Worthy Cause Showcased at TobaccOFF NOW! Film Festival

You're in for a treat this weekend as the TobaccOFF NOW! Film Festival goes on full swing. This is organized by Amber Studios as they partnered with organizations like Metro Manila Film Festival, HealthJustice Philippines, Parents Against Vape, Action for Economic Reforms, Social Watch, Philippine Smoke Free Movement and government sectors Philippine Legislators Committee on Pop Dev. The event was done to host young creators to use storytelling as a medium for social change. 

Participating individuals have undergone workshops under industry experts Jacque Manabat, Chiara Zambrano, Tops Brugada and Jobert Moteras. They created short films with themes involving tobacco, nicotine and vape. It's going to be raw, unique, full of emotions, especially from the POV of the youth. The festival will start on December 13. The shorts will be primarily shown digitally (by next year) but there will be screenings in Cebu, Sorsogon, and other provinces.

Ms. Jacque Manabat says "It's hard to quit, but what I've learned is that you can do it for others, for your loved ones. It's about giving them a better future, the best gift for Christmas. I am leveraging TikTok, to make sure the young ones won't get hitched with the small hints they've done in previous years. We organized this but you are the leaders of your generation, and from the looks of it, the young ones have a bright future, a smoke free future."

This will also be shown in other spots in Manila, Quezon City Film Festival screenings on the 11th and 12th. Updates will be posted on Amber Studios FB page, and the main screening will be done at the MMFF Auditorium at MMDA grounds in Pasig City. From what we've seen during the screening, they're absolutely right in telling us how bright the future of new generation of filmmakers are. All they wish for is a smoke free future, why don't we give them that!

RK Rubber Enterprise Corp. Launches 6th CINEGOMA Film Festival

If you're in the look out for indie films, there's a lot being showcased at the CINEGOMA: RK Rubber Film Festival. It's an open film festival hosted by RK Rubber Enterprise Corporation to feature student and non-professional films that tell stories of resiliency, grit, determination and the Filipino spirit. They are also making sure the film makers are going to be featured in several locations across Quezon City.

This is their 6th installment, so far from the initial 6 films independently produced when they started, they now have a little over 50 films shown in several locations. They also have some of the films released in other provinces like Olongapo City prior to this launch in Quezon City. They also did a parade to promote the CINEGOMA Film Festival around Quezon City Circle grounds with a full on band, street dancers, participants and the UST Salinggawi Dance Troupe. 6th installment not only means film, but workshops and several mainstream works that are exhibited for the filmmakers and the public.

Xavier Cortez the CEO of RK Rubber who heads the festival says "I feel pressured because of the introduction but this is the 6th year of the CINEGOMA Film Festival. Thank you to the organizers, to the employees of RK Rubber, the production department of the same corp, the logistics department and operations, to RK Rubbers Cebu, Cagayan de Oro, the RK Rubber Davao and to the media who went here for the opening of CineGoma. You are giving them voice, to those who volunteered and supported CINEGOMA and provided expertise and experience, to help make sure we get to understand how go organize this show and emman dela Cruz. We also have the sales department of Manila who got us huge projects to contribute here. If we are this big and do this every year, there will be more than 40 films that will benefit from it. Folks have never got tired of CINEGOMA because the independent and small filmmakers are being given experience, so they too can tell their stories. Each of you have stories, unique ones that can change the lives of others. Because if we do that, there will be a huge impact on communities, and I hope this 6th CINEGOMA becomes bigger in the next few years as we imagined it to be."

He adds "I feel proud that my once schoolmates are now cheering for a person who wants good things to happen with filmmakers. I get teary eyed, because they're so proud of me too. For all who participated, full length or shorts, congratulations to all of you! I'll do my best to make this better, give more opportunities for filmmakers and this is all for you!"

Here's what happened at QCX that morning:

This year's categories are separated into Student, Commercial, Pro, made with AI and RK which are meant for RK Rubber Enterprise employees only. As mentioned by Sir Xavier, prizes amount from 5,000 pesos to 25,000 pesos depending on the award category. This will run from November 24-29, and the awards will be given at the Quezon City University on the last day. Make sure you watch the films at Sine Pop and exhibitions around Quezon City during this time because after all, it's the City of Stars! (Please check schedule on CINEGOMA social channels).

This is certainly a great way to showcase their talents, and hopefully, the ones who have a lot of promise gets noticed especially the students. They were very eager to showcase their work during the festival launch. Congratulations to RK Rubber Enterprise Corporation for mounting this every year!

Majestic Views, Art and More at the Santa Maria MUSIC and FILM Festivall

The Sierra Madre mountain range has once again been the talk of the town as it played a part in slowing the track of the recent Super Typhoon. This starts from the province of Cagayan to the south in Quezon, but did you know that the Santa Maria Music and Film Festival (SMMFF) is also happening here? I distinctly remember the 2023 run when they featured various films, musical acts while nestled in the great outdoors! With the  theme "See What Others Can't" they've managed to celebrate year after year with the 2025 edition happening at the founder Jennifer Maliwanag's family mountain property in Santa Maria, Laguna (which is also part of the range). 

It's pretty remote and atop clouds in the morning, but this didn't stop them from featuring even more participants this year. Imagine, having 39 films from 17 different countries Australia , EU, Canada, South America, the US and a few from Southeast Asia) all to be showcased in this year's SMMFF. All of which are being celebrated, and to make this platform be their voice, and allow us to experience their different stories (and See What Others Can't). 

