Cinema One Originals 2012 Official Entries

Cinema One Originals 2012 proudly presents its biggest line-up for its 8th year run with 13 competition feature films; divided into two categories: “Cinema One Plus” composed of seasoned directors awarded with a two million production budget each and “Cinema One Currents” composed of new breeds awarded with a one million budget each.
Chosen through careful deliberation from hundreds of entries, these 13 films, six of which debuts as the filmmakers first feature film, hav e the potential to make names for its filmmakers, directors, writers and actors in the local and international arena.

“The festival is definitely bigger now in terms of content, variety and ambitions compared to the past years of Cinema One Originals. We have something for everyone not answered by mainstream cinema,” said Cinema One channel head, Ronald Arguelles.
 

Cinema One Plus Category Entries:

1. Mater Dolorosa

Director: Adolf Alix Jr.

Cast: Gina Alajar, Cogie Domingo, Alessandra de Rossi, Carlo Aquino, Joem Bascon, Mercedes Cabral, Philip Salvador

Synopsis: It  is a story about a typical Filipino mother who lives a dark, shadowy life in Manila’s underground. Lourdes Lagrimas, the Filipina counterpart of Don Corleone of “The Godfather,” is known to be the head of all illegal activities in an old district of Manila. Despite this, she wants to shield her youngest son Benjamin from being involved in her family’s activities.

 2. Baybayin

Director: Auraeus Solito

Cast: Alessandra de Rossi, Assunta de Rossi, Adrian Sebastian, Sue Prado, Mon Confiado

Synopsis: It is a unique tale of two sisters who fall in love with a man who can’t hear and speak. Set in the pristine coasts of El Nido, Palawan, “Baybayin” tells the story of two half-sisters who fall in love with one man who is deaf mute. Having no way of communicating with the love of their lives, both women learn Baybayin, an ancient Palawanon script, to prove that love can speak even in silence.

3. Mariposa Sa Hawla ng Gabi

Director: Richard Somes

Cast: Erich Gonzales, Alfred Vargas, Mark Gil, Joel Torre, Maria Isabel Lopez, Rez Cortez, John Lapuz

Synopsis: The movie is a tale of an innocent woman who unravels horrible truths while in search of her long lost sister in the city. Set in the year 1994, the film tells the story of an innocent woman named Maya who sets a journey to Manila to find her long-lost sister. But her harmless purpose will lead her to a horrifying discovery that will change her life forever.

 

Cinema One Current Category Entries:

1. Catnip

Director: Kevin Dayrit

Cast: Lauren Young, Maxene Magalona, Rommel Luna, Ramon Bautista, Megan Young

Synopsis: is a psychological film on two friends who despite their frequent rifts and differences find comfort in being together.  Liv is an introvert at home, constraining her true personality because “everything she does is wrong” due to overblown parental ego. She enjoys the company of her friend Cieca since she can be her “rough” self in front of her and can be loved for who she is. The people behind “Catnip” are the same ones behind the controversial indie film “MNL 143.”

 2. Aberya

Director: Christian Linaban

Cast: Will Devaughn, Mercedes Cabral, Iwa Moto, Nicholas Varela

Synopsis: The film is about love, sex, and psychedelic potions intertwines the lives of four people in one night.  “Aberya” takes the audience on a journey through the rough side of Cebu. The film revolves around four individuals – an egomaniac Fil-Am boxer on a pleasure trip, a prostitute from Luzon out to accomplish a mission, a local drug dealer experimenting with time travel, and a social climber from Mindanao caught up in a scandal. It tackles issues such as sex, drugs, religion and activism presented in pop art form.

 3. Slumber Party

Director: Emmanuel dela Cruz

Cast: Markki Stroem, Archie Alemanya, RK Bagatsing, Sef Cadayona, Niño Muhlach

Synopsis: The film is a riotous comedy about a tied-up frat boy and three curious gays. Set in the night of August 23, 2010 (heated bus hostage-taking of Hong Kong nationals in Quirino Grandstand and the Miss Universe pageant), three gay friends decide to throw a slumber party as part of their yearly vigil to support the Philippines’ representative to the prestigious pageant. The supposedly fun spectacle of the three was cut short when Jonel, a young frat boy, burgled their “castle.”

 4. Palitan

Director: Ato Bautista

Cast: Mon Confiado, Mara Lopez, Alex Medina

Synopsis: It depicts lovers who find themselves asphyxiated and trapped in an erotic triangle. “Palitan” is set in the gritty street of Raon, Quiapo in Manila, a third-world commercial avenue where everything from dildos to car parts are sold and can be bargained for at a certain price. Nestor becomes buried in debt from his cunning boss, Ramiro. But this time, Ramiro wants something more than money – his young, lovely common wife Luisa.

