Jericho Rosales' Alagwa Invited to the 2012 Busan International Film Festival

Alagwa (Breakaway) which stars Jericho Rosales will have its world premiere at the 17th Busan International Film Festival (BIFF) 2012 which will run from October 4-13 in Busan, South Korea.

Alagwa is Jericho's first local indie movie and besides being an actor, he is also co-producing the film. It is an advocacy film about human trafficking inspired by urban legends about children being abducted in the streets of Metro Manila.

Under the direction of Ian Loreños (The Leaving), Alagwa (Breakaway) also stars Bugoy Cariño, Carmen Soo, Leo Martinez, Smokey Manaloto, Jeremiah Rosales, John Manalo, Nanette Inventor,  Iñaki Ting, Garry Lim and Jamieson Lee.

Here is BIFF's program note for Alagwa:

People have a tendency to be drawn to danger and adventure, so this film takes us to the most dangerous spots in the world we live. The film was inspired by the true story of a Chinese-Filipino boy who went missing in the 1990s. Stories of missing children are always accompanied by the exhaustive searches by their parents. Films dealing with searches such as to are usually searches for self. But the story of 9-year-old Brian and his father Robert explores the dark side of the Philippines and the issues of child trafficking. Robert is called to Brian’s school as a result of Brian’s bad behavior. He’s angry at his son but they soon reconcile and head for the local shopping mall. There, Brian goes to the men’s room while Robert steps away to buy a lottery ticket. Brian is never seen again. The camera follows Robert’s journey as he searches for his son through the perilous streets of the Philippines; the lens capturing the anxiety and terror in Philippine society.

Watch the newly-released one-minute teaser for Alagwa:

Aside from Alagwa, seven other Filipino films have also been invited to Busan International Film Festival in October. Four were entries to the recent 8th Cinemalaya Film Festival—Mes de Guzman’s Diablo, Vincent Sandoval’s Aparisyon, Lawrence Fajardo’s Posas (Shackled) and Adolfo Alix Jr.’s Kalayaan. The others are Brillante Mendoza’s Captive and Thy Womb and Antoinette Jadaone’s Six Degrees of Separation from Lilia Cuntapay.

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8th Cinemalaya Film Festival 2012 Winners Announced!

The 8th Cinemalaya Independent Film Festival 2012 awards night happened tonight, July 29 at the Tanghalang Nicanor Abelardo of the Cultural Center of the Philippines.

The 8th Cinemalaya run from July 20-29 at selected venues like CCP, Trinoma and Greenbelt. The films compete in three categories -- full length new breed category, the director's showcase category and the short films category.

Here is the complete list of winners for the 8th Cinemalaya independent Film Festival 2012:

FULL LENGTH (NEW BREED OF DIRECTORS) CATEGORY:

Best Film: "Diablo"
Special Jury Prize: "Requime"
Audience Choice: "Ang Nawawala"
Best Director: Mes de Guzman "Diablo"
Best Actress: Ama Quiambao, "Diablo"
Best Actor: Kristoffer King, "Oros"
Best Supporting Actress: Anita Linda, "Santa Niña"
Best Supporting Actor: Joross Gamboa, "Intoy Syokoy ng Kalye Marino"
Best Screenplay: Rody Vera, "Requime"
Best Cinematography: Tristan Salas, "Diablo"
Best Production Design: Benjamin Payumo, "Intoy Syokoy ng Kalye Marino"
Best Editing: John Wong and Rona delos Reyes, "The Animals"
Best Original Music Score: Mikey Amistoso, Diego Mapa, and Jazz Nicolas, "Ang Nawawala"
Best Sound Recording: Albert Michael Idioma, "Aparisyon"
NETPAC Awardee: "Diablo"

DIRECTORS SHOWCASE CATEGORY:

Best Film: "Posas"
Special Jury Prize: "Kamera Obskura"
Audience Choice: "Bwakaw"
Best Director: Raymond Red, "Kamera Obskura"
Best Actress: Iza Calzado, Janice de Belen, Judy Ann Santos & Agot Isidro (ensemble), "Mga Mumunting Lihim"
Best Actor: Eddie Garcia, "Bwakaw"
Best Supporting Actress: Iza Calzado, Janice de Belen, Judy Ann Santos & Agot Isidro (ensemble), "Mga Mumunting Lihim"
Best Supporting Actor: Art Acuna, "Posas"
Best Screenplay: Jose Javier Reyes, "Mga Mumunting Lihim"
Best Cinematography: Albert Banzon, "Kalayaan"
Best Production Design: Adolfo Alix Jr., "Kalayaan"
Best Editing: Vanessa de Leon, "Mga Mumunting Lihim"
Best Original Musical Score: Diwa de Leon, "Kamera Obskura"
Best Sound: Ditoy Aguila, "Kalayaan"
NETPAC Awardee: "Bwakaw"

