Vilma Santos is the lead star of Jeffrey Jeturian’s Ekstra; Eugene Domingo of Leo Abaya’s Instant Mommy; Gretchen Barretto of Christopher Ad. Castillo’s The Diplomat Hotel, and Alessandra De Rossi of Gil M. Portes’ Liars.
Anita Linda, a favourite muse of indie film directors, is in David F by Emmanuel Palo and Nuwebe by Joseph Israel Laban, which also stars Jake Cuenca. Lovi Poe appears in Jerrold Tarog’s Sana Dati with Paulo Avelino, who also leads Debosyon.
Second generation directors Christopher Ad. Castillo, son of the late Celso Ad. Castillo, Mikhail Red, son of Raymond Red, and Paolo O’Hara, nephew of the late Mario O’Hara, are in the running in this year’s Cinemalaya. Castillo has his The Diplomat Hotel; Red has hisRekorder and O’Hara has his The Houseband’s Wife.
This year, Cinemalaya offers a full slate of 25 films in its three competition categories. Cinemalaya’s main competition categories are the New Breed full length feature category and the Short Feature category featuring works by new directors. The Directors Showcase is a competition for works by established directors.
Finalists for the New Breed category:
1. Babagwa (The Spider’s Lair) by Jason Paul Laxamana
2. David F by Emmanuel Palo
3. Debosyon by Alvin Yapan
4. Instant Mommy by Leo Abaya
5. Nuwebe by Joseph Israel Laban
6. Purok 7 by Carlo Obispo
7. Quick Change by Eduardo Roy Jr.
8. Rekorder by Mikhail Red
9. The Diplomat Hotel by Christopher Ad. Castillo
10. Transit by Hannah Espia
Finalists for the Directors Showcase:
1. Amor y Muerte by Ces M. Evangelista
2. Ekstra by Jeffrey Jeturian
3. Sana Dati by Jerrold Tarog
4. Liars by Gil M. Portes
5. Porno by Adolfo Alix Jr.
Finalists for the Short Feature category:
1. Bakaw by Ron Segismundo
2. Katapusang Labok (Last Strike) by Aiess Athina E. Alonso
3. Missing by Zig Dulay
4. Onang by JE Tiglao
5. Para kay Ama by Relyn A. Tan
6. Pukpok by Joaquin Pantaleon
7. Sa Wakas by Nica Santiago
8. Taya by Adi Bontuyan
9. The Houseband’s Wife by Paolo O’ Hara
10. Tutob by Kissza Mari Campano
Winners of the competition will be named in the Awards night on August 4 at the CCP.
The 9th Cinemalaya is an all-digital film festival. It aims to discover, encourage and honor cinematic works of Filipino filmmakers.
Cinemalaya will run from July 26-August 4, 2013 at the CCP, TriNoma, Greenbelt 3 and Alabang Town Center.
It will feature about 70 films on exhibition with twenty five in competition.
(Posters and info from the Cultural Center of the Philippines)