Typhoon Sepat brought winds of 160 km per hour to the Philippines capital mid-August, but the storm did little to dampen the spirit of the audience at the 9th Cinemanila International Film Festival. This year the annual festival honoured internationally-acclaimed director Quentin Tarantino with a Lifetime Achievement Award for his contributions to world cinema and promotion of Asian films. During the festival, Tarantino also held seminars and workshops on indie filmmaking.

In the short span of twelve days in August, the Gateway Cineplex 10 in Manila played host to the 9th Cinemanila International Film Festival. Cinemanila featured about 50 films from almost just as many countries, movies as diverse in theme and flavour as their origins. Films from Bollywood, epic Thai war movies, works by Almodovar, Grindhouse pictures and the best of the Philippines digital scene.

Tarantino Mania

Undoubtedly, a significant part of Cinemanila’s success was the participation of filmmaker Quentin Tarantino, internationally renowned for his cool style that is all his own. He was present several times during the Festival run: to receive the Lifetime Achievement Award along with fellow honorees H.S.H. Chatrichalerm Yukol, revered Thai filmmaker, and Robert Malengreau, Director of the Brussels International Film Festival, in the Opening Night events on 8 August; to lend support to his favorite Filipino directors Cirio Santiago and Eddie Romero during the Grindhouse Day directing workshop on 10 August; to give a talk on his filmmaking experience in the Grindhouse Day seminar on 11 August; and to introduce his films, almost all of which made their Philippine debut in Cinemanila. In all instances, crowds flocked to see the iconic filmmaker, who was consistently casual, cool, and friendly to his fans. On 15 August, he received his award from Her Excellency Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo during ceremonies at the Ceremonial Hall of Malacañang Palace.

Strong Titles

Several movies proved highly successful, drawing long lines and garnering praise from those who braved the rains pouring outside Gateway Mall. A Girl Who Leapt Through Time, a delightful Japanese anime about a time-hopping student, was a hit among animation fans; in its first screening, cosplayers from Cosplay.ph entertained the audience with a mini-fashion show. 4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days, Palm D'Or winner at the Cannes Film Festival, drew arthouse audiences in its limited release. Paris Je T’aime and 2 Days in Paris, both romantic French films, were also certified hits, as was Volver, directed by respected auteur Pedro Almodóvar and starring Oscar-nominee Penélope Cruz.

Seminars and Workshops

Aside from the Grindhouse Days workshops with Tarantino, other seminars were attended by film students, cineastes, and curious moviegoers. On 9 August, Asian Film Archive founder and director Tan Bee Thiam discussed Film Archiving in Asia. He was accompanied by Clodualdo del Mundo, Ph.D., who talked about the need for such film preservation practices in the Philippines. Dr. del Mundo, who wrote the screenplays for such classics as Maynila: Sa Mga Kuko ng Liwanag and Itim, returned for a Master Class in Scriptwriting on 12 August, which he gave alongside fellow scriptwriter Ralston Jover (Kubrador, Foster Child).

Nap Jamir, cinematographer of festival hit Ang Pagdadalaga ni Maximo Oliveros, gave a Master Class in Cinematography on 13 August. Scenema Concepts sponsored the workshop. Philippines producer Cirio Santiago joined international producer Anant Singh for a seminar on International Co-Production on 14 August. Independent directors Rico Ilarde, Raya Martin, Raymond Red, Roxlee, and John Torres were at Gateway Mall for a two-day Indie Filmmaking Seminar on 15 and 16 August.

Award Winners

At Malacañang Palace on 15 August, Cinemanila and the National

Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) offi cially awarded the winners of the Festival. Fatih Akin's The Edge of Heaven was given this year's Lino Brocka Grand Prize for the best international film. The entire cast of Jim Libiran’s Tribu was given the awards for Best Actor and Best Actress, a first for the Festival. The Special Jury Prize went to Persepolis, directed by Marjane Satrapi and Vincent Parronaud. The International Competition Jury was chaired by Wieland Speck, Director of the Panorama Programme of the Berlin International Film Festival. He was joined by Jesper Andersen of the Danish Film Institute and Lalu Roisamri, Program Manager of the Jakarta International Film Festival.

Chul Jung's Waiting Time and Christopher Gozum's The Calling won the awards for Best International Short and Best Short (Local), respectively. Neo-Lounge, directed by Joanna Arong, took home the Best Documentary Prize. All these awards were decided upon by a jury chaired by Filipino fi lmmaker and Ishmael Bernal Awardee Jobin Ballesteros, who was joined by Laura Gerber, Director of the Southeast Asian section of the Asian Hot Shots Berlin Festival, and Hanne Robenhagen, cultural sociologist and documentarist.

Making its debut this year was the ASEAN Competition in celebration of the ASEAN's 40th anniversary. Lifetime Achievement Awardee Robert Malengreau chaired the jury, which also consisted of Tan Bee Thiam and Jeffrey Jeturian, director of the critically acclaimed Kubrador. Yasmin Ahmad’s Mukhsin was hailed as the Best ASEAN Film, while Renita, Renita by Tonny Trimaranto was declared Best ASEAN Short.

Solidifying its status as Numero Uno sa Digital, Cinemanila gave awards for its eighth Digital Lokal Competition. Olivier Pere, Artistic Director of the Directors' Fortnight of the Cannes Film Festival, was chair of the jury. Other members were Ansgar Vogt of the Selection Committee of the International Forum of New Cinema in Berlin, and Jaclyn Jose, multi-awarded Filipino actress. Autohystoria by Raya Martin won the Lino Award, Grand Prize, while Voice: Tilted Screens and Extended Scenes of Loneliness: Filipinos in High Definition (A Work in Progress) by John Torres garnered the Lino Grand Jury Prize. Christopher Gozum's The Calling was chosen as Best Short Film. Cinemanila's eighth Ishmael Bernal Awardee for Young Cinema is Ernest Michael Manalastas for his film Delusions. He joins an illustrious list of filmmakers: Peter Chua (2000), Mes de Guzman (2001), Romeo Candido (2002), Mariami Tanangco (2003), Raya Martin (2004), John Torres (2005), and Jobin Ballesteros (2006).

The 4th Boracay International Co-Production Meeting

In its fourth year, the Boracay International Co-Production Meeting saw projects from all over Southeast Asia vying for fi nancial support from the Hubert Bals Fund, represented by Gertjan Zuilhof. Babi Buta Yang Ingin Terbang (Blind Pig Who Wants to Fly), directed by up-and-coming Indonesian filmmaker Edwin (whose Kara, Anak Sebatang Pohon was the first Indonesian short to screen at Cannes) and produced by Meiska Taurisia, eventually won over seven other entries in the short-list for funding. These are: Chris Chong Chan Fui-s Karaoke from Malaysia; Paolo Herras-s Ang Manghuhula (The Fortuneteller) from the Philippines; Tey Clamor's Paslit Puslit (Young Thief) from the Philippines; Azharr Rudiin's Pungguk Rindukan Bulan (This Longing) from Malaysia; Sally Jo Marie Bellosillo's Regina from the Philippines; Roxlee's Whistler from the Philippines; and Khoo Eng Yow's World Without Shadows from Malaysia.

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