How many films have you watched online since the start of the community quarantine? Did you watch them on video streaming services like Netflix or maybe on YouTube and Vimeo?
With the pandemic, more and more people are supporting local brands especially small businesses. If you are one of them, great. If not, well you might want to consider that we need to help the local industry and that includes film.
I know that the closest we have at the moment are films we can stream online. In my past reviews, I have mentioned that there are independent films you can watch on sites such as FilmDoo. But this August, I encourage you to fully enjoy the quality films brought by the country's biggest film festival.
CinemalayaThe Cinemalaya Philippine Independent Film Festival was established in 2005 and continues to discover, encourage and support the cinematic works of upcoming and veteran Filipino filmmakers who boldly articulate and freely interpret the Philippine experience with fresh insight and artistic integrity.
Due to the threat of the COVID-19 pandemic, the film festival can be screened on a professional video platform called Vimeo. This year's digital edition highlights short films. Out of 244 entries submitted, 10 short films were selected and will vie for the Best Film award.
If you've been a regular film festival-goer, this may come as a shock to you. If not, let me explain. The festival has both short and full-length films. During the "Cinemalaya 16 Press Conference", direk Jose Javier Reyes said that only one full-length film succeeded in shooting before the coronavirus quarantine measures were implemented. Others were not able to travel in and out of the country to finish what they have started.
But don't worry! The full-length films will also receive the recognition they deserve. For now, please enjoy all the 10 short film entries as I have over the weekend! I will be sharing my reviews this week and hope you find time to read them.
And in case you're not following my blog or social media sites, I have shared news about the film festival. Did you know that Cinemalaya also showcases international shorts in their Visions of Asia section? There are a lot more. For easy navigation, visit https://www.cinemalayachannel.watch/ All details are here as well as schedule and ticket purchase.
Enjoy!
