CINEMALAYA PHILIPPINE INDEPENDENT FILM FESTIVAL 2020 FILM SYNOPSES AND INFORMATION SHEET SHORT FEATURE CATEGORY A
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CINEMALAYA PHILIPPINE INDEPENDENT FILM FESTIVAL 2020
FILM SYNOPSES AND INFORMATION SHEET
SHORT FEATURE CATEGORY A
ANG GASGAS NA PLAKA NI LOLO BERT (THE BROKEN VINYL RECORD)
Directed by Janina Gacosta and Cheska Marfori
An old vinyl record alters a closeted gay man’s life.
SYNOPSIS:
A closeted gay man in his 60s has been living with HIV
for 10 years. His monotonous life takes a sudden turn
when he receives an old vinyl record from his dead ex-
lover.
ABOUT THE FILMMAKERS:
Born in Aparri, Cagayan, JANINA GACOSTA grew up
thinking that Metro Manila is from a different
dimension. She thought that snow fell there partially
because of the film “Puso ng Pasko,” starring Jolina
Magdangal. After graduating with a degree in
Communication Arts in UST, she is currently taking up
MA Media Studies in Film at UP Diliman. She has joined
various writing workshops including Ricky Lee
Scriptwriting Workshop, CinePanulat: Screenwriting Lab
ni Jun Lana, and the VLF Writing Fellowship Program.
She continues to join writing workshops until she
realizes there is no snow in Manila.
CHESKA MARFORI took up a degree which she thought
would help with her shyness. In the process, she fell in love with the art of storytelling and continues to
improve her craft at the University of the Philippines. She joined the Screenwriting Lab ni Jun Lana in
2015. Hailed from Liliw, Laguna, her mother once bought a pair of floral slippers for her, but she didn’t
like it. She’d rather go barefoot.
MAJOR CREDITS:
CAST: Rene Requiron, Joemel Bancayan PRODUCTION STAFF: DIRECTOR – Janina Gacosta and Cheska Marfori;
SCREENWRITER – Janina Gacosta; DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY – Philip Vargas; PRODUCTION DESIGN – Sherina
Inza-Cruz and Jake Hiraya; MUSIC – Jose Mojica and Lionel Guico; SOUND DESIGN – Anglea Pereyra; EDITOR –
Cheska Marfori, Iar Arondaing, Nono Ignacio, Kevin Lawrence Restua; ASST. DIRECTOR – Ryan Dela Cruz Quimpo;
CAM OPERATORS – Stephen Paul Tujon and Robert Jr. L. Cereno; POSTER DESIGNER – Eru Petrasanta;
PRODUCTION ASSTS. – James Pangan And Jessa Espina; LINE PRODUCER - Glecy Quozon
(Rating: __ | 19 MINUTES, 07 SECONDS | Drama, Romance)
ANG PAGPAKALMA SA UNOS (TO CALM THE PIG INSIDE)
Directed by Joanna Vasquez Arong
Memories catch up as a girl visits a ravaged port city.
SYNOPSIS:
To Calm the Pig Inside contemplates on the effects a
typhoon leaves on a seaside city. Myths are woven in to
try to understand how people cope with the devastation
and trauma. A girl’s voice divulges bits and pieces of her
own memory of her grandmother and mother to tie in the
experiences she felt visiting this ravaged port city.
