The advent of 3D mapping and cutting edge digital projection combined with the popularity of online video platforms has once again brought short form cinema to the forefront of global culture. However, while vlogs and influencer content abound, the true potential of the medium is hardly ever examined.
Enter .giff Festival of New Cinema, a celebration of innovators, pushing the boundaries of content creation and exploring the exciting possibilities for short form video. It’s an art fair for video installation pieces and independent short films, plus a series of enlightening talks by established film and video practitioners from around the world—with an electronic music festival, too.
One of the most exciting sections is vcinema.giff, a showcase of vertical aspect ratio short films. This will be augmented by a Vertical Cinema exhibition by acclaimed Japanese filmmaker Takashi Makino along with live video collaborations between video artists and electronic musicians. Here you will find sonic experiments from the likes of Tarsius, Auspicious Family, similarobjects, Big Hat Gang, and Baile paired with eye candy by Timmy Harn, Sublingua, submachines., Mvltiverse, Dex Fernandez, and Annie Pacana.
The centerpiece is the National Short Film Competition, where the best in animated, experimental, documentary, music, and narrative short films will be shown. A special directors showcase will also figure as part of the program, featuring Globe Studios-produced international festival favorites like Carlo Manatad’s The Imminent Immanent and Eileen Cabiling’s Basurero which premiered in Busan, along with groundbreaking new work by  Cebuano writer/director Keith Deligero, Ilawom Sa Kahoy.
Another initiative of the festival is the Globe Studios Short Film Lab, where young filmmakers can hone their ideas and skills under the tutelage of masters. From inception to distribution, the lab aims to educate and guide the next generation of filmmakers through the first step of their cinematic journey.
Simultaneous to all these events are talks.giff and panels by international superstars like Zev Deans, who has directed music videos for the likes of St. Vincent and short films for the Alien Franchise. There will also be a showcase of international festival-winning VR films.
The luminaries judging for the different sections and competitions include Antoinette Jadaone, Sunod director Carlo Ledesma, film critic Richard Bolisay, acclaimed producer Bianca Balbuena, Respeto mastermind Treb Monteras, acclaimed actress Jasmine Curtis-Smith, and Globe Studios’ very own Quark Henares.
.giff Festival of New Cinema is created by Globe Studios and presented by OPPO. It will be held in Illumination Studios, Black Market, and in La Fuerza compound from November 30 to December 1. You can find more details on the official website: http://giff.ph. Updates will also be posted on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter: @giffph.
