Leonor entering the world of her script, and her living son’s last-ditch attempt to reconnect with his aging mother. It’s funny and surprising. It breaks away from traditional narrative storytelling techniques and at some point, the homage consumes the film entirely and it becomes a chaotic meta-film that adds another layer as it also becomes a movie about making movies and the artistic process.

    While ‘Leonor Will Never Die’ often feels untethered, it never loses Escobar’s voice and it’s that vision that connects it to its most surprising finale that comes out of nowhere but feels like it can’t end in any other way. This is counter cinema at its best, showing how crazy and illogical the mainstream films were in the 80s that the film can’t help but follow suit and take it a notch further. There’s a lot of joy and fun within the filmmaking that it infects the audience as well.

    —

    The Cultural Center of the Philippines and Cinemalaya Foundation Inc. are holding on-site screenings for Cinemalaya 18 from August 5 to 14, 2022.

    ALSO READ:
    Cinemalaya 2022 Unveils Lineup of Full-Length Films & Short Films
    ‘Riding the Waves: 15 Years of Cinemalaya’ and More Books to Be Launched During the Film Festival
    Award-Winning Documentaries to Close This Year’s Cinemalaya 18

  • Cinemalaya 18 Goes Nationwide Through SM and Ayala Malls Cinemas

    Bringing the nation’s largest independent film festival closer to cinephiles and a wider audience—the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) and Cinemalaya Foundation have partnered with Ayala Malls Cinemas and SM Cinema to present special screenings of the Cinemalaya 18 competition films from August 10 to August 16, 2022.

    Glorietta, TriNoma, Manila Bay, Capitol Central Bacolod, and CDO Centrio comprise the Ayala Malls Cinemas.  Megamall, SM City Baguio, SM City Clark, SM City Dasmariñas, and SM City Legazpi, on the other hand, comprise the theater chain under SM Cinema.

    With this year’s theme “Breaking Through The Noise”, the 2022 Cinemalaya offers a diverse lineup in both the full-length and short film categories.

    The 11 full-length films include: Angkas (The Backride) by Rainerio C. Yamson II; Bakit ‘Di Mo Sabihin? (Tell Her) by Real S. Florido; Batsoy by Ronald Espinosa Batallones; Blue Room by Ma-an L. Asuncion-Dagñalan; Bula sa Langit (Trigger) by Sheenly Gener; Ginhawa (Solace) by Christian Paolo Lat; Kaluskos (Rustles) by Roman S. Perez, Jr.; Kargo (Cargo) by TM Malones; Retirada (The Retiree) by Milo Alto Paz and Cynthia Cruz-Paz; The Baseball Player by Carlo Obispo; and 12 Weeks by Anna Isabelle Matutina.

    Meanwhile, 12 entries of short films are split into two sets. Shorts A consists of six films: Roundtrip to Happiness by Claudia Fernando; Mata Kang Busay (Vision of The Falls) by Niño B. Maldecir, Ampangabagat Nin Talakba Ha Likol (It’s Raining Frogs Outside) by Maria Estela Paiso, Kwits (Quits) by Raz de la Torre, Mga Handum Nga Nasulat sa Baras (The Dreams That Are Written On The Sand) by Arlie Sweet Sumagsay and Richard Jeroui Salvadico, and City of Flowers by Xeph Suarez. 

    Shorts B, on the other hand, is composed of: Si Oddie by Maria Kydlee Torato, Duwa-Duwa (The Play) by Nena Jane Achacoso, Distance by Dexter Paul De Jesus, Dikit by Gabriela Serrano, See You, George! by Mark Moneda, and Black Rainbow by Zig Dulay.

    Additionally, screenings on August 10, 2022 will be followed by talkbacks for films Ginhawa and Kargo at Megamall and Glorietta, respectively.  The talkback for Retirada is set to take place at TriNoma on August 11, 2022.  The Cinemalaya Talkback Sessions are designed for audience members to interact with the filmmakers, cast, creative and production teams face-to-face by giving their feedback on the film or asking questions about it.

