Cinemalaya 2009: Winners

Based on this list of winners, 9 out of 10 full-length competing films won in the festival awards a few hours ago.

Multiple winners were Astig (4 awards), Dinig Sana Kita (3 awards), Colorum (2 awards) and Sanglaan (2 awards). Astig and Sanglaan were on my To-Watch list but unfortunately, I could not find the time to go see them. Astig won 50-50 on performances (best director, best supporting actor) and production (best editing, best sound recording). Sanglaan bagged the best female performances (lead and support).

I've seen both Dinig and Colorum. Dinig has my biggest affection and apparently I was not alone in this as it was the Audience's Choice, in addition to winning Best Musical Score (is this why people are on LSS with the film's song?) and the Children's Television Award (understandably). I did not enjoy Colorum much but I have to agree with Lou Veloso winning best actor. He was the character he played.

Last Supper No. 3 got only one award, but the best at that: Best Picture. I'm glad I and a couple colleagues were able to catch the last show of this last night. The film sent a cutting message (it hurt) about the country's frustrating justice system in a very funny way. It's amazing how the entire film revolved around a single otherwise mundane thing: a Last Supper decor. I liked the camera angles and pun on the songs played in the film.

My other watched film, Mangatyanan, got the Best Production Design award. I do not know exactly what that means but I'm happy for the film because it was good. Its premise was not something I was initially interested in but I liked the film nevertheless. That's a feat for the makers.

I hope the films will be shown again in the city (UP is too far for me). I want to watch the others I haven't seen, and Dinig again. Watching Dinig's teaser (haven't seen it before I watched) has got me wanting to re-experience the film.

IELTS

To pass, or not to pass? That is not the question.

What will I score? There lies the wonder.

Cinemalaya 2009: Gossip Girl

Cinemalaya was such great fun. I am glad I have 'discovered' it. Four out of 10 competing full-length films watched. Not bad for a beginner.

And - the film festival is also the place to go when you are the 'starstruck' kind. A number of showbiz personalities seen. Inner gossip girl awakens.

Spotted: Dinig Sana Kita cast. Sunday mid-afternoon screening. Complete with paparrazi moments with the leads. Fanatic ever.

Spotted #2: Alfred Vargas. With an arm on a date while being interviewed at the lobby of the main theater. Colorum gala screening. Thursday.

Spotted #3: Mylene Dizon & Paolo Paraiso. Colorum gala screeening. Mylene was pretty. ;) (I should have watched her own Cinemalaya entry, the critically acclaimed '100'. But I wasn't into indie films then).

Spotted #4: Victor Basa. Harbour Square. Saturday.

Spotted #5: Patricia Evangelista (writer / she won in a speech contest in UK years back). Harbour Square. Saturday. (A colleague's hubby who reads her articles was kinda starstruck. Hehe.)

Spotted #6: The director of Colorum (I think), with a foreigner who wore a "Cannes" t-shirt. (Hmmm, is Colorum going to France?). Harbour Square. Saturday. =)

Spotted #7: Rajo Laurel (top local designer). Last Supper No. 3 screening. 9pm Saturday.

Proximity

I have always known how lucky I am to get a place so close to work and almost everything else: convenience stores, schools, malls, the country's sports center, etc. But it's only been lately that I've appreciated the value of also being a walk away from the country's cultural center (CCP). Now, as I lounge near CCP waiting for my next Cinemalaya film, I doubly feel lucky as I discover the serenity and great view of Harbour Square. What a place to spend a Saturday at! Lovely, lovely, lovely.

(Photos for uploading tonight...) ;)

View from my Starbucks corner - early afternoon

More view

Other side

Nearing sunset (this guy reminds me of someone =)

Sun setting

Cinemalaya 2009: Mangatyanan

After watching Dinig Sana Kita, this became my list of festival films to watch :

1. Colorum (about a young cop and an old ex-convict)
2. Last Supper No. 3 (about a missing Last Supper)
3. Sanglaan (Pawnshop)
4. Astig (about life in poverty, i think)
5. Short Films A (a collection of short films)

Mangatyanan

I was able to watch Colorum last night (this will be another story) and planned to watch Last Supper No. 3 early tonight. My colleagues and I had it all planned. Unfortunately, the tickets for the film were sold-out and our next best option appeared to be "Mangatyanan", a term meaning "The Blood Trail" which is an old tribal ritual. The story connects this ritual with the life of a woman with a dark past. Thankfully, the movie was surprisingly good and we had fun. =)

Of the three films I've watched so far though, Dinig is still best.

The Curious Case of My Missing Umbrella

I had last seen it Friday. And I remember the security it provided me. A typhoon was 'storming' Manila then but I didn't mind. I had my trusty Umbrella with me, I would be fine.

Come Saturday, I found myself looking for it when I was about to leave home. I couldn't find it. And I also couldn't remember where I placed it the day before. Hmmm. If it's not home, I must have left it at the office.

At the office, no trace of it. Ever hopeful, I thought I just might not have looked hard enough back home. It must just be somewhere there. So, I'd look for it again when I come home.

