Star Powerhouse

  Award-winning filmmaker Carlos Siguion-Reyna looks forward to revitalizing the country’s independent film industry as the new Competition and Monitoring Committee chairman.  He assumed the position vacated by director Jose Javier Reyes, who is now serving as the new chairman of the Film Development Council of the Philippines (FDCP).  “I have to get into transition mode. Basically, a lot of that is making sure na ma-implement kung ano ‘yung naka-plan for 2024,” said Siguion-Reyna when asked about his first order of business. “Right now, I’m getting to know the landscape of this year’s Cinemalaya Film Festival.” Aside from that, he will run the Cinemalaya Film Lab for 2025, where he will be “guiding the 20 semi-finalists and helping them complete the scripts that would be chosen for next year’s competition.”  His connection to Cinemalaya runs deep. Siguion-Reyna taught a combination of 13 writing and directing courses at the Singapore campus of the New York Universit...

Opening in cinemas on August 15 is “Bakwit Boys,” one of the eight official entries of the Pista ng Pelikulang Pilipino (PPP) 2018. The romantic musical is written and directed by box-office filmmaker Jason Paul Laxamana, and produced by T-Rex Entertainment. Direk Jason Paul and T-Rex Entertainment were the frontrunners at last year’s PPP. Direk Jason Paul’s film “100 Tula Para Kay Stella” was the top-grosser of PPP 2017, while T-Rex Entertainment’s comedy “Patay Na Si Hesus” was the second highest-grossing film of the festival.

A well-respected and a box-office hit director, a budding actor with a bright future in the industry, and a highly relatable story all brought together in “Signal Rock,” the highly-anticipated film offering by CSR Film PH Production.

The Surfing Capital of the Philippines finally takes front and center in acclaimed director-producer Paul Soriano’s first Metro Manila Film Festival entry Siargao, starring Asia’s Drama Prince Jericho Rosales and celebrated actresses Erich Gonzales and Jasmine Curtis-Smith.

Ang Larawan cast, seated from left to right: Sandino Martin, Joanna Ampil, Zsa Zsa Padilla, Celeste Legaspi. Standing, left to right: Jojit Lorenzo, Ogie Alcasid, Cris Villonco, Aicelle Santos, Rayver Cruz, Cara Manglapus The producers, filmmakers and supporters of “Ang Larawan,” the musical based on Nick Joaquin’s play A Portrait of the Artist as Filipino, are getting their Christmas wish: for the film to be included in the Metro Manila Film Festival 2017.

The West Zishouzhenzhang (Beijing) Pictures of China Co., Ltd. represented by the Chief Producer Miss Deng Ziyi and Producer Mr.Lu Tianyi were invited to attend the 42nd Metro Manila Film Festival last year. The visit paved way for the discussion tocollaborate for a film and television production between Solar Entertainment Corporation and West Beijing Pictures.

Now on its fourth year, Sinag Maynila Film Festival 2018: Sine Lokal, Pang-Internasyonal is now accepting finished full-length feature films, short films, and documentary.

Sinag Maynila Film Festival: Sine Lokal, Pang-Internasyonal remain true to its advocacy as two of its full-length films qualify for the Tokyo International Film Festival.

1. JJ - authentic french, german, greek, russian, and australian accents, preferably really born from these countries (not fake ones of these or people who think they can pass for these, because i will be able to spot fake ones right away). NO TO AMERICAN, BRITISH, CANADIAN, SPANISH, ITALIAN, DUTCH ACCENTS.

SPOILER ALERT!! JUANA AND THE SACRED SHORES (Antonne Santiago, 2017) - ★★☆☆☆ Similar to Pina, this dance film was just too artsy for my basic tastes. Kwento ko na lang sa inyo mga bes. So merong long-legged Ate Dyosa na nag-trip magsayaw sa maduming batis. Biglang dumating si Gluta Koya na may dalang santol at more join sa ballet nya.

There’s really no stopping for Jake Cuenca as far as keeping with his passion for self-improvement and acting is concerned. This time, the highly-regarded star is dipping his hands into movie production with the Cinemalaya 2017 finalist Requited, which also stars himself and Anna Luna.

Starring Alessandra de Rossi and Empoy Marquez under the direction of Sigrid Andrea Bernardo My notes on Kita Kita: 1. Where do we draw the line between persistence and obsession? Do we consider a grand gesture like asking someone out for a coffee date via a huge billboard in Morayta sweet or repulsive? If Xian Gaza actually looked like Daniel Matsunaga, would he still be considered a creepy stalker or just a determined romantic? 2. One of my biggest concerns with this movie was that after it made us fall in love with its unconventional lovers, it tried to sell us this disturbing (and Machiavellian?) big reveal that nothing was actually wrong with the couple's predator-prey relationship history (I felt the exact same way when Maricel Soriano fell in love with her rapist in Dahas, but then that wasn't even close to being a romantic-comedy). He knowingly took advantage of her disability, period.

The online entertainment platform Viddsee launched a filmmaker programme with its first efforts through a filmmaker community initiative, Viddsee Juree Awards for the Philippines.

A short film about a boy who wants to have his family picture taken by an old and grumpy photographer for his school assignment won the viewer's choice award during the Asian and Middle Eastern Film Night of the fifth Gatffest Film Festival in Kingston, Jamaica last June 24.

Two small-time felons with disparate personas cross paths: One’s a principled tough gay; the other is a scheming, street-smart teenager. Together, they get caught up in a string of petty exploits while managing to forge a stronger bond. Can they survive the ordeal?

Spanning five decades and filmed in three continents, this energetic docudrama showcases the rich, vivid history of an understated fixture of Pinoy culture.  Beyond the Block  chronicles the evolution of Filipino street dance, as seen from the eyes of the filmmaker.

Last March 12, 2017 Sinag Maynila announced the winners of the festival at the Samsung Hall, Sm Aura. List of Winners Best Picture: "TU PUG IMATUY" Best Director: ARBI BARBARONA – "Tu Pug Imatuy” Best Actor: KRISTOFER KING - “Kristo” and RAYMOND FRANCISCO - “Bhoy Intsik”

Film Ambassador Gloria Sevilla and FDCP Chair Liza Dino The Film Development Council of the Philippines recognized the creativity and global achievements of recent international film festival winners during the Film Ambassadors Night 2017 held last January 31 at the FDCP Cinematheque Manila Open Grounds, T.M. Kalaw St., Ermita, Manila.

There's a reason why ORO is considered part of the pool of competing movie entries for the 2016 Metro Manila Film Festival. It was as gritting as it gets, from the effectiveness of their character actors to the story that is more of a realistic battle of compromises for the common welfare such as seasonal livelihood, environmental issues, and corrupting politics.  ORO isn't just another screened tale of accounts of a crime incident and its background. Moreover, it was an imagery of what is happening here in the country – past and present.

Entries are now being accepted for the third season of Sinag Maynila Film Festival! Sinag Maynila and its featured local indie films have been gaining traction in various international film festivals—Vesoul International Asian Movies Film Festival, Busan International Film Festival, Toronto International Film Festival among others. Under the supervision of Sinag Maynila CEO and Founder Wilson Tieng, and world-renowned and internationally acclaimed film director Brillante Ma Mendoza, the diverse and captivating stories of the produced films garnered attention overseas.