ABOUT THE FILMMAKER:
JOANNA VASQUEZ ARONG started filmmaking in Beijing
after deciding to leave the corporate and institutional
world in search for new adventures. Her first feature
documentary, NeoLounge, in 2007, which recounted
intimate stories of foreigners who went to Beijing
searching to break from their past, won four awards,
including two Best Documentary awards. Her second film,
The Old Fool Who Moved the Mountains, which explores
an ancient Chinese fable and how it relates to three
generations, premiered at the Pusan International Film
Festival in 2008 and won two awards, including the Best
Documentary award. Her third film, Sunday School, filmed in Zambia, was commissioned by the
International Film Festival Rotterdam for their Forget Africa series, and premiered in 2010. Joanna also
creates film installations for galleries and museums; her most recent were screened in galleries and
museums in Cebu, Manila, San Luis Potosí, Chicago and New York in 2019 and 2020.Her documentary
short To Calm the Pig Inside, which premiered at the Slamdance Film Festival in January 2020, won the
Grand Jury Prize. Her new project 116B University Avenue, Rangoon, which explores the notion of
identity and the idea of home and homeland, was one of 19 projects chosen to pitch at the IF/Then
Southeast Asia 2020 lab. She also wrote her first feature narrative script, The Sigbin, named after a
mythological creature known to be loyal to its master, which explores the relationship of an assassin and
his daughter, he only recently discovers.
MAJOR CREDITS:
CAST: Anna Rong as storyteller; Editha “Dadit” Caputi Darlo for Grandmother singing; Joel Lagartija for “Hain ang
Utlanan” PRODUCTION STAFF: DIRECTOR/SCREENWRITER/PRODUCER – Joanna Vasquez Arong; ASSOCIATE
PRODUCERS – Christopher Clower, Erica Brenner, JM Rodriguez; STILL PHOTOGRAPHY – Veejay Villafranca, Piyavit
Thongsa-ard; EDITOR/S – Lawrence S. Ang, Pao Sancho-Dalisay; SOUND DESIGN – Akritchalerm Kalayanamitr;
SOUND EDITOR – Chalermrat Kaweewattana; MUSIC – Evgueni Galperine; TYPHOON AND YOLANDA FOOTAGE –
Earth Uncut TV, James Reynolds, Mark Thomas, Christian Linaban; AERIAL FOOTAGE AND STILLS – Christopher
Darza; CHILDREN’S ILLUSTRATIONS – Students from San Jose National High School, Camansihay Elementary School
and Tacloban City National High School; VISAYAN TRANSLATION – April Anne Moncada, Russ Raniel Ligtas, Maria
Victoria Beltran
(Rating: __ | 18 MINUTES, 30 SECONDS | Drama)
EXCUSE ME MISS, MISS, MISS
Directed by Sonny Calvento
A department store sales lady unearths the ultimate secret
to regularization.
SYNOPSIS:
Vangie, a miserable contractual sales lady, is about to lose
her job. But in her desperate attempt to convince her boss
not to sack her, Vangie uncovers the ultimate jaw-dropping
secret to regularization. “Excuse Me Miss, Miss, Miss” is a
social satire about the plight of contractual workers in the
Philippines.
ABOUT THE FILMMAKER:
SONNY CALVENTO is a director, writer and producer. He
was a fellow of the Hanoi International Film Festival
Directing and Producing Talent Campus 2017 where he was
awarded Best Talent in Directing and Producing. His first
feature, “Nabubulok,” was part of the 13th Cinemalaya
Independent Film Festival and eventually premiered in
Busan International Film Festival and 12 other countries. He
produced “John Denver Trending,” which premiered at the
15th Cinemalaya Independent Film Festival. He wrote the screenplay of “The Gospel Of The Beast”, an
upcoming film from Black Sheep and Southern Lantern Studios. “Excuse Me Miss, Miss, Miss” is his first
short film.
MAJOR CREDITS:
CAST: Angelina Kanapi, Bob Jbeili and Phyllis Grande PRODUCTION STAFF: DIRECTOR – Sonny Calvento;
SCREENPLAY – Arden Rod Condez; DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY – Rommel Sales; PRODUCTION DESIGNER – Harley
Alcasid; EDITOR – Carlo Francisco Manatad; SOUND DESIGN – Mikko Quizon, Kat Salinas; MUSIC – Len Calvo;
COLORIST – Timmy Torres; PRODUCER – Sheron Dayoc; EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS – Eduardo Lejano, Manet Dayrit;
LINE PRODUCER – Evangeline Torcino; PRODUCTION MANAGER/ASSISTANT DIRECTOR – Tin Velasco; SECOND
ASSISTANT DIRECTOR –
Ryanne Murcia
(RATING: __ | Social Satire, Comedy)
FATIGUED
Directed by James Robin Mayo
An employee overslept and must wake-up from a
nightmare.
