MAGAZINE
Published February 16,2017
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Joel Lamangan returns to the film festival circuit as the prolific
filmmaker leads the finalists in the third Sinag Maynila Film Festival
scheduled for next month.
This was announced at a recent news conference by Sinag Maynila
festival director Brillante Mendoza and Solar Entertainment chief
executive officer Wilson Tieng, the driving force behind the film
festival that is now on its third year.
Lamangan’s new film, “Bhoy Intsik,” is one of the five finalists in
the full-length category that also includes HF Yambao’s “Kristo,”
Ricardo Carranza’s “Beyond the Block,” Jason Orfalas’ “Ladyfish,” and
Arnel Barbarona’s “Tu Pug Imatuy (The Right to Kill).”
Starring RS Francisco, Ronwaldo Martin, Elora Españo, Jim Pebanco,
Tony Mabesa and Jeric Raval, Lamangan’s film centers on two small-time
felons who have developed a petty but mutual disdain towards a
competitor in their illegal business.
Lamangan last participated in the now scrapped Directors Showcase
section of the Cinemalaya Independent Film Festival in 2014 where his
entry, “Hustisya,” won the NETPAC and Audience Choice awards as well as
Best Actress honors for lead actress Nora Aunor.
The year before that, Direk Joel was also part of the Sineng Pambansa
National Film Festival All-Masters Edition with “Lihis,” a gay romance
set against the backdrop of the armed insurgency during Martial Law.
Yambao started his career as production coordinator for Brillante
Mendoza’s “Thy Womb” but earned a lot of kudos for his directorial
debut, “Best. Partee. Ever.” An entry in last year’s QCinema
International Film Festival, the film went on to win Best Actor for lead
star JC de Vera.
His film “Kristo” focuses on Boy, a vendor having an eventful but not
necessarily favorable day that started with his first-born son’s
graduation with honors. The rest of the day is a rollercoaster ride for
Boy as he struggles with losing his main source of livelihood and fights
for his winnings in a cockfighting bet. His honor as a family man will
be put to the ultimate test. “Kristo” stars Julio Diaz, Angela Cortez
and Kristoffer King.
Aside from being a new filmmaker, Carranza is also a dancer and
choreographer and his entry takes its cue from the unprecedented
acceptance of the acclaimed documentary, “Sunday Beauty Queen” at the
Metro Manila Film Festival. “Beyond The Block” is a docu-drama that
chronicles the evolution of hiphop dance in the Philippines.
Jason Orfalas is credited as the producer of “Expressway,” an entry
in last year’s Sinag Maynila festival that won three awards including
Best Actor for Alvin Anson. His entry “Ladyfish” stars JC Santos, Martin
Escudero, Brenda Mage and Ruby Ruiz is about a gay call center employee
who, together with her best friend and her adopted Swedish son, faces
obstacles in a society where a fair chance is seemingly out of reach.
Arnel Barbarona is an award-winning cinematographer and film editor
who is often associated with another acclaimed filmmaker, Arnel
Mardoquio. He was the director of photography for the latter’s “Ang
Paglalakbay ng mga Bituin sa Gabing Madilim” and “Riddles of my
Homecoming.”
His “Tu Pug Imatuy (The Right to Kill)” is about an indigenous family
that has to drive out the abusive soldiers in their village using the
traditional defense of “pangayaw.”
In addition to the full-length entries, Mendoza and Tieng also
announced the finalists for the short film and documentary categories of
Sinag Maynila. The five short film finalists are Matthew Victor
Pastor’s “I Am Jupiter, I Am the Biggest Planet,” Emmanuel Escalona
Jr.’s “Ang Langit, Burger at ang Universe,” Karl Glenn Barit’s “Aliens
Ata,” Jose Maria Javier Manoos’ “Ang Hindi Ko Masambit,” and Paul
Arrenze Dionela’s “Tulay Buhay.”
For the documentary section, the entries are Avelino Mark Balmes
Jr.’s “Hango,” Jaynus Olaivar’s “Kupkop,” Noah del Rosario’s “The
Recycled Spirits of Roel Cabato,” Jean Clare Dy and Manuel Domes’
“Pagrara Sang Patipuron (Weaving a Circle),” and “Krudo
Boys”collectively directed by Mirielle de Lara, Angelica Domingo,
Dannieleth Julapong, Maria Agnes Malvar, Bea San Juan, and Nathaniel
Santiago.
In coming up the finalists for this year’s festival theme of “Sine
Lokal, Pang-Internasyonal,” Mendoza and Tieng are both very pleased with
what they described as “an interesting mix of story-driven films.”
“The upgraded mechanics for this season may have been a risky move
but we are happy with the outcome and are look forward to the reception
for these films here and of course, internationally.”
The Sinag Maynila film festival will run in selected SM cinemas from March 9 to 14.
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| Direc Joel Lamangan |
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