Cinemalaya returns to in-person screenings for 2022 edition

MANILA, Philippines — The Cinemalaya Philippine Independent Film Festival will be celebrating its 18th edition live on-site for the first time in two years, welcoming fans of Filipino films back to the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) and several special screening areas nationwide.

The 2022 edition of Cinemalaya carries the theme "Breaking Through The Noise," a retrospective look at the two years Philippine cinema spent mostly on streaming and finally returning to "break through."

At the official media launch of the festival, Cinemalaya Foundation president Laurice Guillen recounted in a video message the production issues that filmmakers suffered during the pandemic, and that the shift to online meant feature films would not be able to compete.

But it was not without opportunities as Guillen also shared that during the pandemic, the foundation began providing new courses for scriptwriting, narratives, assistant directors, and production management, as well as film labs for various aspects of filmmaking.

Deputy festival director Teresa Rances congratulated all the filmmakers that would be participating in Cinemalaya 2022 —  a total of 23 feature films and short films are in competition — saying, "Cinemalaya is finally back, and it's going to be more exciting."

Related: Cinemalaya continues to break new ground despite pandemic

Festival director Chris Millado expounded on Rances' words by sharing what audiences could expect from the 18th edition of Cinemalaya.

The festival proper will be from August 5 to 14 with screenings held at Cinemalaya's home the CCP, followed by commercial screenings in select cinemas around the Philippines from August 10 to 17.

A number of films will then be screened in selected school campuses and communities beginning August 17 or 22 until the end of the month before being available online in October, which Millado said makes Cinemalaya 2022 the most distributed festival yet.

Kicking off the festival will be a special screening of the critically acclaimed Filipino film "Leonor Will Never Die" starring Sheila Francisco which had premiered at the 2022 Sundance Film Festival and won the World Cinema Dramatic Competition Special Jury Prize for Innovative Spirit.

Capping off Cinemalaya 2022 are two documentaries — "Delikado" about illegal logging in Palawan and "We Don't Dance for Nothing" about migrant workers in Hong Kong during the pro-democracy protests — as they serve as a teaser for the 2023 edition which will welcome a documentary category.

Millado also said a tribute to Filipino filmmakers who passed away in the last two years will be held, where some of their works will be included into the festival's roster.

RELATED: LIST: Cinemalaya 2021 winners; films now available for streaming