Maraming first sa Cinemalaya XIX: ilumiNasyon na gaganapin sa Agosto 4-13, 2023.
Dahil under renovation ang Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) Main Building, ang bagong tahanan nito ay ang Philippine International Convention Center (PICC).
Ang grand staircase ng PICC ang venue ng opening celebration at closing rites ng most prestigious indie film fest ng bansa.
"Kuma-Cannes festival, di ba?" sambit ng Cinemalaya festival director na si Chris Millado sa mediacon noong Hulyo 5, 2023 sa PICC, Pasay City.
Pahayag ng multiawarded director na si Jose Javier Reyes na chairman ng Selection and Monitoring committee ng Cinemalaya, "Amidst the bleak landscape of what’s happening to Philippine cinema right now, it is such a refreshing ray of light and hope that we have these ten films from these filmmakers showing us that there is hope for Philippine cinema if you keep on pushing the boundaries and never just repeating more of the same.
"For the first time in Cinemalaya for the feature films, we are featuring a documentary film and a film which involves animation.
"Which means we are opening the doors to the various kinds of films for competition in the years to come."
Narito ang kumpletong listahan ng Cinemalaya 2023 entries
MARIA
Ang matapang na documentary sa lipon ng sampung full-length feature films na magtatagisan ay ang Maria ni Sheryl Rose M. Andres.
Wala itong panlaban sa acting categories.
Ang LOGLINE ng Maria: "Amid shrinking civic and democratic space, and a culture of impunity, three women named Maria are on a journey to see truth and fight for justice.”
Ang SYNOPSIS nito: "Maria is a common given name to a Filipina.
"In 2016, Duterte’s drug war left 26,000 to 30,000 families, fatherless or husbandless.
"The wives and mothers of the killed victims are left trying to meet both ends for their families.
"The documentary follows three women named Maria after the bloodbath of Duterte’s drug war.
"A staunch supporter-turned-victim, a wife and mother fighting for their rights, and a woman who became a beacon of hope."
Ang DIRECTOR’S STATEMENT (Sheryl Rose M. Andes): "Personal is political.
"Our most basic right is the right to life. Human rights are innate to us; but with Duterte’s authoritarian leadership, rights have been curtailed, abused, and become a privilege to a few.
"In a culture of violence and killings, we live in a society where asserting your right can lead you to be charged as a rebel or terrorist.
"Making this documentary is my assertion that as storytellers, we have an obligation to use our voice and skill to tell the story of the marginalized, not to romanticize their issues & stories but to be a medium in advocating their rights and hopefully can influence the audience and policymakers towards a better society.
"This documentary also highlights women’s voice, role (and lens) and participation in shaping the future of our society.
"This is a story about Maria (mother, women’s issues, and motherland) told and lensed by a woman.
"I have observed that majority of women filmmakers in the Philippines are documentary filmmakers, I often ask why; but maybe because we have more sensitivities to the issues of the world; -- documentary as women’s cinema as counter cinema.
"Documentaries shine in darkness. May this film be a light in finding truth and justice like what my Marias are looking for."
Read: Miss Grand PH 2023 bloopers: tameme and woohoo moments, kulang-sa-feelings singing
ITI MAPUKPUKAW
Ang animated movie sa Cinemalaya 2023 ay ang Iti Mapukpukaw (The Missing), na sinulat at idinirek ni Carl Joseph E. Papa.
Bida rito sina Carlo Aquino, Gio Gahol, at Dolly de Leon.
Ang LOGLINE ng Iti Mapukpukaw, "The arrival of a familiar alien untangles a mouthless young man’s memories."
Ang SYNOPSIS nito, "Eric lives a rather normal life working as an animator in the Philippines. He has a nice but dirty apartment, a good paying job, and a guy he likes.
"One thing glaring about Eric though is he does not have a mouth, literally. One day, he receives a call from his mother Rosalinda, asking him to check up on his seemingly lost uncle. Only to find out that his uncle has been dead for days.
"While still in shock, a familiar alien arrives wanting to take Eric away from Earth.
"Iti Mapukpukaw is Filipino-Ilocano rotoscope animated film that follows Eric’s life as it twists and turns after the arrival of the familiar alien, and the death of his uncle; both of which triggers Eric to remember his past and untangle his memories."
Ang DIRECTOR’S STATEMENT (Carl Joseph E. Papa), “When I create stories, I try to put myself in other people's shoes. Be it my mother (Manang Biring) or my grandmother (Paglisan), I try to make sense of how they would have felt to understand the choices they made.
"Iti Mapukpukaw is different. I am not putting myself in someone else’s shoes; instead, I am wearing my own. Eric’s story is one that’s personal. It is made of dark and repressed memories.
"Writing the story of Eric and reliving memories was a welcome coping mechanism. At first, I was fueled by anger because I thought there was nothing else I could do. What’s done is done, after all. But it isn’t over.
"Speaking up is never too late. And with this, I hope to encourage others to speak up too.
"It was always clear to me that this was going to be another animated film. It’s still quite rare to see animated feature films in the Philippines, much so an animated film that deals with adult themes that are not usually seen tackled by animated films.
"With the films that I make, I continuously strive to make a statement that animation is not a genre but a visual form, and it can do stories that live-action films do.
"From the true meaning of the word animation, which is to ‘bring life,’ I hope that in creating Eric, I create a refuge for people who suffered the same fate as he did.
"And for those who have not, I hope the film sheds more light on this topic. I hope that it creates a safe space where giving information, fostering understanding, and initiating discourse are things we don’t have to be afraid of.”
