PHOTO CAPTION: Cinemanila founding director Tikoy Aguiluz with Cinemanila's Lifetime Achievement Awardee Nora Aunor.

Filmmaker Amable "Tikoy" Aguiluz IV, in his acknowledgement speech, delivered a "message of hope" for Philippine cinema during the opening ceremonies of the 13th Cinemanila International Film Festival (CIFF). It was held last November 11, at the Market! Market! Cinema 1 in Taguig City.

Direk Tikoy recalled a conversation that he had with another filmmaker.

"I just want to tell you a very short story which I discovered a few days ago," began Direk Tikoy.

"I'll be very brief because we have a long program and all are excited to watch the 3D film of Wim Wenders," he also said.

Pina, a musical documentary from Germany and France, by German filmmaker Wim Wenders, served as the opening film of the 13th Cinemanila International Filmfest.

Continued Direk Tikoy:  "We have one of the volunteers this year; one of the winners of the Cinemanila Film Festival two years ago [in 2009].

"He's a very talented filmmaker.  Very young.  And he has the youthful point of view in that he thinks [of the] possibility of the infinite--for the filmmaker.

"He has won several awards for short film.  Then he won the critics' prize for the feature film.

"He won another prize in the festival, in Korea.  And I asked him, 'What do you want me to say?  What do you want  to hear, in the opening speech that I will make?'

"And he said," noted Tikoy, "'I want to hear a message of hope...'

"'So, why?  You won all these awards...'" the CIFF Festival Director told the young award-winning filmmaker.

And the filmmaker answered, "'Yes.  I won all these awards, but I'm starting all over again...'"

Based on the brief conversation, Direk Tikoy noted:  "Every new film is a different feeling. A different challenge. A different obstacle. It never stops.