Indie Film Philippines Free 21
Tommye Hope
Just started working with an Indie film production. My boss is asking me to find companies to advertise and sponsor for this film. Can anyone recommend where I could get any contact informations of companies that are willing to sponsor an indie film?
Though vastly different, each of their films tap into uniquely human experiences that resonate with audiences from all over the world. One particular perspective that they seem to tap into often is the Asian American experience, offering stories of clashing cultures and the struggles of immigrant families in beautifully performed visual narratives.
Just like the Asian American experience, the Filipino experience is a treasure trove of depth and meaning. There is so much to say about our culture and the world that we inhabit, and Filipino indie cinema has never shied away from telling these stories.
In That Thing Called Tadhana, director and writer Antoinette Jadaone tells the story of two people who connect. Together, they process their tumultuous and complicated lives. Starring Angelica Panganiban and JM de Guzman, this romantic comedy balances love and connection on a trip across the Philippines. The film touches on the Filipino practice of romanticizing relationships and even the subsequent heartbreak that we endure. It discusses the idealized version of love and presents a more honest perspective of longing and the experience of understanding someone for who they are.
In her directorial debut, Martika Ramirez Escobar pays homage to old Filipino action films in a movie about the power of stories. Leonor Will Never Die is a surreal experience that follows the titular Leonor Reyes (Sheila Francisco), a retired filmmaker, as her family encounters financial struggles. After an accident, she falls into a world between reality and fiction, allowing the film to explore the life and mind of the creative individual in a vividly bizarre and wonderful way. The film serves as a manifestation of how escapism and the struggle of the average Filipino family go hand in hand, portraying this connection through a seemingly light-hearted and absurd tale.
In this 2018 Cinemalaya winner, director and writer Che Espiritu tells the tale of Aguy (Miel Espinoza), a seven-year-old who can cure sick people by hurting them, and Sal (Bodjie Pascua), a baker who is suffering from a chronic kidney condition. The film follows the two characters as they form an unlikely bond, finding friendship in a world of loneliness and sickness. Pan de Salawal is a testament to the Filipino pillars of empathy and community that help us get through life as we know it. It is a stunning exploration of kinship and care, told through a lens of magical realism.
Leonor Will Never Die (Filipino: Ang Pagbabalik ng Kwago, lit. "Return of the Owl") is a 2022 Filipino psychological comedy-drama film written and directed by Martika Ramirez Escobar, in her directorial debut. The film stars Sheila Francisco as a retired screenwriter who, after falling into a coma, finds herself the action hero of her unfinished screenplay. The supporting cast includes Bong Cabrera, Rocky Salumbides, and Anthony Falcon. The film is an homage to Filipino action films of the 1970s and '80s.[4]
Leonor Will Never Die premiered at the World Cinema Dramatic Competition of the 2022 Sundance Film Festival, the first Filipino film to compete since The Blossoming of Maximo Oliveros in 2006. The film received positive reviews, with Escobar being awarded the Special Jury Prize for Innovative Spirit.[5][6] The film also premiered in the Philippines, opening the 18th Cinemalaya Philippine Independent Film Festival at the Cultural Center of the Philippines on August 5, 2022, marking the festival's return to on-site screening since the breakout of the COVID-19 pandemic.[7][8] It was acquired by Music Box Films for North American distribution in February 2022, and was released across North America in a limited release starting on November 25, 2022.
For the role of Leonor, Escobar was looking for "someone who feels like they fit in that macho world, with the intelligence and sharpness of a writer, and the tough tenderness of a mother." The film's producer, Monster Jimenez, recommended Sheila Francisco after seeing her in the stage musical drama Ang Huling El Bimbo.[4]
The film was shot in the Philippines from July to September 2019.[12] The film was supported by the Film Development Council of the Philippines (FDCP) through its CreatePHFilms funding program and sponsored under its Full Circle Lab-Philippines development program.[13]
On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 91% of 34 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 7.30/10. The website's consensus reads: "A delightfully unique tribute to the transporting power of cinema, Leonor Will Never Die marks director/co-writer Martika Ramirez Escobar as a talent to watch."[14] Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned the film a score of 72 out of 100, based on 12 critics, indicating "generally favorable" reviews.[15]
At Sundance, the film was awarded the Special Jury Prize for Innovative Spirit. In recognition of the accolades of Leonor Will Never Die, as well as for the Short Film Grand Jury Prize-winner The Headhunter's Daughter, the Film Development Council of the Philippines (FDCP) chair Liza Diño-Seguerra described the moment as "Philippines Cinema's historic win at the Sundance," adding that the filmmakers are "writing history."[21]
About the movie itself? The dialogues were not overlapping for sure. That was one of the concerns we had on the movie we watched in CCP Complex. It was filmed in a subtle way, as quiet as Antique can be at the end of the day. But the storyline, the exact opposite.