    For more information, visit the CCP (www.culturalcenter.gov.ph) and Cinemalaya (https://cinemalaya.org/) websites.  Follow the official CCP and Cinemalaya social media accounts on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram for latest updates.  For ticket inquiries, you may call the CCP Box Office at 8832-3704 or SM tickets 8470-2222.

  • Award-Winning Documentaries to Close This Year’s Cinemalaya 18

    Delikado by Karl Malakunas, and We Don’t Dance For Nothing by Stefanos Tai are the documentary films chosen to close the 18th Cinemalaya Philippine Independent Film Festival. The films will be screened at the Tanghalang Nicanor Abelardo (CCP Main Theater) on August 13, at 3:30 pm, and 7:00 pm, respectively.

    After making rounds in film festivals abroad, Delikado will have its Philippine premiere as one of the closing films of Cinemalaya 2022.  Telling a narrative beyond the paradisiacal image of Palawan, Karl Malakunas delved into the plight of environmental crusaders as they faced corporations and the government to protect the ‘last ecological frontier’ of the Philippines.

    Malakunas, a journalist turned filmmaker, placed the spotlight on Atty. Robert “Bobby” Chan, Nieves Rosento, and Efren “Tata” Balladeres as they risk their lives tracking down illegal loggers, to raise awareness about the pressing social and environmental issues in Palawan.

    Delikado garnered awards abroad namely the Sustainable Future Award at the Sydney Film Festival 2022, and Special Jury Prize for Best Documentary Feature from the Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival.  According to Luciana Tellez-Chavez from Humans Right Watch, “Delikado is an important and powerful film. The tension is palpable throughout… but so is the incredible courage of the environmental defenders portrayed.”

    A brief Q&A follows the screening for a conversation with Malakunas.

    We Don’t Dance For Nothing by Stefanos Tai, captures the contrast of being trapped and being free through a ‘photo-montage’ as it follows the story of Filipina Domestic Workers in the midst of rallies in Hong Kong while tackling LGBTQ+ themes, issues of Workers’ Rights, and Hong Kong’s changing political landscape.

    Miles Sible, a Filipina performer in Hong Kong, plays the role of H – a young domestic worker who plans to run away for the sake of love.  Tai ensured genuine representation by casting Filipino performers in this documentary film.

    DOXA Documentary Festival in Vancouver regarded We Don’t Dance For Nothing with the sole HonorableMention last May 2022.

    The 18th Cinemalaya opened at the CCP on August 5. Awarding ceremonies are set on August 14 at the Tanghalang Nicanor Abelardo (CCP Main Theater). 

    For more information, visit the CCP and Cinemalaya websites. Follow the CCP and Cinemalaya official social media accounts on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

  • Cinemalaya’s Retrospective Shorts to Showcase Films from 2020 and 2021

    After two (2) consecutive years of online streaming, Cinemalaya Philippine Independent Film Festival returns to onsite screenings and offers the Retrospective Shorts section on August 7, 9, 10, and 12 at the Tanghalang Manuel Conde.

    The Retrospective Shorts section gives a chance for audiences to rewatch and relive the stories of the 16th (2020) and 17th (2021) edition Cinemalaya entries at the Cultural Center of the Philippines.

    Award winners Tokwifi (Star) by Carla Pulido Ocampo, Pabasa Kan Pasyon by Hubert Tibi, and Quing Lalam Ning Aldo (Under The Sun) by Reeden Fajardo are slated on August 7 at 9:00 pm, and August 9 at 3:00 pm; along with the finalists Ang Gasgas na Plaka ni Lolo Bert (The Broken Vinyl Record) by Janina Gacosta and Cheska Marfori, and Fatigued by James Robin Mayo.

