Cinemalaya 2008 presents 10 short films in competition

The 2008 Cinemalaya Philippine Independent Film Festival is slated to open with the Adolf Alix Jr. film Adela, which is dedicated to veteran actress Anita Linda. The opening ceremony of Cinemalaya at the Cultural Center of the Philippines will serve as a tribute to Anita since her past co-stars and directors are expected to grace the gala night on July 11.

The opening film of the fourth edition of Cinemalaya tells the story of a lonely widow who feels abandoned by her children. Produced by Bicycle Pictures, the cast members of Adela include Perla Bautista, Ricky Davao, Iza Calzado, Joem Bascon, Jason Abalos, and German Moreno.

From July 11 to 20, film buffs will troop to the Cultural Center of the Philippines to watch the 10 films and the 10 short films in competition. The theme for this year is "Anong Kwento Mo?" The full-length feature film that best represents this theme will win P200,000 plus the Balanghai trophy while the top short film will receive P100,000 during the awarding ceremony on July 20.

The short films competing this year are: Andong by Rommel "Milo" Tolentino, Ang Ibang Mga Pamilya by Joel P. Ruiz, Angan-Angan (Dreams) by Sheron Dayoc, Diamante ng Langit by Vic Acedillo, Jr., God Only Knows by Mark Reyes, Huling Biktima by Vitaliano Rave, My Pet by Ann Bigornia, Panggaris by Dexter Cayanes, Trails of Water by Sheron Dayoc, and Tutos by L.A. Yamsuan.


Here are the descriptions of the short films in competition for Cinemalaya 2008:

ANDONG. Six-year-old Andong is obsessed, and nothing, not even his mother's disapproval and constant nagging can help curb his persistent infatuation. It didn't come out as a surprise to anyone when the precocious little boy went into a mad frenzy over the prospect of landing the much-coveted love-of-his-life. For the impoverished boy, it takes a miracle to convince his mother to give him twenty pesos. Andong is a story about pre-juvenile obsession and the real value of a hard-fought twenty pesos.

As a veteran of Cinemalaya director Rommel "Milo" Tolentino was one of the finalists in the very first Cinemalaya in 2005 for his work Alimuom. The following year, his short film Orasyon (Angelus) won the Cinemalaya 2006 Best Short Feature Film award.

ANG IBANG MGA PAMILYA. Spinster Connie Ocampo (Lui Manansala) deals with the loss of her adopted son, Cesar, a young man with Down's Syndrome. Faced with sudden emptiness, she occupies herself with the minutiae of the wake. A chance encounter with strangers forces her to evaluate her future. Ang Ibang Mga Pamilya is director/writer Joel Ruiz's second time to join the short film category. His first entry, Mansyon (The Mansion) won Best Short Film in Cinemalaya 2005.


Playing the tragic character of Connie is Lui Manansala, who brings an uncertainty to the hardened character. Shooting was done in two days, each day lasting 24 hours, using only paper lanterns. Connie's house is a basement with a lowered ceiling, adding to the claustrophobia of the piece. The rest of the story occurs in a funeral chapel in Pasay City, where the production staff contended with the wailing, gambling relatives of the deceased in the chapels next door.

Lui Manansala is a veteran stage and screen actor, appearing in numerous theater and film productions. He appeared in Yam Laranas' acclaimed horror flick Sigaw opposite Iza Calzado, in Erik Matti's Pasiyam, and in Lav Diaz's award-winning Ebolusyon ng Isang Pamilyang Pilipino, all screened in 2004.

ANGAN-ANGAN. This short film (the title of which means "Dreams") focuses on a nine-year-old girl named Satra who has been mute for as long as she could remember. Her determination to secure a good education reverberates clearly amid the strictness of her Yakan culture. The Yakan are one of the 13 Moro groups in the Philippines. They mainly reside in Basilan, Mindanao.

Sheron Dayoc is an independent filmmaker, editor, cinematographer, photographer, painter and writer. He has developed several documentary films, short feature films and audiovisual presentations for various international and local NGOs, government institution, and other private line agencies. He has special interest in documenting the lives of people in the grassroots level, particularly the marginalized people and different tribes in Mindanao.


DIAMANTE SA LANGIT. Two brothers journey to compete in a kite-flying contest. They're ready to win, but a more precious prize awaits them.

Vic Acedillo became both a screenwriter and producer by accident with his Cinemalaya 2006 film Batad. The following year, he forced himself to direct his own short film, To Ni. Diamante sa Langit is his third production.

GOD ONLY KNOWS. In a dirty, decaying slum in the Philippines, single mother Maria (Angel Aquino) is torn between her love for her 10-year-old son Santiago (Robbie Felongco) and providing a better life for him. In order to give Santiago a chance to have a decent home and a good education, she decides to send him away for adoption. But what starts out as an innocent journey to the market quickly turns into a devastating loss for both mother and son. The short film stars Angel Aquino who has gained critical praise for her performance in Donsol by Adolf Alix. Radio personality Bon Vibar also shows his acting skills in God Only Knows.

