JERRY OLEA
Opening film ng 7th Sinag Maynila independent film festival ang Jaguar (1979) ni National Artist Lino Brocka.
Isinulat ito nina Jose F. Lacaba at National Artist Ricky Lee.
Bida rito sina Phillip Salvador at Amy Austria.
Ipapalabas ang Jaguar sa Setyembre 23, 2025, Martes, sa Cinema 5 ng Gateway Mall, Cubao, Quezon.
May iba pang screenings ang Jaguar sa duration ng Sinag Maynila — Setyembre 24 hanggang 30 sa SM Mall of Asia, SM Fairview, Robinsons Manila, Robinsons Antipolo, Trinoma, Market! Market!, at Gateway Cineplex.
Read: Court of Appeals rules Wenn Deramas' kids as rightful heirs
NORA AUNOR'S ATSAY TO BE SCREENED AT SINAG MAYNILA
Ipapalabas din sa Sinag Maynila ang pelikulang Atsay (MMFF 1978) na pinagbidahan ni National Artist Nora Aunor, sa direksyon ni Eddie Garcia.
Itinanghal si Nora na Best Performer sa 4th Metro Manila Film Festival para sa Atsay.
Iyon ang first and only time na may ganoong kategorya sa MMFF. Wala roong best actor, best actress, best supporting actor, at best supporting actress.
Best Performer lang.
Ang founders ng Sinag Maynila ay sina Sir Wilson Tieng at Direk Brillante Mendoza.
Limang full length films ang magtatagisan sa Sinag Maynila 2025 — Selda Tres, Cande, Altar Boy, Jeongbu, at Madawag Ang Landas Patungong Pag-asa.
Iyong short films at documentaries ay grinupu-grupo sa sampung set.
Nasa Facebook page na ng Sinag Maynila ang schedule ng showing ng mga kalahok sa indie filmfest.
PHP250 ang presyo ng tiket per admission.
Read: 7th Sinag Maynila: Limang pelikula pasok sa feature film category
WALK WITH JESUS: NOT SUITABLE FOR PUBLIC EXHIBITION
Yung short film (open call) ni Redh Honoridez na Walk with Jesus ay online streaming only during the week of the festival.
Ang buod ng Walk with Jesus: “While hiding from a pursuing death squad, Maya encounters Jesus, who takes her out for a walk. Will she be home in time for the ultimate test of faith?”
Nasa FB page ng Sinag Maynila ang trailer ng Walk with Jesus, kalakip ang paliwanag kung bakit hindi ito ipapalabas sa mga sinehan at sa halip ay may alternative platform.
Ang comment dito ng MTRCB sa FIRST REVIEW: "Not suitable for public exhibition. The last item in this material (Walk With Jesus) contains passages of Scripture that were used in a mocking manner. This constitutes a direct attack against a religion."
Ang comment ng MTRCB sa SECOND REVIEW: "Under Presidential Decree No. 1986, the Movie and Television Review and Classification Board (MTRCB) is mandated to ensure that motion pictures, television programs, and related publicity materials do not:
• Run contrary to law, good customs, and the promotion of the respect for faith and religion;
• Offend racial, religious, or cultural sensibilities;
• Present content injurious to the prestige of the Republic of the Philippines, its people, or its faith traditions.
“While the short film does not explicitly name the Christ-like figure as Jesus, the depiction unmistakably references Him through miracle performances (healing the blind, walking on water, quoting the Bible).
“The figure is later shown sacrificing himself, being shot in the head, and then walking with a bullet wound while still quoting scripture. These portrayals constitute a distorted and irreverent representation of a central figure of the Catholic faith.
“Such imagery is disrespectful to religious beliefs, particularly Catholicism which is the predominant religion in the Philippines.
“If similar treatment were applied to any other religion — Islam, Buddhism, Judaism, or others — the same standard of protection under PD 1986 would apply.
“This decision does not curtail artistic freedom, but affirms that creative expression cannot be exercised at the expense of the constitutional and statutory duty to respect religious sensibilities.
“The MTRCB recognizes the filmmaker’s right to artistic voice, but in balancing that right with the Board’s duty, the content falls under the category of Not For Public Exhibition, as it risks offending the deeply held religious convictions of the Filipino people."
Read: Directors Guild, tinutulan ang MTRCB Act: "NO TO CENSORSHIP!"
NOEL FERRER
Kalakip din ng FB post ng Sinag Maynila ang Message from the Director and the Production Team ng Walk with Jesus kaugnay sa X-rating ng MTRCB.
Ayon sa Hound Film Production & Hagdanan Productions: “We regret to announce that Walk With Jesus will no longer be screened in cinemas during the Sinag Maynila Film Festival due to receiving an X-Rating from the MTRCB.
"Despite this setback, we remain part of the festival’s official competition.
“As Hound Film Production and Hagdanan Productions, we express our frustration over the MTRCB’s decision, particularly the ruling that our work used scripture in a mocking manner and was a direct attack on religion.
“We strongly disagree with this characterization.”
REDH HONORIDEZ STATEMENT
Ang official statement ng direktor na si Redh Honoridez: “We did our utmost to treat the subject matter with sincerity and care. Our intention was never to mock or blaspheme.
“While the film employs satire, the portrayal of Jesus Christ is scripture-based and as accurate as possible.
“In the story, He appears as a savior to an imperfect woman, reflecting my own creative interpretation of scripture.
“Many of Christ’s lines in the film are lifted directly from the Bible, while some were thoughtfully translated into Bisaya to reflect the film’s setting in Davao and my own Cebuano heritage.
“Our intention is not to attack any religion, but to offer a personal reflection rooted in faith and scripture.
