If you are looking for reviews by Northern Portrait, then hop over to his new film blog at cineastefilipinas.blogspot.com . His reviews are still suave and well-written as ever.
I’ll also jump ship soon as this film blog was originally a collaborative project with my cousin Northern Portrait. I just waited for Cinemalaya 2011 to end its fantastic run at CCP.
Thanks, guys! And please do continue supporting local films…
Nel C0stales
Monday, July 25, 2011
Sunday, July 24, 2011
Cinemalaya 2011: Festival winners at Cinemalaya Goes UP 7
Catch the winners of the 7th edition of Cinemalaya when the festival goes to UP Diliman in Quezon City. Price of an admission ticket is 80 PHP. I think only SRO tickets are available for Ang Babae sa Septic Tank. Contact Alex at 0927 2990318.
Cinemalaya Goes UP screening schedule
July 26, Tuesday
5:00 PM Ang Sayaw ng Dalawang Kaliwang Paa
Best Cinematography (NB)
Best Music Score (NB)
8:00 PM Ang Babae sa Septic Tank
Best Picture (NB)
Best Director: Marlon Rivera (NB)
Best Actress: Eugene Domingo (NB)
Best Screenplay: Chris Martinez (NB)
July 27, Wednesday
5:00 PM Amok
Best Editing (NB)
Best Sound (NB)
8:00 PM Bahay Bata
July 28, Thursday
5:00 PM Cuchera
8:00 PM I-libings
July 29, Friday
5:00 PM Niño
Special Jury Prize (NB)
Best Supporting Actress: Shamaine Buencamino (NB)
Best Supporting Actor: Arthur Acuña (NB)
8:00 PM Ligo Na U, Lapit Na Me
Best Actor: Edgar Allan Guzman (NB)
August 2, Tuesday
5:00 PM Teoriya
8:00 PM Bisperas
Best Picture (DS)
Best Actress: Raquel Villavicencio (DS)
Best Supporting Actress: Julia Clarete (DS)
Best Cinematography (DS)
Best Production Design (DS)
August 3, Wednesday
5:00 PM Isda
Best Actor: Bembol Roco (DS)
Best Editing (DS)
8:00 PM Busong
Best Director: Auraeus Solito (DS)
Best Music Score (DS)
Best Sound (DS)
August 4, Thursday
5:00 PM Shorts A
Best Picture: Emerson Reyes' Walang Katapusang Kwarto (SC)
Best Screenplay: Emerson Reyes for Walang Katapusang Kwarto (SC)
Best Director: Milo Tolentino for Niño Bonito (SC)
Audience Choice Award: Emerson Reyes' Walang Katapusang Kwarto (SC)
8:00 PM Patikul
Best Supporting Actor: Jaime Pebanco (DS)
Audience Choice Award (DS)
Best Film for Children (Kids’ Treat)
August 5, Friday
5:00 PM Shorts B
Special Jury Prize: Hanapbuhay (SC)
7:00 PM Ang Babae sa Septic Tank
Best Picture (NB)
Best Director: Marlon Rivera (NB)
Best Actress: Eugene Domingo (NB)
Best Screenplay: Chris Martinez (NB)
Audience Choice Award (NB)
9:00 PM Bisperas
Best Picture (DS)
Best Actress: Raquel Villavicencio (DS)
Best Supporting Actress: Julia Clarete (DS)
Best Cinematography (DS)
Best Production Design (DS)
*NB – New Breed
*DS – Director’s Showcase
*SC – Shorts category
Thursday, July 21, 2011
Cinemalaya 2011: 7 competition films to watch this weekend
1. Niño - An artistic portrait of a Filipino family in shambles, Niño is an amazing film debut by veteran theatre personality, Loy Arcenas. It is a welcome respite from the poverty porn films pervading the local film festivals. Sir Arcenas, please do join the New Breed competitions in the coming years.
2. Busong - Auraeus Solito's film contains knockout images. A truth hunter, Solito exposes the social ills plaguing Palawan.
3. Ang Sayaw ng Dalawang Kaliwang Paa - This is the only film so far of Alvin Yapan that I deeply adore. He has finally learnt how to transpose his literary visions into engaging film language. The cotillion scene is a fantastic show-stopper. Bravo!
4. Bahay Bata - Director Eduardo Roy Jr. made good use of his privilege to film within the confines of the Jose Fabella Memorial Hospital in Manila. The film is a searing eye-opener on the state of health care services for pregnant women and lactating women.
5. Cuchera - The in-your-face shocking images linger in your mind. This raw, unrefined film could have been a major contender had it not been for its similarity with Halaw. Instead of people being trafficked, illegal drugs are carried by mules inside their abdomen, sex organ, and rectum.
6. Bisperas - Prepare for more 'shit' from Jeffrey Jeturian. The film includes scenes, realistic and unrealistic ones, that seem to cater specifically to foreign film programmers. It is notable though for its spot-on indictment of Catholics who have lost their sense of right and wrong, and understanding of the concept of sin. The queues for communion during Sunday masses rival that of Cinemalaya box-office lines but when was the last time you see hordes receiving the sacrament of penance?
7. Shorts B - The hilarious Hanapbuhay jumpstarts this fine collection of short features. The hardworking Luis diligently scours the area to earn his living. He was even seen in another non-Cinemalaya short, Tingala sa Baba.