Quarter Finalists include Cotton Candy by Jesse Klick of USA, To Be Anders Widmark by Peter Östlund of Sweden, Image Dance by John Dawson also from the USA, First Refusal by Courtney Sanello from the USA, American Pot Story: Oaksterdam by Ravit Markus & Dan Katzir from the USA, Reborn by Ken Izumisawa of Japan, Castle in the Air by Jess D'Aguanno of Australia, Clout Chaser by Lubomir Atan of the USA, The World of UConn Stamford’s Campus Library by Dorian Robinson of the USA, Inspire Me by Geoffrey Fighiera of France, Chance Encounters by Hasi Eldib of Canada, Guiding Light by India Anne Mitchell of the USA, Life in Tandem by Joseph Litzinge & Mia Grimes who are also from the USA.

This will happen on my birthday December 6th from 4-8:30PM at the Santa Maria Open Air Cinema located at 143 Summit Barangay Pao-o in Santa Maria Laguna. If you want to experience it, visit their official website santamariafestival.com and register for a seat. It'll be one awesome day to see and feel music, film under the sky and stars!

This is organized by Jennifer Maliwanag (Festival Director), Rex Lopez the Producer and Creative Lead, and Jerico Maliwanag a Film Creator and Communications Lead for this year's SMMFF.

A Bigger Bolder PUREGOLD CINEPANALO 2025

 

These are exciting times, not just for the movie goers but the creatives, those who work behind the scenes in this year's PUREGOLD Cine Panalo Film Festival.

I went up the elevator of Artson events place this morning with some of the brightest stars, including filmmakers, directors that have already made names in the industry. I already knew how much this costs, millions just in production. Php 3M for 8 entries, and Php 125,000 for 24 student filmmakers, makes this a worthy festival in the country. Mind you, this has already produced international awards in previous years, so no doubt, this is a great platform for all these stars, production in the coming days. This year, they have partnered with MTRCB, Gateway Cineplex 18, Mowelfund, Terminal Six, CMB Films, and MFP rentals.

Choosing entries this year has been stressful for the committee and Puregold execs because of the so many talented individuals who sent their films. If my memory serves me right, they had over a hundred ++ to screen and only 8 would be picked. They had even more hopefuls for the Student Short film category and they got 24 out of it. Some of which are actually schools from provinces, so you see, that's exactly what they wanted to do, a platform for talented ones anywhere you are in the country.

Here are the 8 FULL LENGTH Entries:

 

 

 For the STUDENT SHORTS Category, here are the entries:

If you see that I have a wee bit of obsession when it comes to the entry of KD Estrada and Alexa Ilacad's entry called CO-LOVE, it's because people have been waiting for their pairings movie debut. Although this is probably going to be a moment for KD Estrada, Alexa is so supportive about their appearance in this film together with Kira Balinger and Jameson Blake. There's going to be real hard work to be done to showcase what they can do as a pair, and as individual artists. We also talked to Alexa a bit about their movie and her other projects:

 There's more where these movies came from, and certainly, we have a lot to look forward to on March where they plan to put these in theaters. Please make sure you also come in the theaters a bit early so you could see the short films that students have also made.

 

For more information about the films, please follow PUREGOLD's social channels and their official website. Be part of the growing crowd that not only adores Puregold's products and prices, but their passion to help film makers have this platform, to tell their story.

Fear Something New With This Judy Ann Santos, Lorna Tolentino and Chanda Romero Starrer ESPANTAHO

When we heard Judy Ann Santos-Agoncillo was participating in this year's Metro Manila Film Festival, we were really excited about particular film she's doing; they call it "ESPANTAHO". The term actually means a "scarecrow", a thing that's pretty common in farmlands, especially in agricultural countries like ours.

It's been a while since she's done something like this, but it was promised to her by Director Chito Roño who called her for the project. Judy Ann says "It's been a while since I've worked with Direk Chito Roño. Before I was a young lady, but now I already have a daughter. I'm happy because when he called me for a horror film, I didn't say anything, just "let's do it!". This is a dream, I wanted to experience it, he's calmer now, but still has a mic when he does sarcastic lines. I'm not the one he's getting mad at these days, but when you do it with him, it is fulfilling!"

This film was prepped for a year before they got to make the script. When the writer Christ Martinez presented it, he got "good" feedback from Direk Chito, and things started rolling from that. Atty Joji remarks how this has been a collaborative experience for them, and since Direk Chito is a master Director, they wanted to make a great film with them during their 20th Anniversary. The only issues they encountered were mostly because of the weather, but they adjusted with the season to fit the story. 

JC Santos likened Direk Chito to his former theater mentors, because once he asks for one more shot, it means you would need to do better on the scene. If he says "next scene", that means you're good. Most of them nodded in agreement, and Direk Chito felt he was getting roasted during the press conference (they had a laugh about it). 

Here's the press conference on video, of course! I got you!

They let us in on a secret, that painting on the left side of the stage will play a significant part in the film so if you see this in any theaters they'll be showing ESPANTAHO, go take a photo with it!

Ms. Lorna Tolentino took time to talk about love, family and a few more things about the movie after the press conference, listen in to the conversation:

In a nutshell, you would need to watch this film because of the caliber of actors that are in it. Not to mention how big of a horror director Chito Roño is, and how he's come to embrace new technology, special effects, and face a new crowd of movie goers eager to see something new, as you introduce a brand new entity to fear because they don't know what lurks behind that painting that you base the story on.

Hope this forms a cult following, perhaps a sequel too! The film will show on December 25 together with other MMFF 2024 entries, but consider watching this first especially if you're a Judy Ann Santos Agoncillo fan. This is produced by Cineko Productions, Purple Bunny Productions and Quantum Films. They promise that this will be the scariest film you're about to see on MMFF 2024.