The 17th Cinemalaya Film Fest
THE 17TH EDITION of Cinemalaya is online once again until Sept 5 via KTX.ph. Because of the ongoing coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, this year’s edition is focusing on 13 short films for the competition section. For tickets, visit ktx.ph. The finalists are: Kids On Fire by Kyle Nieva; Maski Papano by Che Tagyamon and Glenn Barit; Beauty Queen by Myra Aquino; An Sadit na Planeta by Arjanmar H. Rebeta; Crossing by Marc Misa; Kawatan Sa Salog by Ralph John Velasco; Looking For Rafflesias and Other Fleeting Things by James Fajardo; Out of Body by Enrico Po; The Dust in Your Place by David Olson; Ang Mga Nawalang Pag-asa at Panlasa by Kevin Jay Ayson; Ang Pagdadalaga ni Lola Mayumi by Shiri Francesca D. De Leon; Ate OG by Kevin Mayuga; and Namnama en Lolang (Grandmother’s Hope) by Jonnie Lyn Dasalla. The film festival also presents the Premieres section featuring four previously unseen films: the family drama Highest Peak, directed by Arnel Barbarona; the drama He Who is Without Sin, directed by Jason Paul Laxamana; the neo-noir Love and Pain In Between Refrains, directed by Joselito Altarejos; and the social monologue Tao Po, directed by Mae Paner (a.k.a., Juana Change). Four full-length feature films will be shown in Cinemalaya’s Indie Nation section: Lockdown by Joel Lamangan; Kintsugi by Lawrence Fajardo; Don Filipo by Tim Muñoz; and ECQ Diary (Bawal Lumabas) by Arlyn Dela Cruz Bernal. In the Retrospective section, six award-winning short films in the previous Cinemalaya editions will be shown. Award-winning Asian indie films will be showcased in the Visions of Asia section: A Dark, Dark Man; Bandar Band; Jazz Kissa Basie: Swifty’s Ballad; Mosul My Home; Sthalpuran (Chronicle of Space). Meanwhile, five award-winning documentaries will be shown in the DOKYU section: A House in Pieces by Jean Claire Dy and Manuel Domes; Yugto by Joanna Reyes, Cristy Linga and Ja Turla; Paraisong Bacao by Adrian N. Manaois; Last Days at Sea by Venice Atienza; and Masterpiece by January Yap and Kristoffer Villarino. Follow the official Cultural Center of the Philippines and Cinemalaya social media accounts on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for updates on the Cinemalaya screening schedules and other offerings. For more information, visit the CCP website (www.culturalcenter.gov.ph).
33rd CCP Gawad Alternatibo in Cinemalaya
THE IKA-33 GAWAD CCP Para sa Alternatibong Pelikula at Video, or Gawad Alternatibo, will showcase this year’s finalists as it continues to stream online via the Cultural Center of the Philippines’ (CCP) Vimeo Channel and the Gawad Alternatibo website, while the talkbacks and livestream events will be held at Facebook Live, until Sept. 5. This edition of the Gawad Alternatibo film festival and competition, with the theme ALPAS: Kwento Natin ’To, opens with the premiere of Tatlong Dekada, a video compilation on and about Gawad Alternatibo and its filmmakers, produced by Cinema Regla and the Gawad Alternatibo production team. The Gawad Alternatibo recognizes the best efforts of Filipino filmmakers in four categories — Animation, Experimental, Documentary and Short Feature. Established in 1987, the Gawad Alternatibo is considered the longest-running independent film and video competition of its kind in Asia. It is one of the main components of the 17th Cinemalaya Philippine Independent Film Festival, which also runs from Aug. 6 to Sept. 5. The Gawad Awarding ceremony will be held on Sept. 4 at 2 p.m. via the CCP Vimeo Channel and Facebook Live. To know more about Gawad Alternatibo, visit http://www.gawadalternatibo.org and facebook.com/gawadalternatibo.
Music for Congested Minds EP out
IT HAS been almost a year since Vincent Jose’s Blank Vacuum and Bobby Legaspi’s dark ambient project, blackholeprisoner collaborated, and produced two albums. Now they have released their new four-track EP called Music for Congested Minds, an ambient minimalist album. The album is divided into four different musical pieces featuring somnolent ambient-drone melodies, piano harmonies and guitar-stained tunes. The album can be streamed on the Bandcamp page of both artists and other digital music services such as Spotify, Apple Music, Itunes and YouTube music under the name of Bobby Legaspi. They are still looking for a label for it to be produced physically.
C-Drama keeps top spot on iQiyi PH
THE CHINESE drama Unforgettable Love, starring Miles Wei, Hu Yi Xuan, and child actor Lennon Sun, is currently streaming and has been a consistent top choice among viewers in the Philippines since it launched on iQiyi. This is a contemporary story in which the rich-guy guardian of a young boy crosses paths a child psychologist, and whose awkward first meeting puts them on the spotlight and a hot topic for gossip. Meanwhile, Perfect and Casual is another romcom starring Miles Wei that keeps trending on the app. The series is about an aloof and monastic “Mr. Perfect” and a laid-back and cheerful “Miss Almost.” Download the iQiyi app or log in to www.iQ.com to watch Unforgettable Love and Perfect and Casual and other Asian shows.
Dru Chen releases EP
AUSTRALIAN artist-producer Dru Chen dropped a four-track EP containing two new songs — “Our Story” and “Hold You” — and two re-released tracks — “Eiffel Tower” and “Replay.” The focus track, “Our Story,” is an indie-pop song dealing with the yearning for acceptance that we all seek. It was written by Joel Tan, Paul McMurray and Dru Chen who also produced it. “This song was my way of dealing with that feeling — that existential dread. It felt like therapy writing this song,” Mr. Chen said in a statement. Our Story EP is available to stream on Spotify.
