Cinemalaya announces finalists for 2010 competition

Providing fertile soil for budding Filipino filmmakers, the Cinemalaya Foundation has named the ten finalists for the Cinemalaya Independent Film Festival and Competition in 2010. Harvested from 150 entries, the finalists for the full length feature category are the following: Halaw by Sheron Dayoc Limbunan by Gutierrez Mangansakan II Mayohan by Dan Villegas and Paul Sta. Ana Magkakapatid by Kim Homer C. Garcia Rekrut by Danny Añonuevo Sampaguita by Francis Xavier Pasion Sheika by Arnel Mardoquio Si Techie, Si Teknoboy at si JuanaB by Art Katipunan Siya ang Mayor Ko (Vox Populi) by Dennis N. Marasigan The Leaving by Ian-Dean S. Loreños. Each finalist will receive a P500,000 production grant from the Cinemalaya Foundation. Thriving Pinoy indie films Now on its 6th year, the Cinemalaya Festival and competition has given rise to independent filmmakers who have proven that low-budget digital films may as well be the future of Philippine cinema. A number of Cinemalaya winners have made it big in foreign shores, bagging international film awards and making waves in special screenings. The most notable of these films is 2005 Cinemalaya Special Jury Award winner "Ang Pagdadalaga ni Maximo Oliveros" (The Blossoming of Maximo Oliveros). Directed by Auraeus Solito, the film about a gay teenager torn between his family and his object of affection reaped awards in Singapore, Toronto, Montreal, Spain and Berlin. A finalist in the Cinemalaya Cinco 2009 run, "Engkuwentro" by 21-year old director Pepe Diokno, won two awards in the 2009 Venice International Film Festival. The tale of two brothers torn apart by gang rivalry, Engkuwentro was awarded the Luigi de Laurentiis Award for Debut Film and the Orrizonti Prize for Best Picture. “Astig" by Cinemalaya 2009 Best Director Winner GB Sampedro received special mention in the Pusan International Film Festival in South Korea. Meanwhile, Alvin Yapan's "The Rapture of Fe (Ang Panggagahasa kay Fe)," which won Cinemalaya's Special Jury Prize this year, was featured in the Chicago International Film Festival, North America's oldest competitive international film festival. Cinemalaya 2010 Aside from the usual Full-length Feature and Short Feature, the 2010 Cinemalaya Festival will introduce a new Open category for filmmakers who have directed at least three full-length feature films that have been released commercially. The festival will run from July 9 to July 18, 2010 at the Cultural Center of the Philippines. Apart from the Balanghai trophy, the Best Full-length Feature film will receive a prize of P200,000 while the Best Short Feature film will receive a prize of P100,000. – Jayme Brucal-Gatbonton/YA, GMANews.TV