The film exhibited incredible moments of sharing its point of view during the Martial Law under the presidency of Ferdinand Marcos. Scary and worrisome, to be honest. However, it also possessed pinches of modern arguments and dialogues. In order to appeal to the younger generations, I supposed.
This is why I really love watching independent films, and of course, Cinemalaya. They never fail to tell you what is really happening around you. Hoping that you learn something somehow, once you get up the seat and walk away from the cinema.
This is the type of film that has been missing for a very long time in cinemas and other popular big screen events. There is comedy, horror and drama which are packed into one. I would like to commend Pepe Smith for handling his role very well, just minus a lot of swearing ? and Ruru Madrid for playing his character in an outstanding manner.
On the lighter side of the story, I would like to express my sincere thanks to Mr. Pepe Diokno for giving us a quality movie (this should not be an indie movie to be honest) and the worth of our money, and not robbing us of it. I salute you Sir! ?
Attendees can expect a diverse lineup of films, including compelling dramas, heartfelt romances, captivating documentaries and socially-relevant narratives. Organizers say each film reflects the unique Filipino perspective and highlights the immense talent and creativity of Filipino filmmakers.
Organizers believe the film festival aligns with Philippine Heritage Month, a time dedicated to honouring and celebrating the rich cultural heritage of the Philippines and the contributions of the Filipino community to Canadian society.
Celebrating independence: Along with an indie film festival, a flag-raising ceremony and a council proclamation are part of the Filipino Heritage Month celebrations in New Westminster. Photo Filipino-Canadian Society for International Arts and Events
"It's what we choose to do now, that determines who we really are." Buffalo 8 has released the official US trailer for an indie film from the Philippines (also a Canadian co-production) titled Boy From Nowhere, based on a true story. The directorial debut from SJ Finlay, Boy From Nowhere is shot guerrilla style in the dangerous parts of the southern Philippines. Featuring a cast of non-actors, Finlay realistcally captures the harsh realities of war, the brutality of human behavior, and the risks someone may take to find their place in the world. The story follows a young boy from a fishing village who is brainwashed and recruited to become a child soldier as part of a fictional rebel group in the southern Philippines. The intense indie drama stars Balugto Necosia, Gary Jumawan, Nack Nack Abugyan, and Waway Saway. This looks like a very powerful and authentic story about how kids get pulled into this kind of horrible life, similar to other films like Beasts of No Nation previously. Check out the trailer below before it plays in theaters later in February.
Based on true events, Boy From Nowhere follows the story of Gary, a young and vulnerable Filipino boy who loses everything in an attack on his village that kills his father. Desperate to find his mother and her tribe, Gary sets out on a perilous journey while battling hunger and solitude. Along the way, he gets caught up in the dangerous world of gangs and is eventually brainwashed into becoming a child soldier for a local rebel faction. Vulnerable and malleable, Gary fights for survival until further loss leads him to find a more meaningful purpose for his life. Boy From Nowhere is both written and directed by the Filipino filmmaker S.J. Finlay, making his feature directorial debut after the short film Boy Soulja: Action Movie Experience previously. The film won the Audience Award at the 2021 Lonely Wolf Film Festival. Buffalo 8 will debut Boy From Nowhere in select US theaters starting February 17th, 2023 this month. Interested?
To watch, please register through this link _FestivalRegistration and you will be redirected to the film festival page. You can start watching on Vimeo for FREE on 28 November 2021 and each set of films will be available for 48 hours.
aa06259810