‘Sama All!’: Nationwide film fest featuring 145 titles brought closer to Filipino homes amid ‘new normal’
By Rhick Lars Vladimer Albay
“IT’S great to be part of a fiesta,” shares decorated Ilonggo filmmaker Kevin Piamonte.
This stalwart of Iloilo’s creative community is not talking about the traditional Filipino fiesta, of course – as these large social gatherings have been discouraged for the time being, amid restrictions and guidelines on social distancing in this “new normal.”
The auteur Piamonte is sharing the good news that his film “Lugta ke Tamama” (Land from God) will have a homecoming of sorts as it joins the official lineup of the 4th Pista ng Pelikulang Pilipino (PPP), the annual nationwide film festival hosted by the Film Development Council of the Philippines (FDCP).
Premiered in 2018 at the Busan International Film Festival in South Korea, “Lugta ke Tamama” tackles the struggles of an Ati tribe in its quest to preserve its culture in world-renowned Boracay, a tourist island undergoing rapid modernization, commercialization, and environmental exploitation. After getting rave reviews and touring the international film festival circuit, the full-length picture joins 2020 documentary section of the PPP.
Piamonte is joined by nearly a dozen other Ilonggo and Negrense filmmakers in this year’s revamped “new normal” edition of the PPP, among them CineKasinmanwa alums Kyle Fermindoza (“Manggagarab”), Marcelo Tolentino IV (“Lumay”) and John Rovic Lopez (“Singkal”).
This year’s iteration of the Pista ng Pelikulang Pilipino has also chosen to highlight a number of regional film festivals and bring their short film discography to a more mainstream audience. Aside from Panay’s CineKasinmanwa, Sine Negrense: Negros Island Film Festival and Guimbal’s homegrown Bantayan Film Festival also grace the lineup.
The Negros Occidental film fete is represented by Belle Loyola (“Dalit”), Kurt Soberano (“Jameson”), and Mark Raymund Garcia “Buding ang Babaye nga Naglutaw.” Proud Guimbalanons Lodrigo Basco (“Lisua ang Makasasala”), Niño Maldecir (“Mga Binhi sa Palad ni Ruding”) and Bob Perez (“Ako Guimbal”) also made the cut.
Elsewhere in the PPP program, TM Malones’ local cult classic “Salvi” is a showcased in the full-length “From the regions” section. Shot entirely here in Panay Island and utilizing practical special effects, “Salvi” follows its titular character in a post-apocalyptic world amid her journey to find her missing sister. Ilongga actress Gabby Padilla also stars in “Billie and Emma,” part of the PPP “Bahaghari” program or its LGBT films selection. Since this 2018 coming-of-age story, Padilla has made a name for herself by joining the ensemble cast of Netflix favorites “Dead Kids” and “Eerie.”
A special tribute to Negrense master director and father of Filipino horror Peque Gallaga is also included in this year’s PPP lineup, in the form of “Sonata,” the filmmaker’s ode of sorts to the pastoral stories of his hometown of Negros. Known for his “Shake, Rattle, and Roll” franchise, Gallaga passed away earlier this year in Negros Occidental.
‘More Inclusive PPP’
With the theme “Sama all!,” the 4th edition of the Pista ng Pelikulang Pilipino is set to feature and stream at least 145 titles – some 67 full-length films and 78 short films – as the Film Development Council of the Philippines extends its call for inclusion in the film industry, even though this challenging time.
Set to run from Oct. 31 to Nov. 15, this year’s PPP is transitioning from packed movie theaters to online in our small screens in the comfort of our homes, as it embraces the restrictions set by the “new normal” – seeing it as an opportunity instead of as a hindrance.
“This year’s PPP may be different, but I assure that it will continue to celebrate the heritage and potential of our film industry by spreading the love for Philippine Cinema. The festival will also promote solidarity because ultimately, PPP 4 is one way to help sustain the Filipino film industry in light of the pandemic’s devastating effects,” stated FDCP Chairperson and CEO Liza Diño.
The “PPP4, Sama All!” slogan is not just for filmmakers but also for audiences so that they may appreciate Philippine cinema and help in the FDCP’s goal of providing support to the film industry amid the COVID-19 pandemic. All proceeds from the sales of PPP Festival Passes will go to the producers involved.
Among the new films set to premier during the 2020 Pista ng Pelikulang Pilipino are National Artist for Film Kidlat Tahimik’s “Ang Lakaran ni Kabunyan: Kabunyan’s Journey to Liwanag,” and Jason Paul Laxamana’s “He Who Is Without Sin” starring Enzo Pineda and Elijah Canlas. The premium selection also includes screenings of “Mula sa Kung Ano ang Noon” by Lav Diaz, “Ma’ Rosa” by Brillante Mendoza, “Ulan” by Irene Villamor and “Never Not Love You” by Antoinette Jadaone (both starring Nadine Lustre), and a restored version of Marilou Diaz-Abaya’s 1980 “Brutal,” among others.
The very first online PPP festival boasts 14 sections: PPP Short Films, Romance, Youth & Family, Classics, PH Oscar Entries, Genre, Bahaghari, Tribute, From the Regions, Documentaries, PPP Retro, Special Screenings, CineMarya, and PPP Premium Selection.
PPP4 will be held from Oct. 31 to Nov. 15 on the FDCPchannel.ph platform.
Other subscription options are the Half Run Pass (P299) for eight days, Day Pass (P99), and Free Pass (for short films and public events). Discounts will be available beginning Oct. 16 for persons with disabilities and senior citizens (20 percent) and students (30 percent).
However, the PPP Short Films selection is set to be available to the Filipino public for free. Audiences will be treated to 66 free titles from the FDCP’s Sine Kabataan Short Film Competition and 21 from regional film festivals./PN
