Marian Rivera, Cedrick Juan top bill Cinemalaya Bente entries

Cinemalaya XX Officials, Film Makers, and Cast

Half a year after the commercial and critical successes of their respective Metro Manila Film Festival entries, Marian Rivera and Cedrick Juan return to the film festival circuit with their latest starrers at the 20th Cinemalaya Philippine Independent Film Festival happening this August 2-11, 2024, at the Ayala Malls Manila Bay.

With teaser images of a deglamorized Marian Rivera making the rounds in social media, her starrer Balota by Kip Oebanda (Liway, 2018) is one of the most highly anticipated entries this year. Winning the Best Actor for GomBurZa at the 2023 MMFF catapulted Cedrick Juan to the mainstream. Expectations are high to see if he could bag another film festival best actor win with Gulay Lang, Manong! by BC Amparado.

Marian Rivera and Kip Oebanda

Both Rivera and Juan are not new to Cinemalaya though. Rivera had a guest role, playing herself, in the Vilma Santos starrer Ekstra (2013), while Juan had a bit role in Ang Sayaw ng Dalawang Kaliwang Paa (2011) by Alvin Yapan. 

Despite their high profiles and acclaimed past outings, it is too premature to hand them outright with the Balanghai Trophy since Cinemalaya has had its share of surprises come Awards night in its two decades of existence.

Cedrick Juan (3rd from left) and BC Amparado (rightmost)
with Gulay Lang, Manong! team

With the Cultural Center of the Philippines' Main Building still undergoing major rehabilitation, Cinemalaya XX which has adopted the theme of Loob, Lalim, Lakas for this edition, will be hosted at the Ayala Malls Manila Bay which will be decked with the exhibits, booths, lounges, etc. that have characterized the festival for the past two decades.

Cinemalaya XX Full-Length Film Category Film Makers

Here are the Full-Length Category entries for Cinemalaya XX.

Alipato at Muog/Flying Embers and a Fortress

Director: JL Burgos

The abduction of Jonas Burgos in 2007 was brazen – done at noontime in a crowded mall. As his family launched their search, a car plate brought them face to face with powerful forces. Despite insurmountable barriers, anonymous informants have dropped leads and even provided the last known photo of Jonas in captivity. Edita, the 80-year old mother, and her filmmaker son lead the long and arduous fight for justice. Presented through testimonials of their lawyer, a reporter, a former Justice Secretary and Human Rights Commission Chair, and witnesses who agreed to appear on condition of anonymity, combined with animation and never-before-seen footage of the family’s relentless search, the documentary film weaves the stories together to uncover the truths, however painful, about the brother’s disappearance.

Balota

Director: Kip Oebanda

Cast: Marian Rivera, Will Ashley, Royce Cabrera, Nico Antonio, Raheel Bhyria, Esnyr, Sassa Gurl, Donna Cariaga, Sue Prado, Joel Saracho, Gardo Versoza, Mae Paner

During the 2007 elections, a former sexy star and a land-grabbing tycoon are in a tight race for mayor. Emmy, a strict yet popular teacher in a small town, is assigned to the Board of Election Inspectors for her local precinct. When violence erupts, she runs into the forest with a ballot box containing the last copy of the election results. Armed only with her resourcefulness, courage and wit, she tries to outmaneuver the goons who want the elections to fail. Her loved ones and community are caught in the crossfire as she pays an increasingly steep price for defending the democratic process.

An Errand

Director: Dominic Bekaert

Screenplay: Sarge Lacuesta

Cast: Sid Lucero, Art Acuña, Nanding Josef, Elora Españo, Elora Españo, Eric Kelly, Thea Marabut

Moroy, a driver, is jolted awake in the dead of night by an urgent call from SIR, his middle-aged boss, demanding he fetch his Viagra. Speeding off from Baguio to Manila, Moroy's mind drifts between reality and fantasy, unveiling SIR's secrets and reflecting on his interactions with fellow drivers and Brenda, SIR's office mistress. As the long journey unfolds, Moroy undergoes a profound transformation. Upon his return, Moroy finds himself forever changed.

Gulay Lang, Manong!/No More than Veggies

Director: BC Amparado

Cast: Cedrick Juan, Perry Dizon, BJ Tolits Forbes, Ranzel, Dong Abay, Lui Manansala

Struggling farmer Pilo Sabado faces trouble when his grandson Ricky gets involved in the cannabis trade with his friend Razer. As the local drug war heats up, Ricky is caught by police officer Ariel Lacson. Ariel offers Pilo a deal: help catch Razer, and Ricky goes free. As they dive deeper into the cartel, they discover the cannabis trade is linked to a powerful senator with personal reasons for involvement. This revelation shakes Pilo and Ariel, making them choose between their future and doing the right thing amidst betrayals and shifting alliances.

