Cinemalaya to have its longest run this year, returns to on-site screening

Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, August 5) — The 18th Cinemalaya Independent Film Festival kicks off Friday, Aug. 5, with full-length and short features now available for on-site screening.

"It is very exciting for us because as you know, we migrated online for these past two years because of the lockdown," Cinemalaya festival director Chris Millado told CNN Philippines' New Day on Friday.

"Cinemalaya is never complete without the live audiences mingling, looking at the exhibits, talking back to our filmmakers and basically enjoying the multi-activities of the Cinemalaya as a festival," he said.

This year's festival will also have its longest run, since the entries will be available for viewing from August to October.

Competing films will be screened in main theater venues of the CCP from Aug. 5 to14, in partner commercial theaters nationwide from Aug.10 to 17, followed by community and campus screenings from Aug. 22 to 29.

"We will do special screenings in select cinemas in other parts of the country and campus-based cinemas and non-traditional screenings in areas where there are no cinemas," Millado said. "This means bringing film to gyms, plazas and other non-traditional cinema venues."

The movies will also be available for online streaming from Oct. 17 to 31.

There are 11 full-length films and 12 short features this year.

The full-length films are: 12 Weeks by Anna Isabelle Matutina, Angkas by Rain Yamson, Bakit ’Di Mo Sabihin? by Real S. Florido, Batsoy by Ronald Espinosa Batallones, Blue Room by Ma-an L. Asuncion-Dagńalan, Bula Sa Langit by Sheenly Gener, Ginhawa by Christian Paolo Lat, Kaluskos by Roman S. Perez, Jr., Kargo by TM Malones, Retirada by Milo Alto Paz and Cynthia Cruz-Paz, and The Baseball Player by Carlo Obispo.

The short films, on the ohter hand, are: Ampangabagat nin Talakba ha Likol (It’s Raining Frogs Outside) by Maria Estela Paiso, Black Rainbow by Zig Dulay, City of Flowers by Xeph Suarez, Dikit by Gabriela Serrano, Distance by Dexter Paul de Jesus, Duwa-Duwa by Nena Jana Achacoso, Kwits by Raz de la Torre, Mata Kang Busay by Nińo B. Maldecir and Cypher John T. Gayorgor, Mga Handum nga Nasulat sa Baras (The Dreams that are Written in the Sand) by Arlie Sweet Sumagaysay and Richard Jeroui Salvadico, See You, George! by Mark Moneda, Si Oddie by Maria Kydylee Torato, and Roundtrip to Happiness by Claudia Fernando.

The 18th edition of the festival carries the theme "Breaking Through the Noise," which Millado said is an effort to "invite audiences to make deeper dives into stories that we tell."

"Hopefully, the diversity of stories will make us more discerning, analytical and critical in terms of filtering what is truthful and what could be useful to our lives," he said.

Check out Cinemalaya's Facebook page and website  for the screening schedule and other details.