A Next Level Film Festival: Cinemalaya 2016
By 8List
Cinemalaya has always showcased films and directors of exceptional caliber, and we’ve been witness to the bright future that awaits Philippine independent cinema. This year, following its theme of “Break the Surface,” the Cinemalaya Foundation takes its 12th film festival to the next level, introducing new things that make it bigger and better than ever before.
8. Modifying the Full-Length Feature Film Category
After being postponed at last year’s Cinemalaya Independent Film Festival, the Full-Length Feature Films category is making a comeback with two major modifications, beginning with the removal of subcategories New Breed and Director’s Showcase. This creates an even playing field where newbie filmmakers are given an opportunity to tackle their veteran counterparts head-on.
The second is giving the full-length feature films a two-year production cycle where a quarter of the year is spent for the selection process, and the rest for the production. We can expect to see films of increasing quality and detail in the years to come.
7. Expansion to a venue outside Luzon
Aside from screening the films in more cinema houses within the metro including Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) theaters, Greenbelt 3, Glorietta, Trinoma, UP Town Center, and Solenad Nuvali, Laguna, Cinemalaya will now also be screened at Ayala Center Cebu to reach more Filipinos and film buffs outside of Luzon.
6. Green Carpet Screening
5. Partnership with Eiga Sai
The Cinemalaya Independent Film Festival and Eiga Sai Japanese Film Festival, through the Japan Foundation, formed a partnership to create the ‘Allied Festival’ with the aim of encouraging dialogue between filmmakers from both countries and increasing event promotion.
Through the alliance, two Japanese films, Ken and Kazu by Hiroshi Shoji, and August in Tokyo by Ryutaro Nakagawa, will be screened during Cinemalaya for free.
