Now on its fifth year, the Cinemalaya Philippine Independent Film Festival marks another milestone in its rich history.
Slated for July 17-26, 2009 at the Cultural Center of the Philippines, Cinemalaya Cinco will be featuring 10 full-length features and 10 short features in its annual competition. It will also be showing a number of fresh works that promise to boost the festival's growing audience.
This year, it opens its door for independent films to be screened for the first time in the Philippines, as they vie for this year's NETPAC (Network of Promotion for Asian Cinema) prize award, another first from Cinemalaya.
Laurice Guillen, Cinemalaya's competition director, said the Cinemalaya Philippine Independent Film Festival this year collaborates with the Network for the Promotion of Asian Cinema (NETPAC) in launching the Cinemalaya NETPAC Prize.
"Since our first year, NETPAC has been trying to be a part of Cinemalaya," said Direk Laurice in a previous interview with PEP (Philippine Entertainment Portal). (Click HERE to read related article)
A juror of international and local personalities will decide on the winner of the first Cinemalaya NETPAC Prize. NETPAC is a global organization with 29 member-countries and is composed of critics, filmmakers, festival organizers, curators, distributors, exhibitors and film educators. It has film festival partners in Singapore, Pusan, Jeonju, Kerala, Kazakhstan and Osian's Cinefan in Asia; Berlin, Locarno, Karlovy Vary, Rotterdam, Vessoul in Europe; Brisbane in Australia; Hawaii in the US; Antalya in Turkey; and Black Nights in Estonia.
The films in the NETPAC selection with their screening date and time:
Aurora by Adolfo Alix, Jr. - 18 July/Sat, 6:15PM; Baseco Bakal Boys by Ralston Jover - 19 July/Sun, 6:15 p.m.; Bayaw by Monti Parungao - 21 July/Tue, 9:00PM; Boy by Auraeus Solito - 24 July/Fri, 6:15PM; Karera by Adolfo Alix, Jr. - 23 July/Thu, 6:15PM; Latak by Jowee Morel - 23 July/Thu, 9:00PM; Prince of Cockfighting by Yeng Grande - 18 July/Sat, 9:00PM and Walang Hanggang Paalam by Paolo Villaluna and Ellen Ramos - 25 July/Sat, 6:15PM. All the films will be playing at the Tanghalang Aurelio Tolentino (CCP Little Theatre).
There may be additional NETPAC Premiere titles to follow.
