Celebrating movies representing Filipino cinema, the CineFilipino Film Festival, began with the screening of sociopolitical drama/thriller “Whistleblower”, starring Nora Aunor and directed by Adolf Alix Jr., on March 15 at Newport Cinema 4, Resorts World Manila. The film festival will run from March 16 to 22 in select cinemas in the metro* while the awards night will be held on March 19 at Teatrino Greenhills.
Organized and led by Unitel Productions, in partnership with the MVP Group of Companies, the film festival offers cineastes moving stories and a diverse mix of genres.
With the theme “Kwento pa rin ang Hari”, the second installment features more categories including, Feature-Length, Documentaries, TV Series, and Shorts under which finalists will showcase works in Short Features, Mobile and Online.
“The essence of the story will always be at the core of CineFilipino, and with this year’s various categories, moviegoers are offered a more enriching experience,” said Madonna Tarrayo, CineFilipino Film Director and Unitel Productions President and Group COO.
Current festival standouts in the feature-length category include: “1st Sem”, a love-hate relationship between a mother and son after the latter decides not to pursue his college education in Manila; “A Lotto Like Love”, where two strangers are brought together in luck and love by a single winning lotto ticket; weighty issues in love in “Ang Taba Ko Kasi”; spine-tingling tales in “Ang Tulay ng San Sebastian”; and “Buhay Habangbuhay” where life after death takes on a different spin.
Jury deliberations will take place on March 16, 17, and 18. Participating cinemas include:
Gateway Cineplex, Festival Cinemas, Eastwood Cinemas, Robinsons Galleria Movieworld, Robinsons Manila Movieworld, Robinsons Metro East Movieworld, Newport Cinemas in Resorts World, EDSA Shangri-La Cineplex and Greenhills Theater Mall Cinema.
CineFilipino Film Festival partners are Mediaquest, TV5, Cignal, Unitel, Optima Digital, Metro Pacific Tollways, PLDT Smart Foundation and Meralco. For further information, visit the official website, www.cinefilipino.com.
