Cinemalaya 18 breaks through the noise as full length films, cinema screenings return

After two online editions with only short films in competition, the 18th Cinemalaya Philippine Independent Film Festival welcomes the return of the full length feature films as the festival heads back to the cinemas beginning on August 5 at the Cultural Center of the Philippines.

Adapting the slogan Breaking Through the Noise, Cinemalaya 18 sees 11 full length films and 12 short films competing to win the Balanghai trophy.

Short film directors with Joey Reyes

The short films in the line up this year are Ampangabagat nin Talakba ha Likol by Maria Estela Paiso; Black Rainbow by Zig Dulay; City of Flowers by Xeph Suarez; Dikit by Gabriela Serrano; Distance by Dexter Paul de Jesus; Duwa-Duwa by Nena Jana Achacoso; Kwits by Raz de la Torre; Mata Kang Busay by Nińo B. Maldecir and Cypher John T. Gayorgor; Mga Handum nga Nasulat sa Baras by Arlie Sweet Sumagaysay and Richard Jeroui Salvadico; See You, George! by Mark Moneda; Si Oddie by Maria Kydylee Torato; and Roundtrip to Happiness by Claudia Fernando.

Full length film directors with Joey Reyes

The full length films, consisting of finalists from 2020 & 2021, are 12 Weeks by Anna Isabelle Matutina; Angkas by Rain Yamson; Bakit ‘Di Mo Sabihin? by Real S. Florido; The Baseball Player by Carlo Obispo; Batsoy by Ronald Espinosa Batallones; Blue Room by Ma-an L. Asuncion-Dagñalan; Bula Sa Langit by Sheenly Gener; Ginhawa by Christian Paolo Lat; Kaluskos by Roman S. Perez, Jr.; Kargo by TM Malones; and Retirada by Milo Alto Paz and Cynthia Cruz-Paz.

At the recent press conference, the first held on site since 2019, Festival Director Chris Millado announced that the festival's opening film will be Leonor Will Never Die by Martika Ramirez Escobar, a winner of the Special Jury Prize for Innovative Spirit at the latest Sundance Film Festival making its Philippine premiere at the Cinemalaya.

Coleen Garcia

Also announced are the closing films, the documentaries Delikado by Karl Malakunas and We Don't Dance for Nothing by Stefanos Tai, signaling the inclusion of the much awaited documentary section in next year's edition. The Cinemalaya Awards Night will be on August 14, 2022 at the Tanghalang Nicanor Abelardo (CCP Main Theater).

JC de Vera

The festival continues to offer the Gawad CCP Para sa Alternatibong Pelikula at Video, considered the longest-running independent film competition of its kind in the ASEAN region, to be screened on August 6-8, 2022 at the CCP's Tanghalang Manuel Conde. The Gawad Alternatibo awarding will take place on August 13, 2022.

The Cinemalaya shorts from 2020 & 2021 will finally be screened at the big screen this year. A retrospective of works featuring departed Cinemalaya directors and actors will also be on offer. Absent this year are the Asian film offerings via the Visions of Asia and Allied Festival screenings.

Zephanie

Cinemalaya 18 will run at the CCP on August 5-14, 2022. The films in competition will be screened in select commercial cinemas on August 10-17, 2022. Cinemalaya then tours the regions with campus and community screenings happening in August 22-29, 2022. An online run through CCP's Vimeo channel will take place on October 17-31, 2022.

Here are the full length film entries for Cinemalaya 18.

12 Weeks

Director: Anna Isabelle Matutina

Cast: Max Eigenmann, Bing Pimentel, Vance Larena, Claudia Enriquez

After ending her toxic relationship with her boyfriend Ben, 40-year-old Alice discovers she is pregnant. With her age and current relationship status, her first instinct is to have the pregnancy terminated. As her body undergoes dramatic changes, Alice struggles and needs to decide what to do. Will she slide back into the arms of Ben? What will this mean for the child growing inside her?

Angkas

Director: Rain Yamson

Cast: Joem Bascon, Benjamin Alves, Meryll Soriano, Jolo Estrada (special participation)

Two estranged friends rebuild their embittered past while traveling together in a habal-habal to retrieve a dead pal.

Bakit ‘Di Mo Sabihin?

Director: Real S. Florido

Cast: JC De Vera, Janine Gutierrez, Divine Aucina, Shing Gener, RJ Agustin, Sunshine Teodoro, Althea Ruedas, Luke Simon Cornel, Dess Verzosa, Disney Aguila, Jamil Carvajal

Deaf couple Miguel and Nat have been struggling to keep their marriage. After a huge fight, Miguel leaves his wife alone in Manila and decides to live in Baler with their kids. As he starts a new life, Miguel is reminded about the reasons he married Nat by his family's relentless stories about how modern a woman Nat is, and how he failed in so many ways to recognize that he fell in love with a younger deaf woman. One Christmas Eve, Miguel finally made a move to tell Nat everything she needed to know.