SYNOPSIS:
Fatigued is an interactive short film where audience
participation is important. It is about an employee who
overslept and must wake-up from his/her nightmare.
Today, you can watch any movie online through different
streaming sites. The idea behind this short film is to make
a film that will exclusively let you feel the cinematic
experience. The space and time inside the cinema are
different from watching in your house. The Live
participation of the audience is the unique experience you
will witness when you watch along with group of people
and inside the cinema.
ABOUT THE FILMMAKER:
JAMES ROBIN MAYO is a graduate of BA Major in
Technical Theater at DLSU-CSB. His first projects were
music videos, TV shows and short films. His film, “Fib,”
won the 3rd place for Best Experimental Video in the 27th
CCP Gawad Alternatibo. His first feature film, “The
Chanters,” is a QCinema International Film festival finalist,
which won Best Screenplay and Best Actress. It has been nominated for Best Picture and Best Director in
Gawad Urian, FAMAS and LUNA Awards. He also won Best First Feature Film Director in Young Critics
Circle for “The Chanters.” His 2nd feature film, “Kuya Wes,” was a finalist in the 14th Cinemalaya. The
film competed in different international film festivals such as Fantasporto Film Festival 2019, won Best
Actress in 2019 Manhattan International Film Festival, nominated in the 2019 Edera Film Festival in Italy
and the 2019 Festival Internacional de Cine de Quito in Ecuador. Locally, it won Best Actor in PMPC Star
Awards, and Best Picture and Best Actor in 21st Gawad Pasado.
MAJOR CREDITS:
CAST: Matthew Lorenzo, Yayo Aguila, Putol PRODUCTION STAFF: DIRECTOR/SCRIPTWRITER – James Robin M.
Mayo; CINEMATOGRAPHER – James Robin M. Mayo; PRODUCTION DESIGNER – James Mayo, Matthew Lorenzo,
RM Marohombsar; EDITOR –
Joris Fernandez, James Mayo; SOUND – Immanuel Verona; PROD ASSISTANTS – RM Marohombsar, Matthew
Lorenzo; PRODUCER – Cai Cena, James Mayo
(Rating: __ | 11 MINUTES, 34 SECONDS | Comedy Drama)
LIVING THINGS
Directed by Martika Ramirez Escobar
A woman discovers that her decade-long lover has turned
into a cardboard standee.
SYNOPSIS:
ints and Charles have been together for almost a decade.
One day, Kints wakes up and discovers that her lover has
changed, literally. Although troubled at first, she eventually
understands that what happened is a natural
phenomenon. Through this, she is reminded that people
change all the time, and love can change people.
ABOUT THE FILMMAKER:
Born in Manila in 1992, MARTIKA RAMIREZ ESCOBAR’s
love for the bizarre is best reflected through her films and
photography. After graduating with honors from the UP,
her thesis film “Pusong Bato” competed at the 19th Busan
International Film Festival and had screenings across Asia
and Europe. It won Best Short Film at the 11th Cinemalaya
in 2015. She is an alumna of the Berlinale Talents Tokyo,
Asian Film Academy, Southeast Asian Film Lab, Luang
Prabang Talent Lab, Fantastic Film School, Mowelfund Film
Institute and is a recipient of the Purin Pictures Film Fund
and Next Masters Support grant. Most of her works,
including her first feature in post-production, “Ang Pagbabalik ng Kwago,” and first documentary feature
“Tell Me About Darkness” which participated in the Asiadoc Residency, are self-reflexive films about her
relationship with cinema. She is currently working as a freelance director/cinematographer for various
productions.
