The Cinemalaya Philippine Independent Film Festival is a Film Festival that is held annually here in the Philippines in the month of August. Its aim is the development and the promotion of Filipino independent films, the encourage the creation of new cinematic works by Filipino filmmakers with fresh insight and artistic integrity.
To give you a majestic view of the Filipino shorts that made it, here’s a lit of Cinemalaya Short Films that made it through and little background to excite you:
AMPANGABAGAT NIN TALAKBA HA LIKOL (It’s Raining Frogs Outside)
Directed by Maria Estela Paiso, this is a story about a girl who is forced to go home to Zambales because the world is about to end. She then confronts her childhood house that terrorizes her as frogs rain outside.
BLACK RAINBOW
Black Rainbow is about an Aeta boy who chases his dreams of going to school to learn how to read the legal documents given to their community for him to understand why they are being forced to give up their ancestral lands. This short film is directed by Zig Dulay, Filipino filmmaker known for creating provocative regional films that explore socio-political and cultural issues.
CITY OF FLOWERS
City of Flowers is about a couple’s attempt to survive the devastatingly low yield of their flower farm and raise money for the birth of their first child lead to an unforeseen ending. This is directed by Xeph Suarez, a filmmaker from Zamboanga.
DIKIT
Written and directed by Gabriela Serrano, Dikit is based on a lost silent film by Jose Nepomuceno. This is a story about a young woman with a monstrous secret desperately longs for a different body. When a new couple moves in next door, she sees her chance to finally get one. Dikit reimagines classic Philippine folklore into a contemporary diptych of feminine bodies, rage, and freedom.
DISTANCE
Distance is about the story of a mother-son reunion that leads them to confront their forgotten relationship. After working overseas for seven years, a mother returns home to her son. The abrupt reunion forces the pair to face up to their estranged connection. This is directed by Dexter Paul de Jesus.
DUWA-DUWA
Directed by a Boholano filmmaker Nena Jane Achacoso, Duwa-Duwa is a short film about a runaway daughter comes home to steal her mother’s prized rooster only to find out it isn’t worth as much as she thought.
KWITS
Timely and very relevant, Kwits by Raz De La Torre is story of a man who tries to get by in the time of COVID-19 with the simplest of goals: to get his ayuda. The director of this film has been a professional storyteller in film and television. He had blockbuster films and directed primetime TV shows including A Soldier’s Heart which was recognized by the Asian Creative Academy Awards.
MGA HANDUM NGA NASULAT SA BARAS (The Dreams That Are Written On The Sand)
This comedy, drama, and a musical type of short film tells the story of the three boys Makoy, Kaloy, and Buknoy who become teachers to their parents during the pandemic. The film depicts how parents become teachers to their children, and how children become teachers to their parents. This is directed by Ilonggo filmmakers, Arlie Sweet Sumagaysay and Richard Jeroui Salvadico.
Mata Kang Busay (Vision of the Falls)
Directed by Nino Maldecir, this story is about a mysterious falls, which is “power-giving to those generous to her demands.” The film poses the question, “When she does her bidding, what are you prepared to commit?”
Roundtrip to Happiness
Roundtrip to Happiness is a story about friends Ara and Hiro who visit Google Earth for the first time which takes them to different places such as Quezon, Banaue, and Disneyland. While virtually visiting these places, the two friends talk about random topics, including Hiro’s dream to become the president. This short film is directed by Claudia Fernando, a filmmaker who has produced short films focusing on women and children empowerment and the out-of-school youth sector.
See you, George!
This medical drama directed by Mark Moneda centers on the story of a group of hospital workers takes a trip down memory lane as they honor the life of one of their colleagues. The solemn gathering suddenly turns into a recollection of dark and haunting memories.
Si Oddie
Totally relatable, Si Oddie—directed by Maria Kydylee Torato, is a story about a delivery rider struggles to find his untraceable customer while racing against time in a life and death situation. Oddie encounters several people related to her until he crosses paths with someone who will change his day-to-day life as a delivery rider.