    Tokwifi was hailed as the Best Short Film of the 16th edition of Cinemalaya, as well as the most honored film for bagging two (2) awards, including the Network for the Promotion of Asia Pacific Cinema (NETPAC) Jury Prize.  Delving into the world of a Bontok Igorot man and a trapped 1950s showbiz star in television, Tokwifi explored love amidst glaring contrast between the traditional and modern beliefs of the characters.

    Living Things by Martika Ramirez Escobar, and Ang Pagpakalma Sa Unos (To Calm the Pig Inside) by Joanna Vasquez Arong which were awarded Best Direction, and Special Jury Prize, respectively in 2020, will be showing on August 9 at 6:15 pm, and August 10 at 9:00 PM; along with Excuse Me, Miss, Miss, Miss by Sonny Calvento, The Slums by Jan Andrei Cobey, Utwas (Arise) by Richard Salvadico and Arlie Sweet Sumagaysay.

    Bagging Audience Choice Award, Special Jury Prize, NETPAC Jury Prize during Cinemalaya 2021, An Sadit na Planeta (The Little Planet) by Arjanmar H. Rebeta is among the films showing on August 9 at 9:00 pm, and August 10 at 3:30 pm; along with Maski Papano (I Mask Go On) by Che Tagyamon and Glenn Barit, Crossing by Marc Misa, Kawatan sa Salog (A Toy in the River) by Alphie Velasco, Looking for Rafflesias And Other Fleeting Things by James Fajardo, Out of Body by Enrico Po, and Ang Pagdadalaga Ni Lola Mayumi by Shiri De Leon.

    Cinemalaya 2021 Best Short Film, Beauty Queen by Myra Aquino, will be showing on August 10 at 6:15 pm, and August 12 at 9:00 pm, along with Namnama En Lolang (Grandmother’s Hope) by Jonnie Lyn P. Dasalla, Kids on Fire by Kyle Nieva, Ate OG by Kevin Mayuga, The Dust In Your Place by David Olson, and Ang Mga Nawalang Pag-asa at Panlasa (The Lost Hopes and Flavors) by Kevin Jay Ayson and Mark Moneda.

    Directed by Myra Aquino, Beauty Queen delved into the life of a beauty queen-turned soldier during World War II.  It bagged the coveted balanghai trophy “for its overall technical and artistic excellence, its fine ensemble acting, and its bold storytelling into an eclectic chapter in Philippine history.”

    The Retrospective Shorts is part of the 18th edition of Cinemalaya which will happen from August 5 to August 14, 2022.

    For more information about Retrospective Shorts sets, visit the CCP and Cinemalaya websites. Follow the CCP and Cinemalaya official social media accounts on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

  • Cinemalaya 18 Breaks Through the Noise with Talkback Sessions

    With the return of the Philippines’ most-anticipated independent film festival’s on-site screenings, Cinemalaya 18 features eight-day talkback sessions with the directors of the films in competition, from August 3 to August 13, 2022. 

    The Talkback sessions provide a great opportunity for the audience to acquire deeper insights about the film they have watched through an interactive discussion with the filmmakers themselves.

    The following is the schedule for the Talkback sessions for the competition films (full-length films and short features), which will primarily take place at the CCP Cinemalaya Tent and the Main Gallery.

    There are three planned at chosen malls, particularly Megamall, Glorietta, and TriNoma:

    On AUGUST 6, 5:30 PM, director Rainerio C. Yamson II is slated for a discussion of his film Angkas (The Backride) to be held at the Cinemalaya Tent.  Angkas tells the story of two estranged friends mending their broken past as they embark on a journey while riding a habal-habal to fetch the corpse of their deceased pal.  At 6:30 PM in the same venue, Bakit Di Mo Sabihin (Tell Her) director Real S. Florido is open for conversation on his unique film. The aforementioned film is about a deaf couple who discovers that what is separating them is not their inability to communicate verbally or audibly.