- Immanuel is a well-photographed science fiction about a family spending their last Christmas together
- Mikhail Red seems to have tightened his short feature Hazard for Cinemalaya 7. The film tells the story of a father and son having a bonding moment
2. Busong - Auraeus Solito's film contains knockout images. A truth hunter, Solito exposes the social ills plaguing Palawan.
3. Ang Sayaw ng Dalawang Kaliwang Paa - This is the only film so far of Alvin Yapan that I deeply adore. He has finally learnt how to transpose his literary visions into engaging film language. The cotillion scene is a fantastic show-stopper. Bravo!
4. Bahay Bata - Director Eduardo Roy Jr. made good use of his privilege to film within the confines of the Jose Fabella Memorial Hospital in Manila. The film is a searing eye-opener on the state of health care services for pregnant women and lactating women.
5. Cuchera - The in-your-face shocking images linger in your mind. This raw, unrefined film could have been a major contender had it not been for its similarity with Halaw. Instead of people being trafficked, illegal drugs are carried by mules inside their abdomen, sex organ, and rectum.
6. Bisperas - Prepare for more 'shit' from Jeffrey Jeturian. The film includes scenes, realistic and unrealistic ones, that seem to cater specifically to foreign film programmers. It is notable though for its spot-on indictment of Catholics who have lost their sense of right and wrong, and understanding of the concept of sin. The queues for communion during Sunday masses rival that of Cinemalaya box-office lines but when was the last time you see hordes receiving the sacrament of penance?
7. Shorts B - The hilarious Hanapbuhay jumpstarts this fine collection of short features. The hardworking Luis diligently scours the area to earn his living. He was even seen in another non-Cinemalaya short, Tingala sa Baba.
- Immanuel is a well-photographed science fiction about a family spending their last Christmas together
- Mikhail Red seems to have tightened his short feature Hazard for Cinemalaya 7. The film tells the story of a father and son having a bonding moment
Thursday, July 7, 2011
Cinemalaya 2011: Complete CCP & Greenbelt 3 screening schedules (grid format), Cinemalaya Goes to UP schedule, Festival passes…
The seventh edition of the Cinemalaya film festival is…
Broader – with exhibition features from several Asian countries
Bigger – with external venues at Greenbelt 3 in Makati City
Better – Hmmmm… There’s the seductive beauty of Busong, the acidic charm of Kano, the hilarious characters of Ang Damgo ni Eleuteria, and the entertaining gem of a film, Niño.
Click here for complete CCP & Greenbelt 3 schedules
Festival is too expensive?
Frankly, I don’t think the passes are expensive. Festival and flexi passes are good deals. The premium pass though is another story.
Festival Pass (PHP 2000)
- access to all 15 competing films (ie. 13 full-length films and 2 short features programs)
- access to 8 Netpac films
- souvenir program
- priority lane access to venues
So that is about 23 films. Below PHP 90 per film lang po.
Flexi Pass (PHP 3000)
- access to all 15 competing films (ie. 13 full-length films and 2 short features programs)
- access to 8 Netpac films
- access to 8 Exhibition films of your choice
- souvenir program
- priority lane access to venues
So that makes it 31 films. Slightly above PHP 100 per film lang.
Mahal pa rin and Cinemalayo for residents north of Pasay and Makati?
Both concerns are shot down when the fest goes to UP Diliman. Price of an admission ticket goes down to PHP 80. The atmosphere at Cine Adarna may not approximate the helter skelter at CCP during festival days but it is still a nice place to watch the entries. The mostly Quezon City-based students are an enthusiastic audience and they really get into the films. There might be a Q&A with filmmakers after every screening.
Cinemalaya Goes to UP Diliman sked
July 26, Tuesday
5:00 PM Ang Sayaw ng Dalawang Kaliwang Paa (Alvin Yapan, Jean Garcia) - Highly recommended ***
8:00 PM Ang Babae sa Septic Tank (Chris Martinez, Eugene Domingo)
July 27, Wednesday
5:00 PM Amok (Lawrence Fajardo)
8:00 PM Bahay Bata (Diana Zubiri)
July 28, Thursday
5:00 PM Cuchera (Maria Isabel Lopez)
8:00 PM I-libings (Rommel Sales, Glaiza de Castro)
July 29, Friday
5:00 PM Niño (Loy Arcenas) - Highly recommended ***
8:00 PM Ligo Na U, Lapit Na Me (Edgar Allan Guzman, Mercedes Cabral)
August 2, Tuesday
5:00 PM Teoriya (Alfred Vargas, Sue Prado)
8:00 PM Bisperas (Jeffrey Jeturian)
August 3, Wednesday
5:00 PM Isda (Adolfo Alix Jr)
8:00 PM Busong (Auraeus Solito) - Highly recommended ***
August 4, Thursday
5:00 PM Shorts A (Includes Emerson Reyes' Walang Katapusang Kwarto)
8:00 PM Patikul (Joel Lamangan)
August 5, Friday
5:00 PM Shorts B (Includes Hanapbuhay, Immanuel, and Hazard)
7:00 PM New Breed (Best Picture)
9:00 PM Director's Showcase (Best Picture)