MOVIES: Cinemalaya 2013 Finalists Named

Now on it's 9th year, Cinemalaya Independent Film Festival and Competition announced recently through the Cinemalaya Foundation the Finalists for the New Breed category and the Directors Showcase for the 2013 .

The 10 finalists for the New Breed category are:

·               Diplomat Hotel by Christopher Ad. Castillo

A disgraced reporter seeks redemption by leading his documentary crew to spend one night and tell the story of what really happened at the haunted and infamous The Diplomat Hotel in Baguio City.

·               Transit by Hannah Espia

Moises, a single dad working in Israel, must now accompany his 4-year old son, Joshua, back to the Philippines after the Israeli government declared that children of foreign workers will be deported.

·               Siyam/Nuwebe by Joseph Israel Laban

Inspired by the actual story of one of the youngest mothers in Philippine history, “Siyam” follows the story of Krista who at the tender age of 9 got pregnant from the sexual abuse perpetrated by her own father. Her story is complex. Krista refuses to see herself as a victim. With an almost documentary style, “Siyam” follows Krista’s story as she demonstrates a level of resilience uncommon for her age. Her mother, on the other hand, is torn between her love for her child and her love for her husband.

·               Babagwa by Jason Paul C. Laxamana

An internet scammer falls in love with a rich old maid while trying to swindle her using a fake Facebook profile.

·               Primera Bella by Richard S. Legaspi

 “Primera Bella” is the story of a young man haunted by a tragic past who escapes from his childhood to mend his ways and make up for all the wrongdoings he had done for the sake of his one true love, Bella.

Update:

Richard S. Legaspi’s “Prima Bella” has pulled out of the Cinemalaya festival’s New Breed section and was replaced by “Instant Mommy,” Tess Rances, deputy festival director, told the Inquirer.

·               Instant Mommy by Leo Abaya

Story of a summer's journey of Bechayda amidst a highly visualized world where the video screen reigns supreme. Bechayda is a wardrobe mistress in TV commercials who pretends to be pregnant to keep her Japanese fiance.

·               Purok 7 by Carlo Obispo

“PUROK SIETE” is a countryside dramedy (drama-comedy) that follows 14-year-old Diana and her younger brother who live by themselves after their mother went abroad and their father lived with another woman. Set in a remote purok, where people display positive outlook in life despite daily struggles, the film features the light side of country lifestyle as the main characters take advantage of the fun and thrills of the town festival to take hold of their sweet childhood.

·               David F by Emmanuel Palo

"DAVID F." is the story of the Afro-American solider who sided with the Filipinos during the war.  It's a 3-stories-in-one film about blacks.

·               Rekorder by Mikhail Red

 “REKORDER” tells the story of a former 1980's film cameraman who now currently works as a movie pirate operating in present day Manila. He routinely smuggles a digital camcorder into movie theaters in order to illegally record films. One night he records something else... And the footage goes viral.

·               Quick Change by Eduardo Roy Jr.

Various stories of transgenders in the Philippines.

·               Debosyon by Alvin B. Yapan

Mando, a Bicolano devotee of Ina, Virgin of Peñafrancia, injures himself.  He will be nursed back to health by a mysterious woman, Salome, living at the foot of Mount Mayon.  They will fall in love with each other. Salome holds a secret that will devastate Mando's love for her; while Mando relies on his devotion to the Virgin of Peñafrancia to lift a curse that involves his life.

The 5 finalists for the Directors Showcase are:

·               Porno by Adolf B. Alix, Jr.

“PORNO” is a powerful story about individuals linked by pornography.

·               Amor’y Muerte by Cesar Evangelista

Set in 16th century, "Amor Y Muerte" (means "love and death") is an examination of the initial encounter between the Indios (natives) and their colonizers (Spaniards) and their conflicting views on love, passion, religion, and sexuality.

·               Extra by Jeffrey Jeturian

A socio-realist drama-comedy about a woman who works as "extra" or bit player in indie films. A tribute to the small people in the indsutry (extras).

·               The Liars by Gil M. Portes

 Based on a real-life sports scandal, “THE LIARS” traces the incredible rise and the humiliating fall of a humble Filipino baseball team of young boys in an international baseball competition in 1990s.

·               Sana Dati by Jerrold Tarog

“SANA DATI” is a love story about a woman whose wedding is thrown into disarray when a mysterious person arrives and reminds her of the man she really loves. It is the third part of JERROLD TAROG's Camera Trilogy after CONFESSIONAL (Cinema One Originals 2007) and MANGATYANAN (Cinemalaya 2009).

Cinemalaya is an all-digital film festival and competition that aims to discover, encourage and honor cinematic works of Filipino filmmakers.  In addition to New Breed category, which is the main competition category, and the Directors Showcase, Cinemalaya has a Short Film competition and other sections for exhibition films.  Cinemalaya is a project of the Cinemalaya Foundation, Cultural Center of the Philippines, Film Development Council of the Philippines and Econolink Investments, Inc.

This year, Cinemalaya will be held on July 26 to August 4, 2013 at the Cultural Center of the Philippines, Greenbelt 3, and Trinoma.

Credits: Cinemalaya website

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