CINEMALAYA FILM CONGRESS 2009
July 21-22, 2009
Cultural Center of the Philippines
Theme: LINKING DIGITAL HIGHWAYS
Rationale:
There is no doubt that the introduction of Digital Video (DV) Technology in 2000 has revolutionized filmmaking in the Philippines . Just as the high cost of celluloid had concentrated the production of films in the hands of a few producers whose main concern was business for profit, so the very affordable cost of digital video has democratized filmmaking and given birth to a new generation of filmmakers who can now pursue their own artistic visions in film without being forced to compromise for commercial considerations.
With the entry of alternative producers into film production and with the establishment of grant-giving bodies like Cinemalaya and Cinema One and the recognition and prestige conferred on artistic films by festival competitions and award-giving bodies both here and abroad, independent film grew by leaps and bounds in the last five years not only in Manila but also in the regions. In fact and truth to tell, indie films have constituted the greater majority of all the films produced in the whole country in the last five years, and this does not include the many indie films that did not make it to commercial theaters.
Given the phenomenal growth of independent filmmaking in the whole country and the endless peregrinations of Filipino indie films from one international festival to another from which many have brought home an astounding harvest of prestigious awards, perhaps it is time to take stock of what has been produced by the indie filmmakers in the last five years, so that the growth of the indie film may be gauged from a national perspective, so that the value of the artistic achievements of indie films may be properly weighed and so that indie filmmakers may assess for themselves, together with their audiences and sponsors, their present problems and their prospects for development in the future.
The Cinemalaya Film Congress 2009 has the following aims:
1) To discover the major centers of independent filmmaking in the country and identify their significant film artists and cinematic productions;
2) To assess the artistic achievement of the cinematic works produced by indie filmmakers from all over the country in the last five years, especially from the point of view of artistic vision, integrity and independence;
3) To invite indie filmmakers from different regions such as Manila , Bacolod , Naga and Davao to speak about the state of indie filmmaking in their areas, identifying their strengths and weaknesses in terms of the production, distribution and exhibition of their films; and
4) To establish a formal or informal network of indie filmmaking centers all over the country in order to consolidate all indie filmmakers especially in their efforts to create, promote and market independent films both here and abroad.
July 21-22, 2009
Cultural Center of the Philippines
Theme: LINKING DIGITAL HIGHWAYS
Rationale:
There is no doubt that the introduction of Digital Video (DV) Technology in 2000 has revolutionized filmmaking in the Philippines . Just as the high cost of celluloid had concentrated the production of films in the hands of a few producers whose main concern was business for profit, so the very affordable cost of digital video has democratized filmmaking and given birth to a new generation of filmmakers who can now pursue their own artistic visions in film without being forced to compromise for commercial considerations.
With the entry of alternative producers into film production and with the establishment of grant-giving bodies like Cinemalaya and Cinema One and the recognition and prestige conferred on artistic films by festival competitions and award-giving bodies both here and abroad, independent film grew by leaps and bounds in the last five years not only in Manila but also in the regions. In fact and truth to tell, indie films have constituted the greater majority of all the films produced in the whole country in the last five years, and this does not include the many indie films that did not make it to commercial theaters.
Given the phenomenal growth of independent filmmaking in the whole country and the endless peregrinations of Filipino indie films from one international festival to another from which many have brought home an astounding harvest of prestigious awards, perhaps it is time to take stock of what has been produced by the indie filmmakers in the last five years, so that the growth of the indie film may be gauged from a national perspective, so that the value of the artistic achievements of indie films may be properly weighed and so that indie filmmakers may assess for themselves, together with their audiences and sponsors, their present problems and their prospects for development in the future.
The Cinemalaya Film Congress 2009 has the following aims:
1) To discover the major centers of independent filmmaking in the country and identify their significant film artists and cinematic productions;
2) To assess the artistic achievement of the cinematic works produced by indie filmmakers from all over the country in the last five years, especially from the point of view of artistic vision, integrity and independence;
3) To invite indie filmmakers from different regions such as Manila , Bacolod , Naga and Davao to speak about the state of indie filmmaking in their areas, identifying their strengths and weaknesses in terms of the production, distribution and exhibition of their films; and
4) To establish a formal or informal network of indie filmmaking centers all over the country in order to consolidate all indie filmmakers especially in their efforts to create, promote and market independent films both here and abroad.
