Tingin film fest explores Southeast Asian ‘remedies’ vs pandemic
THE 2021 TINGIN ASEAN FILM FESTIVAL features Southeast Asian short films that explore solutions for rebuilding the world unsettled by the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. A project of the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA), Tingin will have a limited online run from Sept. 24 to 26. The festival is free to the public and is hosted on the Vimeo channel of the NCCA National Committee on Cinema (www.bit.ly/Tingin). The festival uses “dis-ease” to conjure pathology as well as restlessness, or pagkabalisa in Tagalog, brought on by the pandemic. Tingin is the country’s longest-running and only film festival dedicated to Southeast Asian cinemas. Among the films are Carlo Francisco Manatad’s The Imminent Immanent, the prologue to Manatad’s first full-length feature, Kun Maupay man it Panahon (Whether the Weather is Fine), which draws a picture of a seaside town before it is eventually engulfed by a super typhoon; New Land, Broken Road by Kavich Neang (Cambodia) contemplates the experience and role of Khmer youth in Cambodia’s rapid development; Loeloe Hendra’s Lost Wonders, set against the 1997 Asian Financial Crisis, is about a young boy who leaves the house every night to look for his father who disappeared while performing pesugiha; Malaysia’s Peon, based on a true story, unfolds through a series of texts, voice messages, and video calls, giving the audience an immersive experience of the daily grind of frontline workers; Vietnam’s Binh has an alien arriving on Earth on a quest to find assistance to rebuild his home; Shoki Lin’s Adam follows an unmoored young boy forced to find an alternative living arrangement. Tingin will also host the international premiere of Nyi Zaw Htwe’s Passing Moments, a documentary about Myanmar amidst the pandemic; Thailand’s Ethereal Creature, about two friends getting lost in a forest, by Tinishine Mont; Brunei’s Hilang, which is about the fading performance art mukun; and Melody of Change from Lao PDR, about a mysterious woman caught up in tensions between two cultures. Aside from the screenings on Vimeo, a series of conversations with select filmmakers will be live-streamed at 6 p.m., every day, from Sept. 24 to 26 on the Facebook page of Tingin. For more information, including details on how to watch the films, write to tinginfilmfest@gmail.com or follow the festival on its Facebook and Instagram pages: Tingin ASEAN Film Fest.
New set of Magic: The Gathering cards out
WIZARDS OF THE COAST will be releasing Innistrad: Midnight Hunt, the newest set for the world’s oldest trading card game, Magic: The Gathering (MTG). Reveling in Gothic horror and the introduction of powerful new werewolves, Midnight Hunt releases on tabletop on Sept. 24. The card theme returns to the world of Innistrad, MTG’s fan-favorite Gothic horror setting, which first made its debut in 2011. The immersive artwork on the cards illustrates the conflict between humans and supernatural threats, in a world where werewolves, vampires, ghosts, and zombies rule the night, while humans do their best to survive. Midnight Hunt introduces new card mechanics to combat the evil roaming beyond the village walls. The Midnight Hunt set will be available in Draft Boosters, Set Boosters and Collector Boosters, including the Midnight Hunt Bundle and two Commander decks. For more information on Innistrad: Midnight Hunt, visit https://magic.wizards.com/en/products/midnight-hunt or watch Wizards’ YouTube series.
Zack Tabudlo celebrates unconditional love in new song
FILIPINO singer-songwriter/producer Zack Tabudlo sings of the joy of long, lasting real love on his new single “Habang Buhay,” now out on all streaming platforms via Island Records Philippines and MCA Music, Inc. Written, produced, mixed, and mastered by Mr. Tabudlo himself, the shiny, retro-pop tune is inspired by old school OPM classics such as VST & Company, and other ’80s songbook stalwarts such as The Police and Fra Lippo Lippi. A music video will be released soon to complement the song. “Habang Buhay” is out now on all streaming platforms worldwide via Island Records Philippines and MCA Music, Inc.
Ben&Ben, Mayonnaise, more in Band Battle
CALL OF DUTY: MOBILE PHILIPPINES presents Band Battle where artists come together and go head to head in a fun shooting tournament. The Band Battle will be a multiplayer tourney and to spice things up, each band member or artist will be assigned to different teams. Participating in the tournament and have accepted this new challenge are Ben&Ben, Mayonnaise, Bawal Clan, Raisa Racelis of Sud, Icoy Rapadas of Lions & Acrobats, EJ Pichay of Gracenote, Chino David of Hale, Ace Del Mundo from Orange & Lemons and other fan favorites. Catch the #CoDMBandBattle to be livestreamed in the Garena Call of Duty Mobile Facebook page on Sept. 24, 7 p.m.
Catchiest guitar intros discussed in podcast
CHINO AND CARL’s Guitar Picks is a Spotify exclusive podcast where Chino Singson of The Itchyworms, and Carl Javier, his guitar student and PumaPodcast CEO, pick their favorite tracks to learn from, be inspired by, and rock out to. In the latest episode, they list the songs that they think have iconic intros. Among the songs discussed are The Itchyworms’ “Beer,” The Beatles’ “Day Tripper,” “Plug in Baby,” and Sandwich’s “Butterfly Carnival.” Chino and Carl’s Guitar Picks is produced by PumaPodcast.
Live performances for free on Smart’s GigaPlay App
ENJOY ALL THINGS Korean culture and pop music at Kcon:tact Hi 5. Known by fans as KCon, and now on its fifth run, it returns with a mix of returning performers from past KCon events, debuts from K-pop acts, and special live meet and greet sessions with the artists. Joining Kcon:tact Hi 5’s roster are AB6IX, ATEEZ, BTOB, Ciipher, Dreamcatcher, GHOST9, HIGHLIGHT, ITZY, JO1, Kim Jae Hwan, MAMAMOO, ONF, Park Jihoon, Purple Kiss, RAIN, Stray Kids, T1419, THE BOYZ, TO1, Weeekly, WEi, and WOODZ. KCon is organized by South Korean entertainment and media company CJ ENM. The nine-day music event runs from Sept. 18 to 26 exclusively on the Smart GigaPlay App for free. Check out the Facebook event page: https://www.facebook.com/events/1708733479318638.