Mark Reyes emerged in the independent film scene with his 2006 coming-of-age story, Last Full Show. Premiering at the Clermont Ferrand International Film Festival, Last Full Show's unique vision has brought Mark critical acclaim at over 50 film festivals around the globe.

God Only Knows is Mark's second short film that is enjoying a successful run across North America and Europe. Mark is very proud that his second effort is finally coming home to Manila.

HULING BIKTIMA. Unravel the truth in five minutes. Anton, a top investigator finds himself baffled in a case to find an elusive killer. The case gets even more complicated when he links his lover, Lisa to the evidences on the scene of the crime. Then things get out of hand when Lisa, herself walks into the crime scene and is pursued by Anton-only to find out the truth to his investigation.

Vitaliano Rave was born on October 7, 1985 in Manila Philippines. He received formal media education and training from the Grafisk Utbuilding Center for television and radio; and the Film Framåt, both in Sweden. He is also an alumnus from the Marilou Diaz Abaya Film Institute and Arts Center under the Basic Course in Motion Picture Language. Today, he works as an in-house editor and motion graphic designer at Globedez in Makati City.

MY PET. Not your typical animation piece, My Pet is a seven-minute animation short about an eight-year-old girl and her relationship with her first pet, a chick, that is the subject of a class experiment. As an only child and a girl, she is sheltered and mostly kept indoors. She likes to draw and hold tea parties with her doll as her company most of the time. It is when she meets this chick that her world becomes a little bit more dynamic. Her relationship with this pet acts as a catalyst in forming new relationships. Textures from leaves, plants and native weaving give it a unique and creative look, not seen anywhere else.

Anna Bigornia was born in Cebu and went to get her college degree in Manila. She finished her Bachelor of Arts Major in Communication Arts at De La Salle University-Manila in October 2007. My Pet was submitted as her thesis, grabbing the "Outstanding Thesis Award" and was also shown at Animahenasyon 2007, where it was one of the finalists and won the Audience Choice Award. Her film has been shown and featured by Propeller TV (SKY Channel 195) as part of their showcase on World Cinema. This is her first animation feature as well as her first film.

PANGGARIS. In a small community, there lives a prostitute who was transformed when her deaf brother started to speak. Curiously, nobody could comprehend what he was saying: all he could utter was the word "Panggaris." The event became even more puzzling when a documentarist arrived at the community and filmed the siblings. What he discovered is a story from the community folk that possibly marked a new legend.

Dexter B. Cayanes graduated with a degree in Philippine Studies, cum laude at the University of the Philippines-Diliman. He attended the Ricky Lee Script Writing Workshop in 1996 and the Creative Documentary Film Workshop in 2000. He has won several prizes in poetry and the short story category. He is a candidate for Ph.D. in Philippine Studies in De La Salle University-Manila, where he currently teaches.

The short film Panggaris is based on his poem of the same title which earned a prize from the state-run Talaang Ginto: Gawad Komisyon sa Wikang Filipino sa Tula—Gantimpalang Collantes 2007. One of his newest projects is a full-length film titled Rengga!

TRAILS OF WATER. This is an experimental film about a young boy as seen through his make-believe story. His story is about Galeno who struggles to survive in his everyday life by fetching water near a mining site. The villagers are caught in a mass paranoia when everyone becomes suspicious of a newcomer in the village. Even though this is a short film, the narrative is quite suspenseful. Violence and intrigue becomes a result of their suspicions. No one knows who the person is until the stranger reveals himself to Galeno.

This short film is also directed by Sheron Dayoc, who has another short film entry this year: Angan-Angan (Dreams). He is a graduate of Ateneo de Zamboanga University and completed Bachelor of Arts Major in Philosophy. He received training in various areas of filmmaking at Mowelfund Film Institute, the University of the Philippines Film Institute and Jesuit Communications at Ateneo de Zamboanga University.


TUTOS. This short film shows how the lives of a single father and his daughter are intricately bound together. The title tutos refers to the stitch sewn to join to pieces of cloth, particularly those used in making a pair of trousers. Tutos is a story of a small town tailor Rey and his only daughter Elisa. Not having any other female around the house, Elisa grew up being a bit too tough for a lady (or "astig") something her father incessantly complains about.

While Rey effortlessly makes pairs of trousers day in and day out, he agonizes over the cold and distant demeanor of Elisa. How long will it take before Rey creates a seamless relationship with his daughter? Will it be as easy as sewing a perfect piece of garment he so skillfully makes? Boyet, a loyal co-worker, is witness to this tattered and patched relationship that is just waiting to be sewn beautifully together.

Filmmaker La Yamsuan earned her degree in Film and Audiovisual Communication from UP Diliman. A passionate writer, filmmaker, and an independent cinema advocate, she has taken part on several film and television productions both as a student and as a media practitioner. She has also worked for The Filipino Channel, ABS-CBN's cable network abroad, and is currently an instructor at the De La Salle College of St. Benilde School of Design and Arts teaching Basic Video Production and Management for Media Arts students.