Sunday: I remembered that I was supposed to look for it...and I did. But still, no Umbrella.

By Monday, I had to give up. Still wondering where it was or what happened, I had to give my missing Umbrella's fate to the gods. ;)

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UPDATE (8/8/09): Found the umbrella. Somebody who works at a downstairs store gave it back to me last Sunday. I left it at the store. Hehe. :)

Dr. Carlisle

A friend in Dublin got the chance to get this close to a certified vamp. And not just your ordinary vamp. The handsomest kind! Even Stephenie Meyer would agree. ;)

He is so goddamn hot!!!

I would not mind being bitten myself.

Dr. Carlisle (Peter Facinelli)

I might go crazy if I get this close. Good thing my friend (and her sis) were able to keep their sanity. ;)

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Photo credit: K. Valencia (permission pending reply granted!)

Cinemalaya 2009: Dinig Sana Kita

Cinemalaya is the Philippine Independent Film Festival. It's scheduled to run from the 17th to 26th this month. The venue (Cultural Center of the Philippines) is only a 20-minute walk from home but I've never checked it out before.

But today...today was my first ever Cinemalaya film. And it blew me away.

Dinig Sana Kita (If I Knew What You Said) is a "story about a deaf boy who loves to dance and a troubled rocker girl who abuses her hearing." It made me laugh and cry. Performances were effective, script was solid, and overall impact? The crowd burst in a loud applause at the end of the film.;)

Dinig Sana Kita

A few of the participating films
Welcoming party

A lot good ones to choose from!

The shoot continues

A Saturday in the Life of Me

Wake up at 8. Had a full breakfast, and I missed it. Tried to eat small during the weekdays. ;) Saturdays, Sundays and Fridays are free-diet days!

Go to work at 10. Loved the walk towards the office. Being the only one at work, I had the whole place to myself. ;)

Go to Greenbelt to catch Harry Potter, by 4 pm. But first, hurry to get tickets. The line is long, and the seats are almost completely taken. Ooops, no room for me and Ynnah on the earliest timeslot. Luckily, we got the last two adjacent seats for the next show.

Hmm, now is the time to make up for missing lunch. Next stop: fuzion.

Spaghetti Bolognese and a great-flavored iced tea later, I still felt starved. Whoah. So much for weekday diets. But hey, this is saturday...I'm free! =). Order mango crepe. And voila, it's a huge serving.

So, here I am, plowing through my crepe, while writing about my working-but-free Saturday. Ah, the next big thing for today: Harry. ;)

(I write great, eh? =). Well, that's what happens if a blogger has really nothing to say.)

Beautiful Day

I look out the window and see a beautiful day.

It's starting to drizzle but the sun's early morning light reigns and provides a bright background to the Makati skyline. Too bad I won't be able to enjoy the promise of a beautiful Sunday.

Back to (home) work now. :(

Sad

I feel so, so bad. Heard the news. Heard it too late. Nothing can really be done now.

She used to be like a mother to me. Taught me things. Gave me affection and love. And then we moved, and through the years we lost touch. Until last year.

I dropped by to visit her. She was so weak, unable to speak or move on her own. I wish I had done more.

I learned today that she had passed away. And the funeral was yesterday. Yesterday.

It hurts to not be there to condole and just be.

I pray the best for her family.

Touche

The Wedding

A good measure of a quality and effective TV series, I think, is its ability to lure viewers who are not fans of the stars. "The Wedding" has done that to me.

The first time I caught the teaser, I got instantly interested. One good thing about ABS-CBN (the network) is it mixes and matches its talents, and the triangle of Derek Ramsay, Anne Curtis and Zanjoe Marudo - whom I don't remember ever appearing together in a project before - seemed fresh enough to appeal to my curiosity. And so, I looked forward to the launch and saw for myself what the show had to offer.

I love the series.

The premise is still interesting, despite not being entirely novel: rich-girl (Anne) and poor-guy (Zanjoe) develop a relationship for some reason (the girl pissing off her parents) and of course, the status gap becomes a major problem. And then, there's the other rich-guy (Derek) who will complete the love triangle. What I find interesting is how the angle of the girl making a fool of the poor-guy turns out. This early, I can already feel for him.

The way the plot is crafted is something new: light, Korean-style (exaggerated, weird and unreal but funny), and thankfully devoid of too many sub-plots. Performances are well-done, and that's saying much since I'm not really a fan of any of the stars. And most of all, I think I heard somewhere that it's intended to be short, so, it might be worth following. ;)

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Official Site: The Wedding

Chasing the Light

Here is another of my cousin's photos. He's just so talented!

The instant I saw the pic, I wished I were in it, experiencing that lovely natural moment. The pic brightened my gloomy day.

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Credit: Paul Banday

Female Drivers

A colleague sent this to me and got me laughing hard:

Especially love the part where a woman took so long to park a car. =)

Coron, Coron!

I am so looking forward to our trip to this paradise:

Oh, September, I can't wait! =)

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Photo credit: Tina Galido