By Dennis Gorecho
“Loob, Lalim, Lakas” is this year’s theme of the 20th Cinemalaya Independent Film Festival that will run from August 2 to 11.
Competing in the full-length category are: “Alipato at Muog” by JL Burgos; “An Errand” by Dominic Bekaert and Sarge Lacuesta; “Tumandok” by Arlie Sumagaysay and Richard Salvadico; “Balota” by Kip Oebanda; “Gulay Lang Manong (No More Than Veggies)” by BC Amparado; “Kantil (Trench)” by Joshua Medroso; “Kono Basho” by Jaime Pacena II; “Love Child” by Jonathan Jurilla; “The Hearing” by Lawrence Fajardo and Honee Alipio; and “The Wedding Dance” by Julius Lumiqued.
Short feature films in competition include: “Abogbaybay” by P. Patindol; “All This Wasted Space” by C. Bringas; “Ambot Wala Ko Kabalo Unsay I-title Ini” by R. Villaverde; “Cross My Heart and Hope to Die” by S. Manasca; “I Was Walking on the Streets of Chinatown” by R. Capili; “Mama” by A. Brizuela; “Mariposa” by M. Tampos; “Pamalandong sa Danow (Reflection in the Marsh)” by B. Harani; “Primetime Mother” by S. Calvento; and “The Red Trails (An Baga sa Dalan)” by M. Jolejole and R. Dolim.
The past winning films in the new breed category are “Pepot Artista” (2005), “Tulad ng Dati” (2006), “Tribu” (2007), “Jay” (2008), “Last Supper No. 3” (2009), “Halaw” (2010), “Ang Babae sa Septic Tank” (2011), “Diablo” (2012), “Transit” (2013), and “Bwaya” (2014).
The winners in the directors’ showcase are “Donor” (2010), “Bisperas” (2011), “Posas” (2012), “Sana Dati” (2013) and “Kasal” (2014).
The winners in the main competition are “Pamilya Ordinaryo” (2016), “Respeto” (2017), “Kung Paano Hinihintay ang Dapithapon” (2018), and “John Denver Trending” (2019), “The Baseball Player” (2022), and “Iti Mapukpukaw” (2023).
Eddie Garcia won Best Actor thrice for “ICU Bed#7” (2005), “Bwakaw” (2012), and “ML” (2018), while Baron Geisler twice for “Jay” (2008) and “Donor” (2010).
Two actresses won the Best Actress awards twice: Merylle Soriano for “Room Boy” (2005) and “Donor” (2010), and Ina Feleo for “Endo” (2007) and “Sanglaan” (2009).
Two persons won the Best Director award twice: Aureus Solito for “Pisay” (2007) and “Busong” (2011), while the late Eduardo Roy, Jr. for “Pamilya Ordinaryo” (2011) and “Fuccbois” (2019). Roy died last February 21 due to pulmonary embolism.
Roy also directed “Quick Change,” where transgender Mimi Juareza won as Best Actor in the 2013 new breed section.
In the directors’ showcase, Vilma Santos won Best Actress in “Ekstra” (2013), while Nora Aunor won the following year for “Hustisya” (2014).
There was no winner for Best Actor in 2013.
In 2012, the best actress award was given in the Director’s showcase to an ensemble — Judy Ann Santos, Iza Calzado, Agot Isidro, and Janice de Belen of “Mga Mumunting Lihim.”
The same happened in the new breed category in 2007 when the cast of “Tribu” grabbed the trophy for best actor award also as an ensemble.
The youngest winner of best actor award was Noel Comia, Jr. for “Kiko Boksingero” (2017) when he was then 13 years old, followed by 15-year-old Jansen Magpusao for “John Denver Trending” (2019).
Other Best Actress awardees include Angel Aquino for “Donsol” (2006), Lovi Poe for “Mayohan” (2009), Eugene Domingo for “Ang Babae sa Septic Tank” (2011), Ama Quiambao for “Diablo” (2012), Irma Adlawan for “Transit” (2013), Eula Valdez for “Dagitab” (2014), Hasmine Killip for “Pamilya Ordinaryo” (2016), Angeli Bayani for “Bagahe” (2017), Ai-Ai delas Alas for “School Service” (2018), Ruby Ruiz for “Iska” (2019), Max Eigenmann for “12 Weeks” (2022), and Pat Tingjuy for “Rookie” (2023).
Best Actor awardees also include Alchris Galura for “Batad” (2006), Lou Veloso for “Colorum” (2009), John Arcilla for “Halaw” (2010), Edgar Allan Guzman for “Ligo na Ü, Lapit na Me” (2011), Kristoffer King for “Oros” (2012), Dante Rivero for “1st Ko Si 3rd” (2014), Tommy Abuel for “Dagsin” (2016), Tommy Alejandrino for “The Baseball Player” (2022), and Mikoy Morales for “Tether” (2023).
Only short films competed in 2015, 2020 and 2021.
Although it did not win the Best Film award in 2005, “Ang Pagdadalaga ni Maximo Oliveros” by fellow UP alumnus Auraeus Solito became one of the icons of indie films.
I have been watching Cinemalaya since it started in 2004, or 20 years ago, which is held annually at the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) and various cinemas.
My passion in watching Cinemalaya films perhaps is an offshoot of my exposure to experimental films during my college years in the late ‘80s and ‘90s at the UP Diliman where I saw several highly sensitive and political films.
The UP Film Center served as a venue to screen films free from censorship as some of them were even banned from commercial viewing.
Some of the films I saw included Lino Brocka’s “Maynila, Sa Mga Kuko ng Liwanag” (1975) and “Bayan Ko: Kapit sa Patalim” (1985), Ishmael Bernal’s “Himala” (1982), Mike de Leon’s “Sister Stella L.” (1984), and Marilou Diaz-Abaya’s “Karnal” (1984) and whose daring works portrayed revolt, labor unionism, social ostracism, and class division.
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“Peyups” is the moniker of the University of the Philippines.
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Atty. Dennis R. Gorecho heads the Seafarers’ Division of the Sapalo Velez Bundang Bulilan Law Offices. For comments, e-mail info@sapalovelez.com, or call 09175025808 or 09088665786./WDJ