“We remain grateful to the Sinag Maynila team for selecting Walk With Jesus and for supporting us through this difficult process.
“Though the film cannot be screened publicly at the festival, please stay tuned for updates on how and where Walk With Jesus can be made available to audiences.
“We also extend heartfelt thanks to everyone who has already watched and supported the film.”
Read: Netizens ask: Are Daniel Padilla and Kaila Estrada an item?
GORGY RULA
Swak ang Sinag Maynila 2025 sa pagdiriwang ngayong Setyembre ng Philippine Film Industry Month (PFIM).
Maliban sa Jaguar at Atsay, marami pang ibang makabuluhang pelikulang Pinoy ang matutunghayan sa mga sinehan.
Simula Setyembre 17, Miyerkules, ay ipinalabas sa SM Cinemas ang B&W version ng Honor Thy Father (2015).
Pinost ng direktor ng pelikula na si Erik Matti sa Facebook ang mga sinehan sa SM na palabas iyon.
Bahagi pa ng FB post ni Direk Erik: “The other day we had a small gathering to screen this film on the big screen. The black and white version on the big screen looked great.
“With directors, after so much tweaking and editing, watching and rewatching the cut, our focus usually veer towards the technical rather than the emotional.
“We watch a cut looking at the periphery. We hear the distant sounds, the rise and fall of some music notes, the accudental fly messing up the actor’s face in a crucial emotional moment.
“But in the screening the other day, I was watching this new edit like I wasnt the one who made it. I marveled at how this small intimate film felt epic and grand just because it was in this huge theater screen.
“The black & white version stripped the film of any other distractions and just highlighted everything that happens on the screen with the protagonist Edgar/Egay played by John Lloyd Cruz.
“And I’ve never seen so many close ups of characters’ faces that made the story larger than life.
“I think it’s quite obvious in this post that I’m proud of this film we made.”
Read: Hollywood legend Robert Redford dies at 89
PELIKULA NG BAYAN: SINE50 SCREENINGS
Handog ng Film Development Council of the Philippines (FDCP) ang Pelikula ng Bayan: Sine50 screenings mula Setyembre 17 hanggang 23.
PHP50 lamang ang ticket price sa mga pelikulang Big Night! (2021), Gusto Kita with All My Hypothalamus (2018), Miss Bulalacao (2015), Dagitab (2014), Patay na si Hesus (2016), at Apocalypse Child (2015).
Mapapanood ang mga ito sa Ayala Malls Trinoma, Gateway Cineplex, Robinsons Galleria, at SM Mall of Asia.
PFIM TRIBUTE SCREENINGS
“Pelikula at Pilipina” ang tema ng PFIM 2025, kung saan pinarangalan sa gala night noong Setyembre 11 sa Seda Vertis North sina Gina Alajar, Malou Santos, Olivia Lamasan, Lee Briones-Meily, at Raquel Villavicencio.
Libre ang tribute screenings sa Cinema 6 ng SM North EDSA, Quezon City para sa mga pelikulang ino-honor sila:
Anak — Setyembre 18, Huwebes, 2:30 PM
Hihintayin Kita sa Langit — Setyembre 18, Huwebes, 6:30 PM
Madrasta — Setyembre 19, Biyernes, 2:30 PM
Tanging Yaman — Setyembre 19, Biyernes, 6:30 PM
Moral — Setyembre 20, Sabado, 6:30 PM
MET PUBLIC TOUR CANCELLED
Napabalita na sa Setyembre 21, Linggo ay may MET Public Tour, at libreng showing ng restored Sisa (2021).
Nag-announce na sa Facebook ang The Metropolitan Theater: “Ang MET Public Tour sa darating na Linggo, September 21, 2025 ay kanselado para sa nakatakdang rally na gaganapin sa Luneta.
“Ang kaligtasan ng nakararami ang aming pangunahing priyoridad.
“Maraming salamat sa inyong pag-unawa.
“Manatili lamang nakatutok sa ating official Facebook page para sa mga pabatid sa susunod na schedule ng MET Public Tours.”
Malamang na hindi rin tuloy ang September 21 screening ng Sisa sa MET.
CINEMALAYA21
Nakatakda na sa Oktubre 3-12 ang 21st edition ng Cinemalaya indie filmfest na ang tema ay “Layag: sa Alon, Hangin, at Unos.”
Ang sampung full-length films at sampung short films ay ipapalabas sa tatlong partner venues — Shangri-La Plaza, Ayala Malls Cinemas, at Gateway Cineplex 18.
Ayon sa presidente ng Cinemalaya Foundation na si Direk Laurice Guillen ay may napili nang opening film na ipapalabas sa Oktubre 3 sa Shangri-La Plaza, Mandaluyong City.
Hopefully, ang closing film naman ay remastered version ng isang klasikong pelikula.
Read: Cinemalaya 2025, wala pang opening at closing films
OTHER FILM EVENTS
Sa Oktubre 10, Biyernes, ang announcement ng final 4 entries ng 51st Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF).
Sa Oktubre 11, Sabado, ang 48th Gawad Urian ng Manunuri ng Pelikulang Pilipino (MPP).
Ayon sa source ng PEP Troika ay gaganapin ito sa mas malaking venue sa De La Salle University, Taft Avenue, Manila.
Sa Oktubre 15 ang playdate ng historical film na Quezon kung saan bida si Jericho Rosales.
Hindi pa natin nakukumpirma kung tuloy sa Oktubre 22 ang pag-uumpisa ng 1st CineSilip Film Frstival (dating VMX Film Festival).
Isa sa entries ng CineSilip ang Dreamboi kung saan bida si Tony Labrusca.