  5. Melodrama Negra

Director: Ma. Isabel Legarda
Cast: Gee Canlas, Jerald, Napoles, Bong Cabrera, Sheng Belmonte, Cindy Lopez, Ria Garcia, Cai Cortez, Mara Lopez, Bembol Roco
Synopsis: It  is a dark comedy which follows the complicated and macabre lives of a woman and her ‘dead’ friends, blood-hungry sociopaths and a wealthy political family. The film revolves around cancer-stricken Dee, her dead friends Gomez and Lim, blood-hungry sociopath sisters Twinkle and Candy, their friend Bing, and wealthy father and son Congressman Ramirez and Rex. In the midst of limbo, murder and sex, what really matters in the end are the choices these people make as they play out the synchronized realities forming the dark melodrama that is life.

  

 6. EDSA XXX

Director: Khavn dela Cruz

Cast: Epy Quizon, Althea Vega, Sheree, Bong Cabrera

Synopsis: It is a futuristic black comedy film infused with original rock soundtrack. It tells the story of the reign of Three Eyes in the Philippines in year 2030  Set in the year 2030, The Republic of Ek-Ek-Ek had just elected their new president, Three Eyes aka Kulas Missing-Marbles. The street simpleton won the election by a landslide but he will later on discover that his presidency was all part of an intricate conspiracy. This homage to Pinoy B-movies is a tribute to the late King of Comedy Dolphy, and is the first and only full-length film shot entirely in Corregidor and in fisheye.

 7. Anak Araw

    

Director: Gym Lumbera

Cast: Jay de la Vega

Synopsis: It  talks about the colonial illusion of an albino who believes that he is a son of an American. Shot in black and white, “Anak Araw” is a tragic colonialism love story that springs from the search of a local albino for his identity in an imagined past of Taal Lake. He believes that he is a son of an American, thus he tries to learn English through reading translations and definitions from a Tagalog-English dictionary. He lives amidst a town facing exodus due to precarious events such as appearances of sharks and unexplained explosions and deaths.

8. Ang Paglalakbay ng mga Bituin Sa Gabing Madilim

Director: Arnel Mardoquio

Cast: Fe “Gingging” Hyde, Irish Karl Monsanto, Roger Gonzales, Glory Pearl Dy

Synopsis: It is a story about the companionship between three escaping rebels and a young war survivor against a Mindanao war backdrop. The film presents the many facets and intricacies of the Bangsamoro struggle in Mindanao. It narrates the story of three Muslim rebels trying to elude arrest from their captors, and a nine-year-old boy who seeks vengeance for the murder of his parents. Their individual struggles in Mindanao will show heart-rending images of war, friendship and companionship.

 9. Pascalina

Director: Pam Miras

Cast: Maria Veronica Santiago, Peewee O’Hara, Cara Eriguel, Alex Vincent Medina

Synopsis: An untypical story of a simple girl who, after visiting her dying aunt, experiences changes in her life that will push her to the edge of madness and monstrosity. After a series of unpleasant events in her life, Pascalina receives news that her aunt Taba is dying but cannot do so unless she passes on a curse. Thinking that it was only a joke, Pascalina visits her dying aunt and began experiencing changes in her life that will push her to the edge of madness.

10. Mamay Umeng

Director: Dwein Baltazar
Cast: all non-actors except Sue Prado, who will play a supporting role
Synopsis: A glimpse into the life of an 84-year-old man who is alone, waiting, and praying not for long life, but for a quick escape. The movie tells the story of Mamay Umeng, an 84-year-old man who wants nothing more than to end his long life. But death has always eluded him; it is a neverending game of hide and seek, to which he has always played along. One day, Mamay decided to hunt down his very own demise.

Apart from these originals, the festival will give tribute to Philippine classics through the screening of three of the most important restored films that greatly contributed to the foundation of Philippine Cinema: “Oro Plata Mata”, “Himala” and “Genghis Khan”.

“Oro Plata Mata”, the 1892 film directed by Peque Gallaga will serve as the opening film for the prestigious event while the award-winning film “Himala” will celebrate its 30th anniversary through an exclusive showing of a documentary special by “Ka Oryang” director Sari Dalena and writer/editor Keith Sicat.

An exhibition programme featuring guest films will also take place in the festival to include special screenings of “Alagwa”, “Supremo”, “Jungle Love”, and “Graceland”.
The 2012 Cinema One Originals Festival will run from November 28 to December 9 at Robinson’s Galleria Movie World and from November 29 to December 4 at the Edsa Shang Cineplex. The festival’s much awaited awards night will be held on December 3 at Studio 1 ABS-CBN Main Building.

The 2012 Cinema One Originals Festival is an annual project of the Cinema One, the local movie channel on cable, owned and operated by Creative Programs, Inc (CPI).

For more updates for Films on Cinema One Originals 2012, please check this link:

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