Asian Journal- The Filipino-American Community Newspaper

LAST 2007, director Brillante Mendoza’s Foster Child starring Cherry Pie Picache and child actor Jiro Manio opened the Cinemalaya Philippine Independent Film Festival, which was then on its third year run. Mendoza went on to become one of the local industry’s widely acclaimed directors, with his subsequent works fi guring in international fi lm festivals (his most recent, Kinatay, won for him the Best Director plum at this year’s Cannes Film Festival). This year, his 2008 fi lm Serbis, a fi nalist at last year’s Cannes, held a special screening at Cinemalaya.

Such has been the prestige that Cinemalaya enjoys. Since its inception in 2004, it has remained true to its commitment to honor the cinematic works of Filipino fi lmmakers that boldly articulate and freely interpret the Filipino experience with fresh insight and artistic integrity. Several fi lms which have been part of the festival went on to gain critical acclaim and mainstream audience appeal such as Ang Pagdadalaga ni Maximo Oliveros, Endo and last year’s 100.

The highly anticipated Manila opened the festival (its Philippine premiere) this year dubbed as Cinemalaya Cinco held last July 17 at the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP). Shot in gorgeous black and white and directed by Adolf Alix Jr. and Raya Martin, the fi lm evokes the atmosphere of fi lms from the country’s "Golden Age" of cinema. The opening night attracted a crowd of almost 1,000, who were treated to a wonderful spectacle of contortionists, jugglers, dancers, puppeteers and fi re-eaters and production numbers from the Philippine Ballet Theater, Airdance and the College of St. Benilde Romancon Dance Company during the program proper.

"Your strong presence tonight including those of foreign fi lm festival directors, programmers and scholars is a good indication that Cinemalaya after a short period of five years has lived up to your expectations and has contributed to the growing independent fi lm movement that we are now enjoying," CCP president and festival director Nestor Jardin states in his opening remarks, where he also thanked competition director Laurice Guillen, Cinemalaya Foundation chairman Antonio "Tonyboy" Cojuangco and fi lm producer Robbie Tan, among others.

Through a quick chat with the Asian Journal, Guillen also expressed her gratitude for all those who have been a part of the festival, especially the talented fi lmmakers who have showcased their brilliant works, whether in competition or out of competition. Guillen said she is confi dent that people who have been followers of the festival in the past years will not be disappointed this year.

"The films are the ones that make it better and better. And I hope that the fi lms this year more appreciated, continuing the tradition of Cinemalaya," she added.

The festival’s continuing success also bids well to the local fi lm industry, which has been lagging behind Hollywood movies. Still she believes that the talent of Filipino fi lmmakers will shine through despite the bigbudget movies from the US.

"Those are realities," Guillen said. "We certainly can’t be on level with them [in terms of budget]. Even India can’t make big-budget movies like Hollywood. The important thing to remember is it shouldn’t stop us from making fi lms. Because fi lmmaking is not just about big entertainment—it is also exploring and exposing our culture as a people."

The festival, a joint project of the Cinemalaya Foundation, Inc., the CCP, the Film Development Council of the Philippines, and Econolink Investments Inc, will hold its awarding ceremonies on July 26.

( www.asianjournal.com )

( Published on July 24,2009 in Asian Journal Redcarpet p. 2 )