Summer’s dominating our lives again, which means it’s probably our most “free” time of the year. The tropical heat might push us to dive into deep waters and soak up, or have us stay indoors and nap our way out of boredom for no one knows how long. Well, there’s more to summer break than just those typical scenes. With the amount of micro cinemas in the city, a good local film or workshop is just a short trip away.
Here’s a roundup of interesting film events you can attend this April. From much-awaited screenings to intriguing lectures, each is guaranteed to make your film buff heart a notch happier this break.
Pelikula Lektura with Nick Deocampo
If you caught up with film scholar Nick Deocampo at Scout Movie Nights last month, you’d know how good he is at making profound details about Philippine cinema sound like a friendly conversation. If you want to score that experience again (or have it for the first time), he’s holding a free lecture this month.
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In celebration of Philippine cinema’s 100th year, University of the Philippines Film Institute (UPFI) is having a lecture series called Pelikula Lektura. Titled “Cinema Unbound: Dialectal Growth of Indie Cinema in the Boom-and-Bust Economy of the Philippine Movie Industry,” UPFI professor himself Nick Deocampo’s session sets a historical POV in understanding Philippine cinema, including its growth and production of new generation filmmakers. Think the capitalist industry and social alignments that define our film culture, and the exploration of the concepts of “mainstream” and “indie.”
Nick Deocampo’s Pelikula Lektura will be on Apr. 27 at UPFI Studio, UP Diliman, from 1 p.m. to 3 .p.m. Sign up here.
Kulitan Sesh: Komedi Kwentuhan at Cinema ’76
If you’re a Cinema ’76 Anonas regular, I hope you went full sentimental and saved at least three movie passes this month. Good news, your tickets entitle you a free admission to their Q&A session on Apr. 28 at 6 p. m. called Kulitan Sesh: Komedi Kwentuhan. Directors Victor Villanueva, Miko Livelo, and Joel Ferrer will be joining actors Jelson Bay and Dino Pastrano to discuss the power of punchlines and comedy in films. With comedy extraordinaire on board, it’ll definitely be “kulitang may laman,” as their poster says.
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Binisaya Film Festival at UP Diliman
For years, the Binasaya Film Festival has showcased Philippine cultural gems, whether it be crafted on the grounds of longtime filmmakers or budding directors. This year’s set surely won’t be short of amazing, as peculiarity is on the plate. One is “Drimsikol,” a story about a nightmare-occupied girl who visits a dream shop to alter her dreams. Another is “Ambihas” who follows a mechanic in discovering the conventional courtship code.
Binisaya is also big on genres, so except a hefty amount of animated flicks like “Ang Bitoon ug Ang Barungay” and “Memorya.” Add in utterly confusing-fascinating “Retaso,” a compilation of unrelated b-rolls and spare shots. Catch these and Q&A sessions after the screenings from Apr. 27 to May 1 at UPFI Videotheque. See the full lineup on their event page.
Italian MovieMov Masterclasses
Dropping by Kalaw street? Let yourself be lectured by some of the best in Italian cinema. Mark Apr. 23 and 24 on your calendars, because Luca Bellino, Silvia Luzi, and Agostono Ferrenti will have a talk about auteur film and cinema of reality, while Mario Sesti will talk about Bernardo Betolucci’s cinema.
Interseksiyon: Panikitan, Pelikula, at Wikang Filipino Conference
Movies and words? It’s the crossover we need. In celebration of National Literature Month, UPFI is holding a two-day conference directed by film scholar Patrick Campos. Intertwining Philippine cinema and literature, this event aims to delve in the interactions of these two fields in the past 100 years, and how the Filipino language was popularized.
Prepare your brains to get all the healthy juice, and think, think, think, as panelists include film academe’s greatest like Sari Dalena, Clodualdo Del Mundo, Jr., Tito Valiente, and more.
This event is free and open to the public. You can sign up for the first day here, and second here.
Screenings of festival favorites, in case we missed them
Missed Liway, Billie & Emma, Gusto Kita With All My Hypothalamus, and Hintayan ng Langit in their respective festivals? CBRC Dream Theater, which lies only in the heart of España, Manila, is your go-to for all the Filipino films you’ve been waiting to see (or 10/10 would rewatch). Screenings start on Apr. 24, so go to The Dream Theater’s page for the dates.
Still from Billie & Emma