The Baseball Player

Director: Carlo Obispo

Cast: Tommy Alejandrino, JM San Jose, Tess Antonio, Don Melvin Boongaling, Sue Prado, Pongs Leonardo, Joel Saracho, Bon Lentejas, Ely Cellan, Arnold Reyes (special participation)

Amir, a 17-year-old Moro child soldier whose father was killed in all-out war in 2000, dreams to live a different life – he wants to become a baseball player. Training extensively with his coach, he makes it to the final tryout of a local university. Unfortunately, another all-out war against Moro rebels breaks out in 2003, and he is confronted with making a choice between pursuing his dream or fighting in the war.

Batsoy

Director: Ronald Batallones

Cast: Ethan Sean Sotto, Markko Cambas, Karen Laurrie Mendoza, Nathan J. Sotto, Jonalie Asdolo

After selling firewood for their basic needs, siblings Toto and Nonoy go to buy batsoy, the food that the younger brother has been craving the most. Mt. Manaphag, which faces the town of San Dionisio, becomes the silent witness to their journey to satisfy their craving. Their adventure will ultimately bring viewers to the world of magic, fantasy and reality.

Blue Room

Director: Ma-an L. Asuncion-Dagñalan

Cast: juan karlos, Harvey Bautista, Nourijune, Keoni Jin and Elijah Canlas. With Soliman Cruz, Bombi Plata, Jericho Arceo, Bon Lentejas, Richard Cepeda

Progressive rock band members make a difficult choice between freedom or standing up for what they believe.

Bula sa Langit

Director: Sheenly Gener

Cast: Gio Gahol, Kate Alejandrino, AIR

Acting as if coming home from a vacation, young Marawi war veteran Wesley is excited to bring his girlfriend Ritz home to meet his family. Showered with unsolicited hero worship upon his homecoming, Wesley struggles to reconnect with his present relationships with his family and lover all while celebrating the town fiesta. Overwhelmed and alienated, the young soldier finds himself haunted by one of his traumatic kills, and in this internal war, he is alone. Compounded and triggered, his frustration shoots up in one of his conversations with Ritz. He impulsively goes to the carnival to confront his trauma.

Ginhawa

Director: Christian Paolo Lat

Cast: Andrew Ramsay, Duane Lucas Pascua, Ruby Ruiz, Rolando Inocencio, Dido de la Paz, Ruth Lopez-Dee, Elan Villafuerte, Shun Andrei Bacalla, Roel Abao, Kiko Matos, Jun Nayra, Jan Rebong, Chanel Latorre

Anton is an aspiring boxer. He hopes to continue the legacy of his older brother Saul, who was given a chance to escape poverty by joining a competition in the city but later faced tragedy. Against his mother’s wishes, Anton leaves their small fishing town to pursue boxing in Manila where he unravels the ugly truth of the brutal sport.

Kaluskos

Director: Roman S. Perez, Jr.

Cast: Coleen Garcia, Queenzy Calma, Karl Medina, Cara Gonzales, Elora Espano

Rebekah files for sole custody for her young daughter Amaya. But this doesn’t sit well with her estranged husband Jay. Amid the custody battle, Rebekah finds another “Amaya” under the bed. When the other Amaya emerges, Rebekah feels the motherly connection that she lost with her daughter. The other Amaya insists that she is the real Amaya trapped under the bed because of a curse, and the other one is the impostor. Wanting to start a new life with the other Amaya, Rebekah seeks to set her free. But to do that, she needs to kill the impostor.

Kargo

Director: TM Malones

Cast: Max Eigenmann, Jess Mendoza, Myles Robles, Ronnie Lazaro (special participation)

When her entire family perished in a motorcycle accident at a rough highway in Maasin, Iloilo, Sara crashed into a deep depression, which was gradually replaced with an overpowering need to avenge them. Believing that her husband and daughter were murdered, she searches for the man who killed her entire family to find some closure. But at the end of her journey, she untangles something she did not quite expect – a discovery that could profoundly change her entire life.

Retirada

Directors: Cynthia Cruz-Paz, Milo Alto Paz

Cast: Peewee O’Hara, Jerry O’Hara, Donna Cariaga, Dexter Doria, Nanding Josef, Lui Manansala, Johana Basanta

Despite her husband Edong’s assurance, Azon Marcelo experiences melancholia as she adjusts to her life as a retired government employee. Their neighbor Chayong introduces the game of Bingo to Azon. After hitting the jackpot, Azon becomes a regular Bingo player hoping to duplicate her initial windfall. But her new sense of purpose and the adrenaline rush from her new hobby would teach her what retirement really means.