A total of seventeen full length films are set to grace Cebu cinemas from August 6-9, 2015 as part of the Cinema Rehiyon 7, the flagship project of the National Commission for Culture and the Arts’ (NCCA) National Committee on Cinema (NCC) headed by Director William Mayo.
Cinema Rehiyon 7 adopts the theme “At the Crossroads of the Seventh Art and showcases the best regional films from across the archipelago. Set in Cebu, CR7 would be highlighting the unique characteristics of Cebuano films.
“Cebu has a unique situation. A local industry sprung from the province around 1932 to 1975. Also, there is a resurgence of a new breed of Cebuano filmmakers,” shares NCC Vice-Head Teddy Co.
Cebuano actors from the 70’s and the 80’s including the Queen of Visayan Movies Gloria Sevilla, Pilar Pilapil, Suzette Ranillo, Julian Daan and Undo Juizan, the first ever Cebuano FAMAS Best Child Actor Awardee for the film “Salingsing sa Kasakit”, are expected to attend the festival as homage to Cebuano film culture.
True to its aim to highlight Cebuano local films, CR7 opens the festival with a classic Cebuano film by Leroy Salvador. First screened in 1968, Badlis sa Kinabuhi starred Sevilla and Mat Ranillo Jr.
To highlight Filipino resiliency, a set of regional films are dedicated to the aftermath of Typhoon Yolanda. These films are T.M. Malones’ Dapya Sang Paglaum, Charena Escala and Rowena Sanches’ documentary Nick and Chai, and Thomas Fitzgerald’s Tigdao.
Films taking on various indigenous traditions are also included in the CR7 line up. Among them are Nef Luczon’s documentary on the Pan-ay Bukidnon community entitled Father said, “Let’s Return Home”, Lester del Valle’s Walang Rape sa Bontok, Adjani Arumpac’s War is A tender Thing and Ivy Universe Baldoza’s Marciano. One entry under this category, the Cordilleran tradition featured in Boyong and Sendong’s Busol: The Last Headhunters, is a perfect example of native indigenous film, produced by and for the Cordilleran community.
Other films included in the line-up for CR7 are Remton Zuasola’s Soap Opera, which serves as the festival’s pre-opening film, Bagane Fiola’s Sonata Maria, Jason Paul Laxamana’s Magkakabaung, Lemuel Lorca’s Mauban: Ang Resiko, Charliebeb Gohetia’s Chasing the Waves, and Alec Figuracion’s Bitukang Manok, a product of an all Cebuano crew from the province’s IAFT film school.
Kidlat Tahimik’s Balikabayan #1: memories of Overdevelopment Redux III closes the fest. The film follows Enrique, a Visayan slave to Magellan and is said to be Tahimik’s tribute to the pre-Hispanic Cebuano who possibly is the first man to circumnavigate the world.
Aside from the full length line-up, there will also be screenings of contemporary Cebuano short films at the mini theater of Film and Media International Arts Academy (FMA), outreach screenings in select venues, outdoor screenings as well as a special viewing of National Artist Lamberto Avellana’s rarely seen creations.
This year’s CR7 festival also offers unique opportunities to hear in-depth discussions about: Re-imagining Regional Cinema, The Regional as the Other in Cinema, Getting the World to See youth Film and Film as Heritage. These topics will be discussed by some of the country’s top industry stakeholders.
For more details, please contact Ms. Bambi Beltran, Festival Director for Cinema Rehiyon 7, through 09471763343 or email your concerns to bambibeltran@gmail.com or Mr. Rene Napeñas, Head of the Public Affairs and Information Office, through 09285081057, 527-2192 loc 208 or through email address ncca.paio@gmail.com