The Hearing

Director: Lawrence Fajardo

Screenplay: Honee Alipio

Cast: Mylene Dizon, Nor Domingo, Ina Feleo, Ruby Ruiz, Enzo Osorio, Angie Castrence, Marvin Yap, Rom Factolerin, Rome Mallari, Ruslan Jacob Asumbrado

Lucas, a deaf boy from a small fishing village, is sexually abused by Fr. Mejor, an influential priest. After his parents Madonna and Dante discover the truth, they decide to file a court case against the priest despite the obstacles in their way. In their pursuit of justice, they cross paths with sign language interpreter Maya, who has also witnessed powerful people manipulate the results of cases. In a society where few choose to listen, how can they win against forces that silence those who cannot speak and break the souls of those who can?

Kantil/Trench

Director: Joshua Caesar Medroso

Cast: Edmund Telmo, Andre Miguel, Sue Prado, Raul Arellano, Ram Botero, Perry Dizon, Fe Gingging Hyde, Tads Obach, Alyssa Makiling, Ryle Equia

Star-crossed lovers Paleng and Eliong bid farewell as their love is threatened by the imminent demolition of Paleng’s coastal village. However, when a fisherman discovers a mysterious alien shell lurking in a trench, the community is confronted with a wave of hope and intrigue, jealousy and fear. As tensions surge like an incoming tide, their tangled lives unravel secrets on how to navigate the turbulent waters ahead, their ultimate survival depends on hidden truths that need to be retrieved from the depths of the trench.

Kono Basho

Director: Jaime Pacena II

Cast: Gabby Padilla, Arisa Nakano

Ella, a 28-year-old Filipina anthropologist, travels to Rikuzentakata City for her estranged father Emman's funeral, where she navigates the cultural and emotional complexities of his second family, including her Japanese half-sister, Reina. As they confront their intertwined histories, Ella and Reina find solace and connection, each reevaluating their perceptions of their father. Their journey of self-discovery intersects with Rikuzentakata's post-2011 earthquake and tsunami recovery. Discovering their father's photographs propels them on a path of rediscovery, exploring their relationships and individual identities. This poignant narrative explores themes of family, loss, identity, and renewal, reflecting deeply on the Filipino diaspora amid a backdrop of historical trauma.

Love Child

Director: Jonathan Jurilla

Cast: RK Bagatsing, Jane Oineza, John Tyrron Ramos

College sweethearts Ayla and Paolo decide to drop out of school to start a family after a whirlwind romance leads to an unplanned pregnancy. Four years later, they are devastated to learn that their son, Kali, is diagnosed with autism. As they navigate the complexities of raising a child with special needs, they confront an increasingly unsupportive environment. Their journey challenges their relationship and the dream of a complete, harmonious family, forcing them to find strength and resilience in the face of adversity.

The Wedding Dance

Director: Julius Lumiqued

Cast: Mai Fanglayan, Arvin Balageo

Following the Japanese invasion in the 1940s, Awiyao comes home to his wife Lumnay to ask her to attend the wedding dance, an invitation that stirs memories of joy, pain, and emptiness. It is an invitation to celebrate his new wedding dance.

Tumandok

Directors: Arlie Sweet Sumagaysay, Richard Jeroui Salvadico

Cast: Jenaica Sangher, Felipe Ganancial

Despite contentions from historians, legend has it that in ancient times, an Ati chieftain traded their land to Bornean datus for a necklace and a wide-brimmed hat made of gold. The mountains were left to the Atis, while the plains and rivers went to the Malays. Today, even the mountains are under threat, sometimes violently taken from the Atis.

Featuring an all-Ati non-professional acting ensemble, speaking in their own language, Inati, the film reveals the struggle of these indigenous people to reclaim their land. As one Ati once said, “Tell us where the end of the earth is, and we will go there to live in peace, untouched.”

Cinemalaya XX Short Film Category Film Makers

The Short Films in competition this year are Abogbaybay by P.R. Monencillo Patindol, All This Wasted Space by Cris Bringas, Ambot Wala Ko Kabalo Unsay I-Title Ini by Rey Anthony Villaverde, Cross My Heart and Hope to Die by Sam Manasca, I was Walking on the Streets of Chinatown by Ryan Capili, Mana by Alexandra Brizuela, Mariposa by Melanie Faye Tampos, Pamalandong sa Dano/Reflection in the Marsh by Breech Asher Harani, Primetime Mother by Sonny Calvento, The Red Trails/An Baga sa Dalan by Mariel Ritchie Jolejole and Roniño Dolim.

Balanghai Trophy

Sheron Dayoc's The Gospel of the Beast serves as the festival's opening film while the new 4K restored version of Bona directed by Lino Brocka and starring Nora Aunor, both National Artists for Film and Broadcast Arts, will be the closing film. Other highlights of the festival include 36th Gawad CCP Para sa Alternatibong Pelikula at Video, Retrospective, Best of the Festivals, Visions of Asia, Premieres, Dokyu, and Digital Classics.

