When the Curtains Go Down…The 9th Cinemanila at Closing Time

In the short span of twelve days, Gateway Cineplex 10 played host to
the 9th Cinemanila International Film Festival, recognized by local
cineastes as the Festival of Festivals. Indeed, only Cinemanila can
boast of no less than 50 films from almost just as many countries,
movies as diverse in theme and flavour as their origins. Films from
Bollywood, epic Thai war movies, works by Almodovar, Grindhouse
pictures, the best of the local digital scene: Cinemanila gave its
audience these and much more.

Tarantino Mania

Undoubtedly, a significant part of Cinemanila's success is the
participation of filmmaker Quentin Tarantino, internationally
renowned for his a cool style that is all his own. He was present
several times during the Festival run: to receive the Lifetime
Achievement Award along with fellow honorees H.S.H. Chatrichalerm
Yukol, revered Thai filmmaker, and Robert Malengreau, Director of the
Brussels International Film Festival, in the Opening Night events on
8 August; to lend support to his favorite Filipino directors Cirio
Santiago and Eddie Romero during the Grindhouse Day directing
workshop on 10 August; to give a talk on his filmmaking experience in
the Grindhouse Day seminar on 11 August; and to introduce his films,
almost all of which made their Philippine debut in Cinemanila. In all
instances, crowds flocked to see the iconic filmmaker, who was
consistently casual, cool, and friendly to his fans. On 15 August, he
received his award from Her Excellency Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo during
ceremonies at the Ceremonial Hall of Malacañang Palace.

Strong Titles

At the end of the day, however, the fate of festivals lies in
the draw of its films. Several movies proved highly successful,
drawing long lines and garnering praise from those who braved the
rains pouring outside Gateway Mall. A Girl Who Leapt Through Time, a
delightful Japanese anime about a time-hopping student, was a hit
among animation fans; in its first screening, cosplayers from
Cosplay.ph entertained the audience with a mini-fashion show. 4
Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days, Palm D'Or winner at the Cannes Film
Festival, drew arthouse audiences in its limited release. Paris Je
T'aime and 2 Days in Paris, both romantic French films, were also
certified hits, as was Volver, directed by respected auteur Pedro
Almodóvar and starring Oscar-nominee Penélope Cruz.

Seminars and Workshops

Aside from the Grindhouse Days workshops with Romero, Santiago,
and Tarantino, other seminars were attended by film students,
cineastes, and curious moviegoers. On 9 August, Asian Film Archive
Founder and Director Tan Bee Thiam discussed Film Archiving in Asia.
He was accompanied by Clodualdo del Mundo, Ph.D., who talked about
the need for such film preservation practices in the Philippines. Dr.
del Mundo, who wrote the screenplays for such classics as Maynila: Sa
Mga Kuko ng Liwanag and Itim, returned for a Master Class in
Scriptwriting on 12 August, which he gave alongside fellow
scriptwriter Ralston Jover (Kubrador, Foster Child).

Nap Jamir, cinematographer of festival hit Ang Pagdadalaga ni
Maximo Oliveros, gave a Master Class in Cinematography on 13 August.
Scenema Concepts sponsored the workshop. Cirio Santiago joined
international producer Anant Singh for a seminar on International Co-
Production on 14 August. Independent directors Rico Ilarde, Raya
Martin, Raymond Red, Roxlee, and John Torres were at Gateway Mall for
a two-day Indie Filmmaking Seminar on 15 and 16 August.

Award Winners

At Malacañang Palace on 15 August, Cinemanila and the National
Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) officially awarded the
winners of the Festival. Fatih Akin's The Edge of Heaven was given
this year's Lino Brocka Grand Prize for the best international film.
The entire cast of Jim Libiran's Tribu was given the awards for Best
Actor and Best Actress, a first for the Festival. The Special Jury
Prize went to Persepolis, directed by Marjane Satrapi and Vincent
Parronaud. The International Competition Jury was chaired by Wieland
Speck, Director of the Panorama Programme of the Berlin International
Film Festival. He was joined by Jesper Andersen of the Danish Film
Institute and Lalu Roisamri, Program Manager of the Jakarta
International Film Festival.

Chul Jung's Waiting Time and Christopher Gozum's The Calling won the
awards for Best International Short and Best Short (Local),
respectively. Neo-Lounge, directed by Joanna Arong, took home the
Best Documentary Prize. All these awards were decided upon by a jury
chaired by Filipino filmmaker and Ishmael Bernal Awardee Jobin
Ballesteros, who was joined by Laura Gerber, Director of the
Southeast Asian section of the Asian Hot Shots Berlin Festival, and
Hanne Robenhagen, cultural sociologist and documentarist.