    On AUGUST 7, 5:30 PM, get a chance to hear director Ronald Espinosa Batallones as he talks about his film Batsoy, which will take place at the Cinemalaya Tent. The story of Batsoy is about two young brothers who start on a fantastical adventure to satisfy their intense and delectable hunger for batsoy.  Later at 8:30 PM, director Roman S. Perez Jr. is set to talk about his film Kaluskos (Rustles) at the same venue.  His film follows the story of a single mother who is in the midst of a custody dispute discovers something under her daughter’s bed that will make her doubt whether she truly loves the child.

    On AUGUST 8, 5:30 PM, director Sheenly Gener’s talkback for Bula sa Langit (Trigger) is slated at the CCP Main Gallery.  Her film tells the story of a young soldier who returns home after surviving a siege to fight in a new conflict.  On the other hand, the talkback for Shorts A is slated for 8:30 PM at the Cinemalaya Tent.  Shorts A comprises six films namely: Roundtrip to Happiness directed by Claudia Fernando, Mata Kang Busay (Vision of The Falls) directed by Niño B. Maldecir, Ampangabagat Nin Talakba Ha Likol (It’s Raining Frogs Outside) directed by Maria Estela Paiso, Kwits (Quits) directed by Raz de la Torre, Mga Handum Nga Nasulat sa Baras (The Dreams That Are Written On The Sand) directed by Arlie Sweet Sumagsay and Richard Jeroui Salvadico, and City of Flowers directed by Xeph Suarez.

    On AUGUST 9, 5:30 PM, director Carlo Obispo talks about his film The Baseball Player at the Cinemalaya Tent.  The story of the aforementioned film is about a Moro child soldier who dreams of becoming a baseball player in the midst of an all-out war. The talkback for Shorts B follows at 8:30 PM in the same venue. Shorts B is composed of six films including: Si Oddie directed by Maria Kydlee Torato, Duwa-Duwa (The Play) directed by Nena Jane Achacoso, Distance directed by Dexter Paul De Jesus, Dikit directed by Gabriela Serrano, See you, George! directed by Mark Moneda, and Black Rainbow directed by Zig Dulay.

    On AUGUST 10, 6:30 PM, director Christian Paolo Lat will talk about his film Ginhawa (Solace) at Megamall.  His film tells the story of an aspiring boxer who gets punched by the harsh reality of the sport as he fights his way through the top. At 8:00 PM, Glorietta, director TM Malones expounds on his film Kargo (Cargo). The film follows the story of a woman who finally exacts retribution on the person who killed her whole family in order to free herself from the heavy burden of her past.

    On AUGUST 11, 5:30 PM, 12 Weeks is open for discussion with its director Anna Isabelle Matutina at the CCP Main Gallery. Her film tackles the struggles of a single, 40-year-old woman as she is pushed to deal with the thoughts of motherhood.  Following at the same venue is another talkback for Ginhawa (Solace) at 8:30 PM with director Christian Paolo Lat. At 3:30 PM, TriNoma, directors Cynthia and Milo Paz are expected to have a discourse on their film Retirada (The Retiree).  The film will tell the story of a retired government official’s new hobby which causes existential crisis and financial difficulties.

    On AUGUST 12, 8:30 PM, director Ma-an Asuncion will talk to the audience about her film Blue Room at the Cinemalaya Tent.  The film follows the members of a progressive rock band who must decide whether to choose freedom or to stick up for their principles.

    On AUGUST 13, 3:00 PM, Kargo (Cargo) is scheduled for another discussion with TM Malones at the Cinemalaya Tent. Following at 8:30 PM, the last talkback is with directors Cynthia and Milo Paz for their film Retirada (The Retiree).

    In its 18th edition, the theme Breaking Through The Noise reflects the idea that Cinemalaya 2022 is alive and returning to in-house showing of various films and is looking forward to a brighter future.  Its key visual, especially the eyeball, expresses the thought of continuity and relevance of independent cinema today.

    For more information, visit the CCP (www.culturalcenter.gov.ph) and Cinemalaya (https://cinemalaya.org/) websites. Follow the official CCP social media accounts on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram for latest updates.