Cinemalaya XX is presented by the Cultural Center of the Philippines and the Cinemalaya Foundation, Inc. Other screening venues include Ayala Mall Cinemas at UP Town Center, Greenbelt, Market Market, and Trinoma.

Adrian Ong: A young violinist's philosophical love for music

Adrian Ong

Falling in love with music wasn’t a watershed moment for 24-year-old violin prodigy Adrian Ong. His affection for the art gradually blossomed after watching a televised violin performance when he was 4 years old. Immediately enamored, Ong’s journey began simply: he requested violin lessons as a hobby.

“I tried swimming and taekwondo when we couldn’t find a teacher for me. By the time we found one through a family friend, I was already 9 years old,” Ong recalled. Thankfully, his parents, Jeanne, and Alan Ong, supported his childhood dream, despite leaning towards dentistry.

Ong’s love for the art of music grew stronger after becoming a scholar at the Philippine High School for the Arts (PHSA) in Makiling. Later, he graduated with honors from the Interlochen Arts Academy in Michigan under another scholarship. Ong also received a merit-based scholarship from the Mannes School of Music, where he graduated with honors.

Under mentors Mellissa Geronimo Esguerra, Gina Medina-Perez, Paul Sonner, Lewis Kaplan, and Yibin Li, Ong furthered his studies. He also attended masterclasses with master musicians Ilya Kaler, Almita Vamos, Charles Castleman, Philippe Quint, and Thanos Adamopoulos. Besides polishing his musical instinct over the years, Ong learned to fall in love with every piece he played: “Whatever I’m playing is my favorite. Currently, I’m practicing a waltz composed by Eugène Ysaÿe, so it’s now one of my favorites.”

The intended emotions of the composer make the melodies memorable for Ong. He added, “I take note of the emotions, even the humor or the campiness of the song.”

Because of the emotions behind the compositions, music inevitably transforms people. Ong always adored how music is an invisible art form that brings people together. “It’s based on feelings and what you can express through sound,” he lamented. Through playing the violin, he witnesses stories as told by composers.

“It’s interesting how I can peek into the composer’s life. I also imagine colors as I’m playing because of the story behind the song,” Ong shared. Partaking in every composition’s story, Ong would see colors or moods, depending on the sound he played. Music is heard by the ear, but somehow every harmony opens his eyes.

Having his orchestral debut with the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra (PPO) at the age of 17, Ong plowed through performance after performance. In May 2023, he played at Carnegie Hall in New York, achieving what seemed to be every classical musician’s dream. “I had my own show. It was very fulfilling,” he expressed. He even played alongside Filipino-American world-renowned pianist Victor Asunción, making the performance all the more meaningful.

Grateful was an understatement as to how Ong felt. He also found the experience insightful, solidifying Carnegie Hall as the highlight of his career after being declared one of the scholars of the Cultural Center of the Philippines’ International Scholarship Program. “It’s really very inspiring to play, especially with this generation as your audience,” expressed Ong.

After performing with fellow CCP scholars Aidan Baracol and Mark Rocas at the Young People’s Concert in 2023, Ong looked forward to the future of classical music in the Philippines. He found it easy to connect with the concert-goers, disproving the age-old misconception that classical music is too complex for young audiences.

Ong elaborated, “It’s easy to understand as long as you’re willing to listen. You just have to keep an open mind.”

Adrian Ong in his Carnegie Hall debut in 2023

As part of the CCP’s International Scholarship Program, which provides financial support for academic and artistic learners who have achieved excellence in their respective art forms, Ong decided to make the most out of the opportunity. He would watch concerts and attend masterclasses for other instruments.

For Ong, the scholarship opened more avenues for him to learn beyond the violin. “Each instrument requires a different view of music-making. Different instruments have different philosophies behind them,” he explained.

Slowly building a name for himself internationally, Ong wanted to prioritize his homeland first. He attended Helping Through Music: A Benefit Concert for Childhope PH and Museo Pambata in 2023, where an instrument petting zoo was held.

Ong recalled feeling indescribable joy upon seeing children express interest in the violin: “I want to share what I learned here in the Philippines, with its next generation,” he declared. Following through on this promise, he began coaching and collaborating with the Philippine Suzuki Youth Orchestra, alongside Herrick Ortiz.

But Ong never really expected to get into PHSA, where his love for music finally influenced his career path. By the time he received the news, he was already enrolled in another university. Still, he followed his heart and immediately transferred. Playing the violin may have started as a hobby for Ong, but with each performance sharpening his distinct sound, his journey as a violinist became clearer.

“I think this is what I’ll be doing for the rest of my life,” Ong said, smiling with fond certainty.

