CineFilipino Film Festival Year 4 Announces Finalists for Feature Length, Shorts, and Series Categories

The CineFilipino Film Festival, a celebration of Philippine cinema and of young and aspiring Filipino filmmakers, has officially released the full list of finalists for its Feature Length, Shorts, and Series categories in its 2019 competition. 

For the Feature Length film category, eight finalists were selected from over 100 entries and have each merited a PHP 2,000,000.00 grant, allowing them the amazing opportunity to produce their films and bring their cinematic visions to life. These talented finalists are:

Feature-length finalists (from left to right): Jose Javier Reyes the Competition Head, Jopy Arnaldo, Charlson Ong, Sarge Lacuesta, Sue Aspiras, Cristopher Gozum, Christopher Novabos, Steven Evangelio, JP Habac, Rob Hara, Dolly Dulu, Madonna Tarrayo the Festival Director and Guido Zaballero the First Vice President and Head of Marketing of Cignal

1. 27 EXP by Jopy Arnaldo – A story about a boy who uses a disposable camera to move on from a love lost.

2. Cargo by  Charlson Ong and Angelo R. Lacuesta – A Tausug fast-boat pilot finds himself involved in a murder, and must choose between escape and surrender.

3. Homecoming by Sue Aspiras – A young diwata gets a dazzling homecoming.

4. Ilikdem Mo So Matam by Christopher Gozum,  – A Filipina filmmaker in Seoul, South Korea gets entangled in a forbidden relationship between two other OFWs in the city.

5. Maya-maya Paparito Na by Steven Paul Evangelio – A family’s Christmas reunion is ruined by a devastating storm, leaving them with no way out.

6. Olsen’s Day by JP Habac, – A production assistant goes on a trip with a strange old man and his son who threatens him but at the same time, gives him the answers he seeks.

7. Ouroboros by Rob Jara, – A coming-of-age vengeance drama about a young man who waits 20 years to avenge his father’s death at the hands of his own mentor.

8. The Boy Foretold by the Stars Dolly Dulu – A gay high school student, driven by a fortuneteller’s predictions, attempts to prove to a boy that they are destined to be together.

Shorts finalists (from left to right): Jose Javier Reyes the Competition Head, Dolly Dulu, Noel Tonga, Zsarina Mae Lacumba, Elaiza Rivera, Ronald Dulatre, James Hermoso, Lorys Plaza, Redeen Fajardo, Producer Precious Flores, Madonna Tarrayo the Festival Director, and Guido Zaballero the First Vice President and Head of Marketing of Cignal

 For the Shorts category, the nine finalists who rose above dozens of submissions are:

1.  7-Year Itch by Dolly Dulu

2. Alex & Aki by Dexter Paul de Jesus

3. Ang Alamat ng Sari-Saring Sari Store by Claudia Fernando

4. Ang’gulo (Unclear) by Zsarina P. Lacumba

5. Delta by Eluigi Macalintal and James Garcia

6. Kita (nalng) Duha by Lorys Plaza and James Hermoso

7. Memento Mori by Noel Tonga, Jr.

8. Tayo (Stand Up) by  Ronald Dulatre and Elaiza Rivera

9.  Quing Lalam Ning Aldo (Under the Sun) by Reeden Fajardo

Series finalists (from left to right): Jose Javier Reyes the Competition Head, Jeremy Luke Bolatag, Christian Mark Vidallo, Rob Jara, Kris Ulrich, Maze Miranda, Ronald Van Angelo A. Dulatre, Efren Malabanan, Dustin Celestino, Ronald Batallones, Jelani Maniago, Carlo Obispo, Madonna Tarrayo the Festival Head, and Guido Zaballero the First Vice President and Head of Marketing of Cignal

 And for the Series category, the 10 chosen finalists are: 

1. B124 by Jeremy Luke Bolatag

2. Balete: The Animated Series by Christian Mark Vidallo

3. Delikado by Rob Jara

4. Life After College by Kris Ulrich and Maze Mirada

5. Manila Encounters by Ronald Van Angelo A. Dulatre

6. Philippine Gothic: Habang Buhay by Dustin Celestino

7. Raket by Ronald Batallones

8. Sa Pusod ng Dagat by Efren P. Malabanan

9. The Junkyard Hippies by Carlo Obispo

10. Tindero by Jelani Maniago

These finalists will be pitching their stories to a selection panel comprising established industry personalities, namely: SM Lifestyle Entertainment SAVP of Ad and Corporate Sales Isabelle Santillan; filmmaker and producer Perci Intalan; Viva Communications Producer and AVP for TV Production Tess Fuentes; and screenwriter and filmmaker Wanggo Gallaga. The selection panel will choose five of the ten finalists to greenlight for production.

ABOUT CINEFILIPINO

The CineFilipino Film Festival, organized by Cignal TV and Unitel Productions, Inc., is a showcase of stories from Filipino filmmakers that are worth watching and celebrating, helping local talent achieve higher commercial success. This year’s festival theme, Buhay ang Kuwento, means two things: 1) “The Story is Life”— life itself is a collection of stories which gives emphasis on the universality of human experiences as told in film; and 2) “The Story is Alive”— writers, directors, cinematographers, actors, and producers keep these stories alive by producing films and creating shared cinematic experiences in the big screen for everyone to enjoy.