Cinemalaya Philippine Independent Film Festival has been at the forefront of Philippine independent filmmaking for over a decade and a half, discovering new cinematic voices while cultivating and developing a rising audience for independent cinema.
Cinemalaya continues to banner Philippines cinema with its 17th edition. For this year, 13 Short Films will compete for the Balanghai trophy.
Here is my review of Cinemalaya Shorts A:
One day, a discarded face mask magically turns into a humanoid. All he wanted was to meet his owner, but he eventually realized that he is not needed anymore.
The face mask traverses the streets of Quezon City believing that he has no place in the world. Until he met a fellow humanoid who joined him with his destinationless adventure.
Directors Che Tagyamon and Glenn Barit are two up-and-coming filmmakers that are known for their unorthodox ways of telling meaningful stories.
“Maski Papano” showcases that these two filmmakers can do it all despite their limited resources. It illustrates their creativity and passion for the craft by concocting a film on belongingness and purpose amidst the pandemic.
Even more so, “Maski Papano” cheers on the people that feel lost, discarded, and broken. It highlights the importance of community and having someone to rely on.
Che Tagyamon and Glenn Barit's humor are something that is always a delight to see and to enjoy. Though “Maski Papano” feels like the message is overshadowed by its absurdity and gimmick.
2.5/5
In the dead of the night, a security guard (Niño Mendoza) rides a bus, presumably, to meet his wife and dying daughter.
However, things turned for the worst when a group of criminals declared robbery on the bus. Distressed by the unexpected commotion, the guard finds himself at a crossroad between stepping up and giving in.
As the saying goes, desperate times call for desperate measures. When economic conditions are dire, people may feel compelled to take more drastic actions to survive and prosper. That is nature. But in a society, it is all about privilege.
“Crossing” exposes how sick our society has become. The country’s healthcare system is really terrible and very anti-poor. Only those that are rich and have a good-paying job can afford it. And those that are penniless are forced to find alternatives, some are not even legal.
It is sensitive and present. Most importantly, it sparks discussions and reflections on the dynamic relationship of poverty, inequality, and crime.
3/5
Santi (Kyle Kaizer Almenanza) has a habit of stealing stuff and his recent steal is a dinosaur toy. However, his estranged father found out about his mischievous act so he threw the toy into the river.
Angry towards his father (Marc Felix), Santi went to the river to retrieve the toy but he drowned trying. When he wakes up, he is on an island. A place made for souls that hold some kind of regret while they are living.
"Kawatan sa Salog" is an exploration of grief and regret. It also feels like a very personal film with its use of local language and isolated location.
Although the concept of an island (littered with garbage) works as a rough representation of purgatory, there is a lot of scenes that feel raw. If only director Alphie Velasco had more time to pilot the story, people would care more about the island, Santi’s journey, and learned life lessons.
In essence, this film has the potential to be better, but the time it navigates is too short to really get something out of it.
2/5
Arjan (Arjanmar H. Rebeta) wakes up on a small planet called Planet I. He has no recollection of how he got there and what his purpose was.
All Arjan knows is that he owns Planet I, according to a strange voice entity guiding him. It's now up to him to figure out how he'll make meaning of each day by exploring the small universe he calls home.
“An Sadit na Planeta” is a good and creative representation of life during the pandemic. All of us belong to our own planets. But because of restrictions, it shrinks.
Director Rebeta shares his insight on living with limitations through visual and exposition.
Much like Arjan, we are all tired and uninspired to keep on moving. But as the enigmatic narrator suggests, the world will only move forward if we do. We must find ways to enjoy every moment and appreciate everything that surrounds us.
3/5
According to gossip around the town, a Tikbalang (half-man, half-horse creature) is killing civilians in the mountain. So to disprove the rumor, a Tikbalang transforms himself into a teenage boy.
While walking around the woods, the boy met a foreigner looking for a Rafflesia flower.
“Looking for Rafflesias and Other Fleeting Things” is for the people that are considered outcasts and different.
The Rafflesia flower is a parasitic flowering plant known for its bad smell. Even if many people seek it because it is so exotic, no one really wants to have this kind of flower in their backyard.
Like the Rafflesia, people seek Tikbalangs because they are bewildered by their lore and form. But in reality, people fear Tikbalangs. They are considered vicious killers by the townspeople. A freak of nature.
James Fajardo correlates the image of two so-called monsters with the LGBTQ+ community, who are considered as an “irregularity” by society.
However, as interesting as it may sound, Fajardo is pulling his punches in truly making a statement about people’s prejudice towards the different. It settles in ambiguity and mystification, which does not add substantial value to the narrative.
On top of its LGBTQ+ subtext, the short film is also about unrequited love and love with the fear of showing who you are. Two things that the same community struggles to face.
2.5/5
Elle is a young model and a newbie actress. In her first work, she discovers that the director made last-minute changes to the concept of their commercial. She must now wear tight costume fittings and bondage.
Nobody can explain to Elle what the new concept is all about, which she finds strange. After speaking with their creepy producer, her suspicions that something bad is afoot growing.
Everyone is afraid to be the only woman in a room full of men. It is a fear that is valid in many ways. “Out of Body” feeds on that horror as it sets up imagery of a defenseless young maiden hounded by paternalistic individuals.
As expected, the protagonist gets abused and violated. It is really disturbing and unnerving. However, director Enrico Po fails to bite down on the issue further to break or bend it. Rather than empower women or give the audience hope through retribution, it settles on generic obscurity. A wasted opportunity indeed.
1.5/5
Lola Mayumi (Ruby Ruiz) is an old maid and a virgin. One of her friends convinced her to have sex with a call boy to change her perception of men. However, when the male prostitute arrived, all of her fears suddenly manifested within her.
“Ang Pagdadalaga ni Lola Mayumi” is an amusing and touching film. All thanks to Ruby Ruiz’s captivating performance.
Anyways, the film is one of the best short films in the competition because its message is clear and concise.
“Ang Pagdadalaga ni Lola Mayumi” aims to break the old idea that being a virgin is not okay, especially if you are past your golden years. Sex and intimacy is not the key to womanhood. Rather, it’s acceptance.
It is also noteworthy that the film is not preachy, instead, it ends things by following the character’s morals, rationale, and intuition. And that is always a good thing.
Shiri Francesca De Leon’s film is complete and satisfying. It challenges the taboos of sexuality, all the while keeping the heart of the story at the right place.
4/5
Films from Cinemalaya 2021 are available on KTX.ph from August 6 to September 5.