MAJOR CREDITS:
CAST: Kints Kintana, Charles Aaron Salazar PRODUCTION STAFF DIRECTOR/WRITER – Martika Ramirez Escobar;
CINEMATOGRAPHER – Carlos Mauricio; PRODUCTION DESIGNER – Juan Pablo Pineda III; ART DIRECTOR – Thirdy
Rivera; LIVE SOUND – Deovan Fidelson; EDITOR – Lawrence S. Ang; SOUND DESIGN – Mikko Quizon, Nicole
Amorez, RJ Cantos, Aeriel Mallari; ORIGINAL MUSIC – Alyana Cabral; ASSISTANT DIRECTOR – Mikee Dela Cruz;
ASSISTANT CAMERA – Jestoni Lloveras Negradas, Benedict Marasigan; COLORIST – Timmy Torres; PRODUCER – Tin
Velasco; LOCATION MANAGER – Louise Loraine Barretto; UTILITY – Bernardo Carpio, Jhemar Caugiran
(Rating: __ | 11 MINUTES, 30 SECONDS | Comedy Drama)
PABASA KAN PASYON
Directed by Hubert Tibi
A Bicolano family turns to religion to make both ends meet.
SYNOPSIS:
Religion and economy take center stage in a Bicolano
family’s story, set during the Lenten season. To make ends
meet, one of them turns to religion and pushes his mother
to make a living off her faith.
ABOUT THE FILMMAKER:
HUBERT TIBI is a producer, editor, cinematographer, writer
and director. He has a degree in Fine Arts, Major in
Advertising from San Carlos University Cebu and The
Philippine Women’s University Manila. He owns and
manages Shotlist Productions. His film “Parang Pelikula”
won Best Screenplay at the 2006 Cinemalaya Independent
Film Festival. He has participated in several Cinemalaya
editions, including “Ang Bagong Pamilya ni Ponching” in the
2016 Cinemalaya.
MAJOR CREDITS:
CAST: Buboy Aguay Jr., Isabel Pedrasa Bogoc, Rosalinda Brongos
Marife, Nolasco Charise Relayo, Jhon Paul Laban, Jhosua Laban, Augost Borella Jr. PRODUCTION STAFF:
DIRECTOR/ WRITER/EDITOR/CINEMATOGRAPHER/ PRODUCER – Hubert Tibi; ASSOCIATE PRODUCER – Gigi Tibi;
PRODUCTION MANAGER/ASSISTANT DIRECTOR – Reycy Guinto; PRODUCTION ASSISTANT – Lou Benedict Iblan,
Leonard Mojica, Lander Oleta; MUSIC – Paganini Caprice No. 5
(Rating: __ | 14 MINUTES, 36 SECONDS | Drama)
QUING LALAM NING ALDO (UNDER THE SUN)
Directed by Reeden Fajardo
A transgender sampaguita farmer decides to renovate
their neglected kitchen as soon as she hears that her son is
going home.
SYNOPSIS:
Upon learning that their son is coming home after 15
years, Budang and Georgia, transgender farmers from
Pampanga, decided to surprise Janjan by renovating their
neglected kitchen and gather ingredients so they can cook
their favourite dish “con saleng manuk” but things will not
work as planned.
ABOUT THE FILMMAKER:
REEDEN FAJARDO is young aspiring Kapampangan
filmmaker who grew up in a small barangay in
Floridablanca. He is a graduate of BFA in Digital Cinema at
Mapua University. He is currently an assistant director
trainee and script supervisor in Star Cinema.
MAJOR CREDITS:
CAST: PRODUCTION STAFF: DIRECTOR/WRITER – Reeden Fajardo; CINEMATOGRAPHY – Mel Cobrador;
PRODUCTION DESIGN – Glenn Lowell Averia; SOUND DESIGN/EDITING – JasonVillegas, JaysonSantos; MUSIC –
Francine Batac; EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS – Fe Domingo, Ladee Quinn Fajardo, Rolando Fajardo; PRODUCER – Vinnie
Veronica Valenzuela; CONSULTANT – David Corpuz
(Rating: __ | 12 MINUTES, 06 SECONDS | Comedy, Drama)
THE SLUMS
Directed by Jan Andrei Cobey
A documentary team progressively intervenes and
trespasses into the lives of a poor family living in the slums
as they try to cope with the loss of their TV.
