Philippine festivals are ‘frontiers in Asia,’ says Busan filmfest programmer
MANILA, Philippines — The Manila Film Festival (TMFF) is setting itself apart by focusing the spotlight on short films.
The ongoing festival has been showcasing the works of eight student filmmakers, who received a P150,000 grant each to fund and finish their films.
The finalists are “An Kuan” of Joyce Ramos (Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila); “Ballad of a Blind Man” by Charlie Vitug (De La Salle-College of St. Benilde); “Bahay, Baboy, Bagyo” of Miko Biong (University of the Philippines); “Ditas Pinamalas” of Adrian Renz Espino (Adamson University); “Happy Mother’s Day” of Ronnie Ramos (University of the Philippines); “Pinilakang Tabingi” of John Pistol Carmen (Bicol University); “Una’t Huling Sakay” of Vhan Marco Molacruz (Colegio San Juan de Letran); and “three for 100: o ang tamang porma ng pag uukay at iba pang mga bagay-bagay, I think!” by Cedric Labadia (iAcademy).
The films are screening in select cinemas in Robinsons Manila and Robinsons Magnolia. The awards ceremony will take place tomorrow, Jun. 11, at the Metropolitan Theater.
Meanwhile, festivals like this could be an opportunity to study and look into the importance and relevance of short films in this age of TikTok and Reels.
Nevertheless, TMFF jury member Park Sungho, the Asian Cinema programmer at the Busan International Film Festival, stressed how short films have “always been important” and should be “nurtured.”
“It is a very important step for young filmmakers to prove their talent to become a full-length filmmaker. But it doesn’t mean the short film is just a step between being apprentice (and) professional,” he said in an interview with The STAR.
“Short films have their own beauty and I want (Filipinos) to be more exposed (to this). Interestingly, even in South Korea, short films are released theatrically nowadays,” he said, naming the work of director Moon Byoung-gon who previously won the Short Film Palme d’Or at the 66th Cannes Film Festival for his “Safe.”
“Short films are beautiful but they are undervalued. I think it’s important for film festivals to nurture this,” he added.
For aspiring filmmakers, doing short films is building your portfolio. “It’s a very important platform,” Park reiterated.
TMFF consultant and director Ed Cabagnot agreed, “The thing about short films is that it’s not just a version of a full-length film. The aesthetics of a short film is totally different from a full length because the thing is, you’re trying to build a world with a very interesting character in a very limited time. So I think the crafting of a short film is more difficult.”
He added, “The City of Manila really hopes to build the festival (TMFF) into something that can almost rival Ed Lejano’s QCinema or even Cinemalaya, but they’re not rivals they’re friends.”
Meanwhile, Park praised the inaugural run of TMFF, stressing that the festivals in the Philippines are “actually the frontiers in Asia.”
He further said, “You have a long history of cinema and Philippines was the first country in Southeast Asia to be aggressively discovered by the festival circuit in the world,” referring to the works of internationally-acclaimed directors Brillante Mendoza and Lav Diaz, among others.
Park himself fell in love with Philippine cinema through Marlon Rivera’s 2011 comedy that poked fun at the film industry, “Ang Babae Sa Septic Tank,” starring Eugene Domingo. It made the rounds of international festivals, including Busan.
What he admired about Philippine filmfests are the funding opportunities they’ve been providing filmmakers.
“And the interesting thing about the festivals in the Philippines, you are actually producing the films not just showcasing them,” he said. “Producing means you are funding (these films) and you are discovering projects, like scripts, etc. and then you support them financially and boost them to the finish line.
“And then you showcase the film during the festival, which is very beautiful. It’s not like this for most of the festivals outside of the Philippines.”
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