Short and full length films that illuminate our culture

Arias

BY ALWIN IGNACIO

FROM August 4 to 13, the center of the Philippine cinematic universe is at the Philippine International Convention Center (PICC) as it becomes the new home of the most prestigious independent film festival, Cinemalaya.

AWARD-WINNING journalist Korina

Sanchez-Roxas inked a co-production deal with ABS-CBN for the news magazine and lifestyle show Rated Korina on Wednesday (July 5).

“I always knew na I was going to be back.

I was never not a Kapamilya anyway. You can take the girl away from the birthplace, but you can’t take the birthplace away from the girl. In this case, you can’t take away the ABS-CBN in Korina because this is where I grew,” she said during the contract signing.

Korina also shared the reason why her show Rated Korina stood the test of time.

“The thing about Rated Korina, its longevity, is based on the fact that hindi kailanman tayo’y mawawalan ng kwentong totoo mula sa mga tunay na tao and I’ve always maintained, which was my very first campaign promoting the show in ABSCBN, that these are the big stories and small lives,” she explained.

Present at the contract signing to welcome Korina were ABS-CBN chairman Mark L. Lopez, ABS-CBN president and CEO Carlo L. Katigbak, COO of broadcast Cory V. Vidanes, OIC of finance group Vincent Paul O. Piedad, and Global Resource Creative Exchange president and talent manager Girlie Rodis

Korina served as Chief Correspondent for the Integrated News and Current Affairs Division of ABS-CBN for over two decades.

She has been the face of some Kapamilya programs such as Hoy Gising, Bandila, Balitang K, Rated K, and TV Patrol

As a news magazine and lifestyle show, Rated Korina features inspiring stories of Filipinos from all walks of life. It airs every Saturday at 6:15 p.m. on Kapamilya Channel, Kapamilya Online Live, and A2Z, while it airs at 9:45 p.m. on TV5. The show is also available for streaming on iWantTFC and TFC.

Now in its 19th edition, the Cinemalaya Philippine Independent Film Festival highlights short and full-length films that illuminate our culture, present contemporary times and its morality, reminisce the past, and promise to deliver the best narratives that will open minds and make hearts bounce and scream.

CCP President Margie Moran-Floirendo revealed that due to the ongoing rehabilitation of the CCP Main Building, the Cultural Center of the Philippines and the Cinemalaya Foundation have decided to hold the festival at the PICC within the CCP Complex. This decision aims to maintain the festival’s unique community spirit. The PICC has a history of hosting film screenings, including the Manila International Film Festival in the 1980s, Moran-Floirendo noted. According to Cinemalaya Festival Director Chris Millado, this year’s screening venues will be Cinema Rizal (Meeting Room 1), Cinema Bonifacio (Meeting Room 2 and 3), and Cinema Felipe (Meeting Room 4). Fringe events and talkbacks will take place at Cinema Palma (Meeting Room 5), while exhibitions and filmmakers’ profiles will be showcased at the Executive Lounge.

Cinemalaya Monitoring and Competition Chairperson Jose Javier Reyes announced that the festival will feature 10 full-length films and 10 short films in competition. These emerging filmmakers represent the new hopes of Philippine cinema.

The film Jedis in the 10 competing fulllength films are: Ang Suyan ng Magiting by Dustin Celestino; As If It’s True by John Rogers; Bulawan Nga Usa by Kenneth De la Cruz; Gitling by Jopy Arnaldo; Huling Palabas by Ryan Espinosa Machado; Iti Mapukpukaw by Carl Joseph E. Papa; Maria by She Andes; Rookie by Samantha Lee and Natts Jadaone; Tether by Gian Arre; and When

This Is All Over by Kevin Mayuga

The young Short films Padawans are: Ang Kining Binalaybay Kag Ambahanon Ko Para Sa Imo by Kent John D. Desamparado; Golden Bells by Kurt Soberano; Hinakdal by Arvin Belar- mino; Hm Hm Mhm by Sam VillaReal and Kim Timan; Kokuryo: The Untold Story of Bb. UNDAS 2019 by Diokko Manuel Dionisio; Makoko sa Baybay by Mike Cabarles; Maudi Nga Arapaap by Daniel Magayon; Sibuyas ni Perfecto by Januar Yap; Sota by Mae Tanagon; and Tong Adlaw Nga Bag-Snow sa Pinas by Joshua Caesar Medroso

Aside from the films in competition, Cinemalaya enthusiasts and fans can look forward to the yearly staples such as: Retrospective, lookback to winning films of past Cinemalaya editions; Best of the Festivals, which showcases the best films from local festivals; Visions of Asia, featuring award-winning Asian and Netpac films; Premieres, featuring never-beforescreen films; and Dokyu, which screens award-winning documentaries.

During the press conference held at the PICC, aside from Floirendo, Millado, and Reyes, Cinemalaya Foundation President Laurice Guillen, CCP Artistic Director Dennis Marasigan, and CCP Administrative Services department manager Tess Rances were also present.

Some of the artists who are in the films namely Dolly de Leon, Khalil Ramos, Ashley Ortega, Micoy Morales, Cedrick Juan, and Jay Gonzaga, graced the PICC press conference.

All the Cinemalaya full length and short films will also be for viewing at the Ayala Malls by the Bay, Glorietta, and Trinoma cinemas.

Drag queen Taylor Sheesh dazzles Pinoy Swifties in mall show

THOUSANDS of diehard Taylor

Swift fans erupted in screams

Friday as a Philippine drag queen impersonating the American music megastar strutted on stage in a Manila shopping center.

For many Filipino “Swifties”, as Taylor Swift’s fans are called, this is the closest they will get to the singer’s The Eras Tour after the Philippines was left off the Asian leg next year. As fans across the region scrambled Friday to get their hands on tickets for her six shows in Singapore, one of only two stops in Asia, Filipino Swifties flocked to a mall to see the next best thing: Taylor Sheesh

Wearing a long blonde wig and gold sequined and tasseled dress, Sheesh shimmered across the floor as she imitated Swift’s dance moves and lip-synced songs from her 2010 Speak Now album.

Mostly young fans sang along to the lyrics they first heard as children, bouncing up and down while filming with their smartphones.

Fans began lining up in the tropical heat more than four hours before Friday’s concert celebrating the release of Swift’s re-recorded Speak Now album. Many wore cat-ear headbands featuring Swift’s face and the color purple to match her dress on the album cover.

Sheesh, whose real name is Mac Coronel, began impersonating Swift in 2017. The 28-year-old has seen her popularity explode in the Philippines after footage of her performing her own version of The Eras Tour in May went viral.

“She’s so very popular here,” Coronel told AFP backstage, describing the Philippines as “Taylor nation”.

In Singapore on Friday, hundreds of Taylor Swift fans lined up at post offices across the city-state hours before tickets went on sale to the public.

Many of the fans, mostly young people, had queued overnight for prime spots, bringing food, mats, and foldable chairs. With 338,000 seats up for grabs in Singapore, many Swifties across the region have been left disappointed and pleading on social media for more Asian countries to be included in the tour. AFP