SYNOPSIS:
The Slums is a mockumentary that follows a documentary
team as they terrorize a poor family living in the urban
slums of Manila. The film features the colorful lives of the
Reyes family: Nayda, the family's loving mother with body
image issues; Julio, the hardworking but not very bright
father; Oliver, the fabulous son who wants to be a
supermodel; Boy, the youngest and naughtiest child; and
Pam, the feisty eldest child of the family. The family TV is
broken and as they struggle to fix it, they grow increasingly
annoyed as the documentary team becomes more
involved in their daily lives.
ABOUT THE FILMMAKER:
JAN ANDREI COBEY, a 24-year-old filmmaker from the
Philippines, is a visual artist who specializes in video post-
production, digital design, and print media. He graduated
from the University of the Philippines Film Institute with a
BA Film degree in 2019. He won the Best in Production Design in the Piling Obrang Video XIII for the film
“The Last Gig on Earth,” directed by Mariah Reodica. He received the Audience Choice Award for the
film “And A Hundred Roses Bloomed” at the 2017 Black Beret Student Film Festival. From 2016 until
2018, he was graphic editor for layout and the resident video director at the Philippine Collegian. Since
2016, he is a member of the UP Cineastes’ Studio, the first and premiere student film organization in the
Philippines. In 2016, he participated in ...and Action! Asia, an international cultural exchange program
for film students held in Tokyo, Japan.
MAJOR CREDITS:
CAST: Sunshine Teodoro, Jorrybell Agoto, Dylan Ray Talon, DMs Boongaling, Kenken Nuyad PRODUCTION STAFF:
DIRECTOR AND WRITER – Jan Andrei Cobey; DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY – Moore Minglana; LIVE SOUND
RECORDIST – Robe Dagcuta; SOUND DESIGNER – Yves Patron; PRODUCTION DESIGNER – Kendra Millario;
ASSISTANT DIRECTORS – Patricia Camille Cruz, Jasmine Mendoza; PRODUCER – Bam Manlongat; EXECUTIVE
PRODUCER – Rex Cobey, Arlene Cobey
(Rated: __ | 19 MINUTES, 46 SECONDS | Comedy)
TOKWIFI
Directed by Carla Pulido Ocampo
A 1950s mestiza star, trapped inside a television that fell
from the sky, dreams up a romantic romp with a Bontok
Igorot man who does not know how to kiss.
SYNOPSIS:
As Limmayug carries firewood back to his home village,
something falls from the sky – a 1950s television with a
hysterical showbiz star, named Laura Blancaflor, trapped
inside it. The frightened man saves the television – nay,
saves Laura – from the flames of the impact. Worlds apart
in their language and methods, the two try their best to
engage each other. But for Limmayug, an indigenous man
from an off-the-grid mountain town, Laura’s TV talk
seems too contrived and finds her even uncontrollably
tactless during commercial breaks.
ABOUT THE FILMMAKER:
CARLA PULIDO OCAMPO is a film editor, screenwriter,
documentary filmmaker, and cultural worker residing in
the indigenous territory of Bontoc, in the mountainous
region of the Philippine Cordilleras. She is a co-founder of
groups that are purveyors of alternative cinema culture in
Northern Philippines: Habi Collective, Balay Habi Studio,
and Pelicula Union. Currently, she is best known for her filmography centering on the culture and lore of
the indigenous Bontok Igorot people. She is writer, researcher, and editor for the seminal documentary
“Walang Rape sa Bontok.” Her short film Tokwifi won the Special Jury Prize at the 7th QCinema
International Film Festival in 2019.