SHORT FILMS CATEGORY:

Best Film: "Victor"
Special Jury Prize: "Manenaya"
Audience Choice: "Rueda"
Best Director: Sheron Dayoc, "As He Sleeps"
Best Screenplay: Sigrid Andrea Bernardo, "Ang Paghihintay sa Bulong"

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Coco Martin Back to Indie Films via Cinemalaya's Santa Niña

Prince of Indie Coco Martin is back where he started as an actor with an indie film entitled Santa Niña. The movie is one of the competing films in the 2012 Cinemalaya Independent Film Festival happening this July 20-29.

Santa Niña is about a two-year old child who was a victim of the lahar in Bacolor, Pampanga way back in 1995. Ten years later, the child's remains were excavated and people were surprised that the body was still intact and had not gone decomposition. The people believed that the child's body was miraculous and since then, the child's father (Coco Martin) worked for the child's sainthood.

Coco Martin will be joined by award-winning and veteran actors in Santa Niña including Alessandra De Rossi , Angel Aquino, Irma Adlawan, Leo Martinez, Nanding Josef, Lui Manansala and Ms. Anita Linda.

Santa Niña is directed by Emmanuel 'Manny' Palo.

Meanwhile, Coco Martin's movie with Angeline Quinto was a success, grossing P29.7 million in just 5 days. He is currently busy with his top-rated series, Walang Hanggan which is reported to be returning with a 'Book 2.'

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Jodi Sta. Maria and Mylene Dizon Topbill 'Aparisyon' Movie

Award-winning ctresses Jodi Sta. Maria and Mylene Dizon star in the movie Aparisyon, another entry to the 8th Cinemalaya Independent Film Festival under the New Breed full-Length category. In the said Cinemalaya film, Jodi and Mylene will play contemplative nuns of the Martial Law era. 

Click here to see other Cinemalaya 2012 entries

Aparisyon is a film about contemplative nuns (monks) who must grapple with an act of violence in the months leading to the declaration of Martial Law in 1972.

Also playing one of the lead roles is renowned opera singer Fides Cuyugan-Asencio, with Raquel Villavicencio and Ms. Rustica Carpio. The movie is written and directed by Vincent Sandoval. With a very good script, Jodi and Mylene reportedly find time despite busy schedules to film for this Cinemalaya entry which will be shown on July 20-29 at the CCP, Greenbelt and Trinoma cinemas.

Watch the Aparisyon full trailer here:

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Albie Casiño Topbills Cinemalaya Entry 'The Animals'

Controversial actor Albie Casiño is the lead star of the upcoming movie The Animals, one of the entries in the New Breed Full-Length Feature category of the 8th Cinemalaya Film Festival (see the official entries here).

Albie Casiño is joined by PBB Teen Clash alumnus Patrick Sugui and Dawn Balagot. Set in an affluent, upper middle class village in the suburbs, The Animals chronicles a day in the life of Jake, Trina, and Alex, who go through the musings that every kid in high school has to deal with.

Also starring Issa Litton, Micah Cabral, Vangie Martelle, John Wayne Sace, Bryan Homecillo, Carlo Cruz and Andrew Felix, The Animals is written and directed by Gino M. Santos and co-written by Jeff Stelton. 

A Stained Glass Production in cooperation with Lunar Saints and in association with the Cinemalaya Foundation, The Animals will be shown from July 20-29 at the Cultural Center of the Philippines and selected malls in the metro.

Watch The Animals (starring Albie Casiño, Pat Sugui and Dawn Balagot) teaser below:

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Judy Ann Santos' Mga Mumunting Lihim Full Trailer Released

The full trailer of Mga Mumunting Lihim starring Judy Ann Santos, Iza Calzado, Janice De Belen and Agot Isidro has been released. Mga Mumunting Lihim (Those Little Secrets) is one of the 5 finalists in the Director's Showcase category of the 8th Cinemalaya Film festival 2012. 

