Cinemalaya 2020 goes digital due to COVID-19 pandemic, announces short film finalists

MANILA, Philippines — The Cinemalaya Philippine Independent Film Festival announces the 10 finalists who will compete in the Short Film Category. 

The finalists are:

"Ang Gasgas na Plaka ni Lolo Bert" by Janina Gacosta and Cheska Marfori

"Ang Pagpakalma sa Unos (To Calm the Pig Inside)" by Joanna Vasquez Arong

"Excuse Me Miss Miss, Miss" by Sonny Calvento

"Fatigued" by James Robin M. Mayo (no trailer)

"Living Things" by Martika Ramirez Escobar

"Quing Lalam ning Aldo (Under the Sun)" by Reeden Fajardo

"Pabasa Kan Pasyon" by Hubert Tibi

"Tokwifi" by Carla Pulido Ocampo

"Utwas" by Richard Jeroui Salvadico and Arlie Sweet Sumagaysay

"The Slums" by Jan Andrei Cobey 

Because of the novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, the country's biggest independent film festival will transition to virtual theater via Vimeo.

This year's festival will focus on Short Films in Competition, Gawad CCP Para sa Alternatibong Pelikula at Video, Cinemalaya Retrospectives, Short Films in Exhibition and many more. 

The Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) told Philstar.com that the entries were submitted as finished products prior to the lockdown imposed to prevent COVID-19 spread.

Co-produced by CCP and the Cinemalaya Foundation, Cinemalaya 2020 will run from August 7 to 16.