JASON PAUL Laxamana’s science fiction movie, Instalado, is playing at the Film Development Council of the Philippines’ (FDCP) Cine Lokal theaters starting Jan. 26.

Instalado, a film set in the near future where people can install chips into their brains and gain knowledge instead of going to school, was one of the entries of last year’s ToFarm Film Festival where it won Third Best Picture, Best Supporting Actor for Francis Magundayao, and Best Supporting Actress for Barbara Miguel alongside several technical awards — Best Production Design and Best Sound — and the Audience Choice Award.

“I think what [Mr. Laxamana] did [with the film] was very innovative as he approached the advocacy… it was given entertainment value and novelty,” Maryo J. de los Reyes, film director and ToFarm’s festival director told the media in vernacular during a media conference on Feb. 23 at the FDCP.

He then added that he hoped that more films from the two-year-old film festival will be given screenings at Cine Lokal but acknowledged that it’s going to be the FDCP’s decision.

Another big winner at last year’s ToFarm Film Festival was What Home Feels Like by Joseph Abello which won Best Actress for Irma Adlawan, Best Director, Best Story, Best Screenplay, and Best Music.

“The concept of the film has been with me for a few years and I submitted it to various film festivals but I think the idea was a bit too far-fetched at the time,” Mr. Laxamana said at the press conference, adding that upon learning that ToFarm was accepting entries that year he decided to try and enter his film since it was about a farming city and a boy wanting to be an instalado.

The film stars McCoy de Leon alongside Junjun Quintana, Barbara Miguel, and Francis Magundayao.

Instalado will be running for a week starting this Friday in the eight Cine Lokal cinemas in SM malls: SM Megamall, SM North EDSA, SM Fairview, Mall of Asia, SM Manila, SM Sta. Mesa, SM Bacoor, and SM Southmall.

Cine Lokal was an initiative launched by the FDCP and SM Cinemas last April, to build a culture of support for films and in order to address the difficulties of independent films when it comes to marketing and distribution.

“[Cine Lokal] is a new cinema line that will house independent, award-winning films and FDCP programs in select SM Cinema branches,” is the explanation in its official Facebook page.

Instalado will be screened starting Jan. 26 at the eight Cine Lokal cinemas at 1 p.m., 3:30 p.m., 6 p.m., and 8:30 p.m.

For more information, visit www.facebook.com/CineLokal.ph. — Zsarlene B. Chua

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