Making its debut this year was the ASEAN Competition in
celebration of the ASEAN's 40th anniversary. Lifetime Achievement
Awardee Robert Malengreau chaired the jury, which also consisted of
Tan Bee Thiam and Jeffrey Jeturian, director of the critically
acclaimed Kubrador. Yasmin Ahmad's Mukhsin was hailed as the Best
ASEAN Film, while Renita, Renita by Tonny Trimaranto was declared
Best ASEAN Short.

Solidifying its status as Numero Uno sa Digital, Cinemanila gave
awards for its eighth Digital Lokal Competition. Olivier Pere,
Artistic Director of the Directors' Fortnight of the Cannes Film
Festival, was chair of the jury. Other members were Ansgar Vogt of
the Selection Committee of the International Forum of New Cinema in
Berlin, and Jaclyn Jose, multi-awarded Filipino actress. Autohystoria
by Raya Martin won the Lino Award, Grand Prize, while Voice: Tilted
Screens and Extended Scenes of Loneliness: Filipinos in High
Definition (A Work in Progress) by John Torres garnered the Lino
Grand Jury Prize. Christopher Gozum's The Calling was chosen as Best
Short Film. Cinemanila's eighth Ishmael Bernal Awardee for Young
Cinema is Ernest Michael Manalastas for his film Delusions. He joins
an illustrious list of filmmakers: Peter Chua (2000), Mes de Guzman
(2001), Romeo Candido (2002), Mariami Tanangco (2003), Raya Martin
(2004), John Torres (2005), and Jobin Ballesteros (2006).

The 4th Boracay International Co-Production Meeting

In its fourth year, the Boracay International Co-Production
Meeting saw projects from all over Southeast Asia vying for financial
support from the Hubert Bals Fund, represented by Gertjan Zuilhof.
Babi Buta Yang Ingin Terbang (Blind Pig Who Wants to Fly), directed
by up-and-coming Indonesian filmmaker Edwin (whose Kara, Anak
Sebatang Pohon was the first Indonesian short to screen at Cannes)
and produced by Meiska Taurisia, eventually won over seven other
entries in the short-list for funding. These are: Chris Chong Chan
Fui's Karaoke from Malaysia; Paolo Herras's Ang Manghuhula (The
Fortune-teller) from the Philippines; Tey Clamor's Paslit Puslit
(Young Thief) from the Philippines; Azharr Rudiin's Pungguk Rindukan
Bulan (This Longing) from Malaysia; Sally Jo Marie Bellosillo's
Regina from the Philippines; Roxlee's Whistler from the Philippines;
and Khoo Eng Yow's World Without Shadows from Malaysia.

A special party at the Sandbar, organized by Festival Co-Director
Anima Aguiluz, was held for the participants and guests. Fire dancers
and drummers entertained a rapt audience, which was also treated to
an outdoor screening of the Joey Gosengfiao classic Temptation
Island. The event was closed by the presentation of the 5-minute
contribution to the SEAWAVE Project by Boracay Co-Prod winner Edwin.

Asian Spirit provided the transportation for the participants
of the 4th Boracay International Co-Production Meeting. Cinemanila
also gives special thanks to Casa Pilar, the venue for the Meeting
and home to the participants, and René Barbier for wines.

On to the 10th Cinemanila…

Next year, the Cinemanila International Film Festival will be
celebrating a decade of bringing the best of international cinema to
the Philippines. It will be difficult to top a year that saw
Tarantino, Thai royalty, Cannes and Berlin luminaries, stalwarts in
Filipino filmmaking, and international festival favorites grace the
Festival. What will next year bring? Cinemanila has always risen to
whatever challenges it has faced over the years. The 10th will be no
different.

The 9th Cinemanila International Film Festival was co-presented
by the Independent Cinema Association of the Philippines (ICAP), the
NCCA, the Film Development Council of the Philippines (FDCP), Gateway
Cineplex 10, CinemaOne, the Office of the President, the Department
of Education, and the Department of Tourism. Other sponsors were Edsa
Shangri-La Manila, Ignite Media, Manila Bulletin, Philippine
Airlines, Scenema Concepts, and Web Philippines Inc. (Gold Sponsors);
ClicktheCity. com (Festival Sponsor); Asian Spirit and Boysen (Event
Sponsors); 105.1 FM Crossover (Festival Patron).