Film festivals are the cornucopia of every film buff’s happiness. There’s a rare kind of adrenaline that seeps through inked ticket stubs, long lines and post-credits conversations with friends and strangers. Damn, what we’d do to experience this collective feeling again.
As cinema is shifting to virtual (for now, we hope), surprise online releases have been our salvation. And if there’s any chance you missed some gems in those IRL festivals, Pista ng Pelikulang Pilipino (PPP) is offering a total treat.
Yesterday, Oct. 8, the Film Development Council of the Philippines (FDCP) revealed their official roster for PPP’s fourth year. Bowing to their tagline “Sama All,” PPP organizer FDCP “extends the call for inclusion in the film industry.”
Happening from Oct. 31 to Nov. 15, PPP is spoiling film kids with 14 sections: PPP Short Films, Romance, Youth & Family, Classics, PH Oscar Entries, Genre, Bahaghari, Tribute, From the Regions, Documentaries, PPP Retro, Special Screenings, CineMarya and PPP Premium Selection. The total? 67 full-lengths and 78 short films. Doing the film gods’ work, we see.
Here are the films under the Premium Selection:
- “The Helper” by Joanna Bowers
- “Blood Hunters: Rise of the Hybrids” by Vincent Soberano
- “Brutal” (restored) by Marilou Diaz-Abaya
- “Cleaners” by Glenn Barit
- “Itoshi No Irene (Come On, Irene)” by Keisuke Yoshida
- “Ang Lakaran ni Kabunyan: Kabunyan’s Journey to Liwanag” by Kidlat Tahimik
- “He Who Is Without Sin” by Jason Paul Laxamana
- “Kintsugi” by Lawrence Fajardo
- “The Highest Peak” by Arbi Barbarona
- “Batch ’81” by Mike de Leon
Aside from that, we’re pretty pumped to rewatch some of Scout’s favorites (and lure you into watching them too): Thop Nazareno’s “Edward” (Youth and Family), Dwein Baltazar’s “Gusto Kita with All My Hypothalamus” (PPP Retro), Samantha Lee’s “Billie and Emma” (Bahaghari) and Irene Villamor’s “Ulan” (Romance).
This is also your chance to catch Peak Cinephile™ classics you’ve been looking for your whole life like “Insiang” by Lino Brocka, “Manila by Night” by Ishmael Bernal and “Balikbayan #1: Memories of Overdevelopment Redux VI” by Kidlat Tahimik.
The early bird rate—up for dibs until Oct. 15—is at P450 for the 16-day Full Run Pass (P599). Meanwhile, the Half Run Pass (eight days) is at P299 and Day Pass at P99. There’s also a Free Pass for short films screenings and public events, and discounts will be available starting Oct. 16 for PWDs, senior citizens (20 percent) and students (30 percent).
Peep the full list of films here.
Still from Glenn Barit’s “Cleaners”