Mga Mumunting Lihim is about the struggles of a group of childhood friends. The movie will start with the death of a friend (Judy Ann Santos) and how she left evidences about the untold secrets of her friends of many years, and so the conflict begins.

See more about the movie and some of the study posters here

Directed and written by Joey Reyes, Mga Mumunting Lihim will be shown in theaters from July 20-29, 2012 at the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP), Greenbelt and Trinoma cinemas.

Watch Mga Mumunting Lihim (Those Little Secrets) full trailer below:

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Judy Ann Santos' Mga Mumunting Lihim Movie Posters and Teaser

Mga Mumunting Lihim (Those Little Secrets) starring Judy Ann Santos, Iza Calzado, Janice De Belen and Agot Isidro is one of the 5 finalists in the Director's Showcase category of the 8th Cinemalaya Film festival 2012. The film is said to have the most number of mainstream actors in its lead cast albeit being an indie movie.

The movie is written and directed by acclaimed director Jose Javier Reyes, who also directed some of Judy Ann's blockbuster movies and filmfest entries.

See the official list of Cinemalaya 2012 film entries here.

Check out some of the study posters for Mga Mumunting Lihim  below:

Mga Mumunting Lihim is about the struggles of a group of childhood friends. The movie will start with the death of a friend (Judy Ann Santos) and how she left evidences about the untold secrets of her friends of many years, and so the conflict begins.

Watch the teaser of Mga Mumunting Lihim here:



Judy Ann Santos' role is a bit different from what she used to do as she will play a slight kontrabida character in Mga Mumunting Lihim.

“Kuwento siya ng apat na magkakaibigan. Noong namatay ako, dun sa pagkamatay ko, may mga nilabas akong sikreto ng mga kaibigan ko. Kumbaga, sinulat ko sa diary yung mga naiisip ko tungkol sa kanila nung nabubuhay pa ako. Parang, kung susumahin mo, akala mo mabait ako dun, yun pala hindi. Meron siyang mga pananaw sa mga kaibigan niya na di niya masabi kaya isinusulat nya nalang. Dun nagsimula ang anggulo ng gulo sa bawat isa,” said Judy Ann in an interview.

The 8th CINEMALAYA Independent Film Festival will run from July 20-29, 2012 at the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP), Greenbelt and Trinoma cinemas.

Photos courtesy of Mga Mumunting Lihim Facebook

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8th Cinemalaya Film Festival 2012 Official List of Entries Revealed!

The Cinemalaya Foundation and the Cultural Center of the Philippines announced on Friday, May 25 the official list of films that made it as entries to the 8th Cinemalaya Film Festival 2012.

There are 25 films that will be competing in three different categories namely: the New Breed Full Length Feature category, the New Breed Short Film category, and the Director's Showcase category.

The 25 films, each of which received a seed grant of P500, 000, will be shown on July 20-29 at the Cultural Center of the Philippines and the Ayala Cinemas in Greenbelt Makati and Trinoma Quezon City.

Here are the official list of entries for the 8th Cinemalaya Film Festival 

New Breed Full Length Feature - 10 Film Entries:

Emmanuel Palo's "Santa Nina"
Gino Santos and Jeff Stelton's "The Animals"
Vincent Sandoval's "Aparisyon"
Mes de Guzman's "Diablo"
Lemuel Lorca and Jerry Gracio's "Intoy Syokoy ng Kalye Marino"
Alfred Aloysius Adlawan's "Ang Katiwala"
Marietta Jamora's "Ang Nawawala"
Paul Sta. Ana's "Oros"
Julius Sotomayor Cena's "Mga Dayo"
Loy Arcenas' "Requieme"

New Breed Short Film - 10 Film Entries:

Nadjoua Bansil's "Bohe: Son of the Sea"
Sigrid Andrea Bernardo's "Ang Paghihintay sa Bulong"
Mario Celada's "Pasahero"
Sheron Dayoc's "As He Sleeps"
Marianito Dio Jr.'s "Sarong Aldaw"
Emmanuel Escalona, Jr.'s "Balintuna"
Hannah Espia's "Ruweda"
Chuck Gutierrez's "Ulian"
Richard Legaspi's "Manenaya"
Jarell Serencio's "Victor"

Director's Showcase - 5 Film Entries:

Adolfo Alix, Jr.'s "Kalayaan"
Joey Javier Reyes' "Mga Mumunting Lihim"
Raymond Red's "Kamera Obskura"
Jun Lana's "Bwakaw"
Lawrence Fajardo's "Posas"

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