MAJOR CREDITS:
CAST: Adrienne Vergara, Kurt “Ayeo-eo” Lumbag Alalag PRODUCTION STAFF: DIRECTOR/WRITER/EDITOR – Carla
Pulido Ocampo; CINEMATOGRAPHER – Lester Valle; PRODUCTION DESIGNER – Rocky Acofo Cajigan; SOUND –
Willie Apa, Jr; MUSIC –Maryjane Alejo, Jason Canoy, Mebuyan; WARDROBE – Kim Perez; SCRIPT CONSULTANTS –
Rocky Acofo Cajigan, Beau Killip Macliing, Kay-an Khawaen; PRODUCERS – Lester Valle, Armi Rae Cacanindin,
Eduardo Lejano, Jr., Manet Dayrit, Joni Pulido-Ferrier, Miguel Noel Tayao Ocampo, Leah Pulido Ocampo, Vladimir
Hernandez, Harriane Gasmen, Sherlynne Eddiva, LGU-Bontoc, Network of Asia Pacific Islanders Ending Sexual
Violence
(Rating: __ | 20 MINUTES | Fantasy, Magic Realism)UTWAS (ARISE)
Directed by by Richard Salvadico and Arlie Sweet Sumagaysay
A young boy discovers the ocean as he tries to learn how to
dive and fish.
SYNOPSIS:
Toto and his father live in an island where the primary
source of their livelihood is the ocean. He loves diving with
his father because he wants to learn how to fish, dive and
be one with the ocean. One afternoon, while Toto and his
father are diving, a group of fishermen throw dynamites
around them. They hurriedly go home. Curious, Toto asks
his father why they have to arise from the water if there
are dynamite fishers. His father explains that some
dynamite fishers are careless and that fishes swim away
because of the noise so they have to arise because they
have nothing to catch and they are in danger. As Toto’s
father dives, he notices that the ocean is too noisy and
when he arises too early, Toto asks him why. His father
explains that perhaps the ocean is too noisy because it is
either angry or happy.
ABOUT THE FILMMAKER:
Hailing from Iloilo, RICHARD SALVADICO and ARLIE SWEET
SUMAGAYSAY both graduated at Central Philippine
University. Richard graduated with a degree in Digital Media and Interactive Arts in 2018, while Arlie
graduated with a degree in Mass Communication in 2019. The duo started their filmmaking career in
2018 and has been participating in both regional and national filmmaking competitions since then. Their
first film “Dribol” won Best Picture, Best Cinematography and Best Direction in Gawad CineMaybank in
2018. Their film “Katungdanan” was awarded Grand Jury Prize Awardee and was a finalist in Gawad
Alternatibo in 2018. In 2019, their short film “Chok” had its national screening, was a finalist at
Sinekabataan Year 3 and garnered the Audience Choice Award. In 2019, they produced their film
“Utwas” which won Best Picture, Best Cinematography and Direction in Cinekasimanwa Year 7 and a
finalist in Cinemalaya Short Film Competition. Their film “Gulut-anon nga Dulut” won Best Screenplay
and Best music in Cinekasimanwa Year 7. Over the years, Richard and Kat have done films on
appreciation for indigenous peoples and environmental awareness. They are looking forward to do
more.
MAJOR CREDITS:
CAST: Rene Requiron, Joemel Bancayan PRODUCTION STAFF: DIRECTORS – Richard Jeroui Salvadico, Arlie Sweet
Sumagaysay; WRITER – Arlie Sweet Sumagaysay; CINEMATOGRAPHER/EDITOR – Richard Jeroui Salvadico;
PRODUCTION DESIGNER – Arlie Sweet Sumagaysay, Jona Lyn Sallador; CAMERA OPERATOR – Denrey Dumaguin;
SOUND DESIGNER – Charlene Eimman Galo; SOUND GRIP – Charlene Eimman Galo; PRODUCTION ASSISTANTS –
Kemp Valenzuela, Jhon Lloyd Dumapit; EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS – Rodelyn Tupas, Girlie Sumagaysay, Arnold
Sumagaysay
(Rating: __ | 11 MINUTES | Comedy Drama)You can also read
