Cebu International Film Festival's winners to be announced on December 26

MANILA, Philippines — The Cebu International Film Festival announced that this year's awarding will be online on December 26.

Cebu City Mayor Edgardo Labella said that the festival, now on its 9th year, has become a platform to back the development of the film industry in the province.

“As the local community celebrates the Cebu International Film Festival (Cebu.IFF) 2020, it is but fitting to remember that this is an effective medium for fostering collaboration and creating valuable partnerships, locally and internationally,” Labella said.

The Cebu IFF has partnered with POPTV, a new video-on-demand streaming platform, this December as the annual award-giving body goes online for the first time.

“We are very thankful to POPTV for partnering with us, and enabling Cebu IFF to host our film festival on their online platform in order to reach our audience during this time of the pandemic. I foresee a long and fruitful online partnership for years to come,” said Mel Allego, president of the Cebu IFF.

Among the competing films these year are “Body” (Australia), “Don’t Read this on a Plane” (Australia), “Dear Child” (Brazil), “Origin Bound” (Canada), “Mambo Man” (Cuba), “Scars” (France), “Hongkongers” (Hong Kong), “Cover” (Iran), “The Eve” (Italy), “Living in the Age of Miracles” (Japan), “The Menu for Tomorrow” (Japan), “Over the Barriers” (Kazakhstan), “Mekong 2030” (Laos), “Masterpiece” (Philippines), “Pananaghoy” (Philippines), “Persday” (Philippines), “Tita Melba” (Philippines), “Forbidden Entry to Unauthorized Strangers” (Portugal), “Architecture of the Blockade” (Russia), “Repossession” (Singapore), “Aspire to the Sky: The Wilshire Grand Story” (USA), “Diagnosing Healthcare” (USA), “The Chair” (USA) and “Wishful Thinking” (USA).

The Cebu IFF will be available on POPTV for two weeks beginning December 19.