Read: 7 Controversies of 'Eat Bulaga!' over the years
ROOKIE
Isang kuwento tungkol sa highs and lows ng women sports sa isang small town, ang Rookie ay hinulma ng director na si Samantha Lee sa magkasamang panulat nila ni Natts Jadaone.
Bida rito sina Pat Tingjuy, Aya Fernandez at Agot Isidro.
Ang LOGLINE ng Rookie: "A tall, awkward teenager moves to a new town and is forced to join the volleyball team of her new all-girl Catholic high school.
"Everything changes when she falls for the volleyball team captain."
AS IF IT'S TRUE
Bida sila Khalil Ramos at Ashley Ortega sa As If It's True na sinulat at dinirek ni John Rogers.
Mula sa mala-friends with benefits na ugnayan ay paano kung sila ay magkatotohanan?
Ang LOGLINE: "A fading social media influencer and a struggling musician exploit each other in a not-so-fake relationship."
GITLING
Isang love story sa pagitan ng dalawang taong parehong may masalimuot na nakaraan, ang Gitling ay gawa ng direktor na si Jopy Arnaldo.
Bida rito sina Gabby Padilla at Ken Yamamura.
Ang LOGLINE: "A young Filipina translator and a middle-aged Japanese director test the limits of language and discover the beauty of understanding during the unlikeliest of times: While creating subtitles for his film in a local Filipino language — Hiligaynon — as they race to finish before the film's Festival Premiere in the city of Bacolod."
TETHER
Ang Theter na sinulat at dinirek ni Gian Arre ay pinagbibibidahan nina Mikoy Morales at Jorrybell Agoto.
Tatalakiyin nito ang klase ng distorted kind of love mula sa dalawang taong parehong nalamatan ng kanilang insecurities at inner wounds.
Ang LOGLINE: "After having a one-night stand, an arrogant playboy and a timid young woman discover that any kind of pain they inflict on themselves can be felt simultaneously by the other person."
Read: Mikoy Morales admits past relationship with Thea Tolentino became toxic
WHEN THIS IS ALL OVER
Tampok si JK Labajo sa pelikulang When This is All Over na sinulat at dinirek ni Kevin Mayuga.
Iikot ang kuwento sa isang lalaking nangungulila sa kanyang ina, pero hindi ito mabisita sa ibang bansa dala ng pandemic restrictions.
Hanggang sa makikilala niya ang ilang kunektadong tao na magsisilbing passport niya sa kanyang pinaplanong travel getaway.
Ang twist: kailangan muna niyang mag-organisa ng party para sa isang grupo ng "privileged misfits" sa isang condo unit.
Bahagi ng SYNOPSIS: "As The Guy figures out how to throw their illegal gathering, he meets the kind-hearted condominium staff, Rosemarie, who makes him feel seen and at home.
"With Rosemarie holding the key to the success of the party, The Guy takes a big risk with his new unlikely friendship."
BULAWANG NGA USA
Tampok sina Ron Matthews Espinosa at John Niel Paguntalan sa Bulawan Nga Usa na dinirek ni Kenneth Dela Cruz.
Ang LOGLINE: "After his beloved grandfather’s death, Makoy embarks on a soul-stirring expedition to a mystical mountain in search of the legendary golden deer that possesses the power to grant wishes.
"His journey takes an unexpected turn when he befriends a spirited young mountain boy who joins him in the quest for the mythical creature and self-discovery."
HULING PALABAS
Sa Huling Palabas, na sinulat at dinirek ni Rayn Machado, bida sina Shun Mark Gomez at Bon Andrew Lentejas.
Ang LOGLINE: "In the summer of 2001, 16-year-old Andoy searches for his long-lost father in the most unlikely of things — VHS tapes.
"His reality becomes mystified when two movielike characters appear in their small hometown."
ANG DUYAN NG MAGITING
Sinulat at dinirek ni Dustin Celestino, ang Duyan Ng Magiting ay pinagbibidahan nina Dolly De Leon, Bituin Escalante, Agot Isidro, Miggy Jimenez, Jojit Lorenzo, Frances Makil-Ignacio, Paolo O'Hara, Joel Saracho, at Dylan Ray Talon.
Ang LOGLINE: "A collection of interwoven stories about life and violence in the Philippines, following a college professor, a university chancellor, a social worker, a police chief, two students, two mothers, and a lawyer.
"The film is an anthology of scenes among the protagonists, antagonists, and victims of war, terrorism, and politics in the country."
Read: Dolly de Leon hails Kathryn Bernardo as "young Nora Aunor"
EXCITING LINE-UP
Excited ang presidente ng Cinemalaya Foundation, Inc. na si Direk Laurice Guillen dahil bago ang venue ng 19th Cinemalaya filmfest.
Sabi ni Direk Laurice, "Excited din akong makita kasi, ginawa nila ang mga ito during pandemic. So, hindi ko alam kung may influence ang pandemic sa kanila.
“Sana ma-excite ako na matuwa, hindi ma-excite na ma-disappoint.”
Hindi pa napapanood ni Direk Laurice ang Cinemalaya 2023 entries, pero napukaw na ang interes niya sa animated movie, dokyu, at iba pang entries.
Sabi ng respetadong aktres-direktor, "Kasi during the film lab, dini-discuss yung mga project nila, e.
"Inumpisahan sa script level. Mahuhusay silang magsalita sa film lab. So sana, kasinghusay rin silang gumawa."