“Cinemalaya 2023 promises an exciting line-up of new full-length and short films from Filipino filmmakers, anchoring on its festival theme ‘ilumiNasyon’ that focuses on issues that shape our times while capturing the audience's imagination through new stories and perspectives."

Written by Matthew Escosia
July 20, 2023

For the first time, the Cinemalaya Philippine Independent Film Festival is skipping the floors of the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) with a new temporary home for its 19th edition: the Philippine International Convention Center (PICC).

The main building of CCP, which hosted and premiered many titles of the festival in the past, is currently closed due to rehabilitation. But this is not stopping them to conduct a bigger and better festival experience this year.

Cinemalaya 2023 promises an exciting line-up of new full-length and short films from Filipino filmmakers, anchoring on its festival theme “ilumiNasyon” (a portmanteau of illumination and “nasyon” or nation) that puts the focus “on issues that shape our times while capturing the audience imagination” through new stories and perspectives.

Venue and festival run

Happening this August 4 to 13, 2023, Cinemalaya 2023 will have its screenings at PICC’s meeting rooms: Cinema Rizal (Meeting Room 1), Cinema Bonifacio (Meeting Rooms 2 and 3), and Cinema Felipe (Meeting Room 4). Other festival activities such as talkbacks will be conducted at the Cinema Palma (Meeting Room 5) and exhibitions/ filmmakers’ profiles will be held at the Executive Lounge.

The full screening schedule and tickets will be shared on Cinemalaya’s official pages and website.

Main Competition – Full-Length Films

Ten (10) new full-length films, selected through a long screening process, will have their debut at this year’s Cinemalaya.

ANG DUYAN NG MAGITING (THE CRADLE OF THE BRAVE) by Dustin Celestino, a collection of the interwoven stories of a college professor, university official, social worker, police, students, mothers, and a lawyer.

AS IF IT’S TRUE by John Rogers, about the exploitative relationship of a struggling musician and a social media influencer losing the limelight.

BULAWAN NGA USA (GOLDEN DEER) by Kenneth De la Cruz, a fantasy drama following two men embarking on an expedition to the mystical mountain.

GITLING by Jopy Arnaldo, a comedy-drama exploring the limits of language through the lens of a Japanese director and his young Filipina translator.

HULING PALABAS (FIN) by Ryan Espinosa Machado, a coming-of-age drama about a young boy whose reality is tested when he meets two movie-like individuals.

ITI MAPUKPUKAW (THE MISSING) by Carl Joseph E. Papa, the festival’s first animated film for this category about a man who has no mouth.

MARIA by She Andes, a documentary (also a first for Cinemalaya for this category) following three women named Maria and their fight for truth and justice.

ROOKIE by Samantha Lee and Natts Jadaone, a romantic comedy about a teenage volleyball player falling in love with her team captain.

TETHER by Gian Arre, a horror tale of two people who learn that they can simultaneously experience the same kind of pleasure and pain.

WHEN THIS IS ALL OVER by Kevin Mayuga, a youth drama about a young man’s adventures with a group of misfits to hold a secret party during the pandemic.

Main Competition – Short Films

Cinemalaya is also featuring new short films in competition, made by a mix of alumni from the festival’s past editions and a new breed of filmmaker voices. The short line-up is comprised of the following:

• ANG KINING BINALAYBAY KAG AMBAHANON KO PARA SA IMO (THESE RHYMES AND RHYTHMS MEANT FOR YOU) by Kent John D. Desamparado

• GOLDEN BELLS by Kurt Soberano

• HINAKDAL (CONDEMNED) by Arvin Belarmino

• HM HM MHM by Sam Villa-Real and Kim Timan

• KOKURYO: THE UNTOLD STORY OF BB. UNDAS 2019 by Diokko Manuel Dionisio

• MAKOKO SA BAYBAY (I AM GOING TO THE BEACH) by Mike Cabarles

• MAUDI NGA ARAPAAP (LAST DREAM) by Daniel Magayon

• SIBUYAS NI PERFECTO (PERFECTO’S ONION) by Januar Yap

• SOTA (HORSE CARETAKER) by Mae Tanagon

• TONG ADLAW NGA NAG-SNOW SA PINAS (THE DAY IT SNOWED IN THE PHILIPPINES) by Joshua Caesar Medroso

Special screenings

Aside from competition titles, festivalgoers can expect a slew of film showcases at Cinemalaya 2023. There will be special screenings of winning Cinemalaya films from the past (Retrospective), works from other Filipino festivals (Best of the Festivals), award-winning Asian films (Visions of Asia), acclaimed documentaries (Dokyu), and other never-before-seen films (Premieres).

The Gawad CCP Para sa Alternatibong Pelikula at Video, another long-running independent film competition, is also set to return during Cinemalaya’s run this August 5 to 7, 2023 at the CCP Tanghalang Ignacio B. Gimenez (CCP Blackbox Theater).

For more details and announcements about Cinemalaya 2023, you may visit their official website at www.cinemalaya.org.