Carla Guevara-Laforteza, Shiela Valderrama-Martinez, Tanya Manalang-Atadero headline latest Triple Threats concert series

Carla Guevara-Laforteza, Shiela Valderrama-Martinez,
and Tanya Manalang-Atadero

The stage is all set for the latest edition of the Cultural Center of the Philippines' Triple Threats - Leading Women of Philippine Musical Theater featuring Carla Guevara-Laforteza, Shiela Valderrama-Martinez, and Tanya Manalang-Atadero.

The trio have been on a comeback trail since the pandemic restrictions were eased, performing with a vengeance in productions Joseph the Dreamer for Guevara-Laforteza, Rama Hari for Valderrama-Martinez, and in Tick, Tick... Boom! for Manalang-Atedero just to name a few. Now, each get to shine in their own respective Triple Threats concert to be held at the Tanghalang Ignacio B. Gimenez (CCP Black Box Theater)

Carla Guevara-Laforteza

Kicking off the series is Carla Guevara-Laforteza in Á la Carlotta happening on July 25, 2024, 7:30 PM which incidentally is already a sold out affair.

This concert boasts a creative team led by Paolo Valenciano as director; Gerard Salonga as music director, Joseph Trinidad as writer, and Mio Infante as production designer. This also marks the return of the FILharmoniKA Orchestra.

Shiela Valderrama-Martinez

Shiela Valderrama-Martinez takes to the stage on October 17, 2024 with Menchu Lauchengco-Yulo taking the helm as the director along with Rony Fortich as the music director.

Tanya Manalang-Atadero

Tanya Manalang-Atadero wraps up the series on December 12, 2024. Her creative team is yet to be announced but she teases that her concert will emphasize on her journey as an artist and bringing along people whom she has shared this journey with.

Carla Guevara-Laforteza, Shiela Valderrama-Martinez,
and Tanya Manalang-Atadero

Ticket prices are priced each at P1,500 VIP and P1,000 standard.

Reliving K-Dramas at PPO's OST Symphony concert

Gaho, Julie Anne San Jose, Zephanie, and the Philiippine Philharmonic Orchestra

Korean dramas have undeniably been a lifeline to countless people forced to remain at their homes during the peak of the pandemic. It's no surprise then that series like Crash Landing on You (2019) and Squid Game (2021) have become global hits and pop culture phenomena.

The impact of these Korean dramas have never been more felt than at the recent OST Symphony K-Drama in Concert featuring the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra (PPO). Fans of K-Dramas came in droves at the Metropolitan Theater for the matinee and evening performances of this concert presented by the Korean Cultural Center of the Philippines (KCC), The National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA), and the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP).

Under the baton of Herminigildo Ranera, the PPO performed music from a selection of K-Dramas that brought the audience back to the times when they painstakingly watched (and most likely re-watched) each episode of these dramas. The K-Dramas ranged from recent favorites like Descendants of the Sun (2016), Extraordinary Attorney Woo (2022), Love in the Moonlight (2016), King the Land (2023), Start-Up (2020), Itaewon Class (2020), The World of the Married (2020), and Mr. Sunshine (2018) to modern classics like My Love from the Star (2013), Hwang Jini (2006), Jewel in the Palace (2003), All In (2003), and Behind the White Tower (2007).

Since the event is in commemoration of the 75th Anniversary of Philippine and Korean Diplomatic Relations, the concert featured song numbers by Zephanie, singing Nagbago ang Daigdig from the recently concluded GMA primetime drama My Guardian Alien (2024), and Julie Anne San Jose, performing the English version of You are My Everything from the Philippine adaptation of the series Descendants of the Sun (2020).

Performing with no frills nor any gimmicks, both Zephanie and Julie Anne displayed their impressive range while not resorting to unnecessary vocal gymnastics as they were dutifully accompanied by the PPO's sweeping strings.

Gaho and the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra

Korean singer/songwriter Gaho was definitely the main highlight of the night with him performing three numbers namely Yellow Light from King the Land, Running from Start-Up, and capping it up with his chart topper Start Over from Itaewon Class. The way Gaho engaged the audience to sing along provided some K-Pop moments to what had been a purely symphonic affair until he took to the stage.

Guest concertmaster, Korean violinist Kim Mi-Jung, along with PPO's principal cellist Gerry Gonzales and principal violist Joy Allan dela Cruz, had their share of the spotlight with respective solos that most likely merited the shuffling of some pieces to be played towards the end of the concert. The PPO top-billed the event so it was only fitting that some of the principals had their moments.

The encore performance with music from Goblin (2016), proved that the series remains as one of the most popular K-Dramas out there. As soon as clips of lead actor Gong Yoo was shown on the screen, there was a collective gush among the audience. It wouldn't be a surprise if a number of them binge watched the series once again after returning home from the concert.