The Cultural Center of the Philippines and the Cinemalaya Foundation, Inc. concluded the 19th Cinemalaya Philippine Independent Film Festival with recognitions to the original works that boldly articulated and freely interpreted the Filipino experience with fresh instinct and artistic integrity.
Among the awardees were homegrown talents and industry experts from the Digital Filmmaking (DFilm) Program of the De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde (DLS-CSB) School of New Media Arts (SNMA).
Ang Duyan ng Magiting (The Cradle of the Brave), a socio-political anthology on life and terrorism in the Philippines, nabbed the Special Jury Award and the Special Award for Best Ensemble in Full-Length Feature.
Written and directed by filmmaker, playwright, and screenwriting professor Dustin Celestino at the height of red-tagging and extrajudicial killings, it revolves around a student named Jose who wishes to learn more on the armed movement.
The ensemble included Dolly de Leon, Bituin Escalante, Agot Isidro, Miggy Jimenez, Jojit Lorenzo, Frances Makil-Ignacio, Paolo O’Hara, Joel Saracho and Dylan Ray Talon.
“It is a criticism of the impulsive violence that was normalized during the last half-decade of our country’s history and a reminder that everything we do has far-reaching consequences,” Celestino shared. “It is an attempt to take the first step by extending our empathy towards those we disagree with the most.”
Benildean filmmaker alum Gian Arre’s full-length entry Tether, which blurs the line between romance and horror, bagged the Best Sound Design. Its lead Mikoy Morales was likewise named Best Actor.
A study on power and connections, it follows an arrogant playboy and a timid woman, who discover that any physical sensation is shared to the other.
“It is a story about abuse, self-harm, suicide, sexual awakening, the subversion of gender roles, and the helplessness of becoming a victim,” Arre explained. “It explores what we’re capable of when we’re handed the lifeline of another person and asks how much is left of who we are when others were handed the reigns to our own lives.”
Cinemalaya likewise hailed DFilm program alum Mike Cabarles as Best Director for his short Makoko sa Baybay (I am Going to the Beach).
An homage to the artist’s Pangasinense roots, it narrated the daily lives of two siblings who visited the beach to find the sea creature who took their mother. It delved into the essence of innocence and death amid constant longingness for companionship, warmth, and comfort.
“It acts as a bridge for the audience to see the desires of the youth,” Cabarles noted. “It is important to reexamine the effects of maternal and/or paternal absence, which is oftentimes neglected. As youth, we always want to seek answers – we dearly long for love and affection.”
Creative Benildean duo Sam Villa-Real and Kim Timan nabbed the Special Jury Prize for HM HM MHM, a stop-motion short that utilized the concept of playtime to highlight the challenges of closing a traumatic chapter from the past.
It introduced a young lady who returns to her ancestral home and rediscovers her makeshift dollhouse. With one touch, she breathed life back into her tiny dolls who replayed an all-too-familiar story.
“We want to speak to the survivors of domestic abuse in a way that even children will understand,” Timan expressed. “And hopefully, it resonates with them as much as it does with us.”
