Monday, April 18, 2011

Cinema One Originals Finalists Revealed!


There’s no stopping movie cable channel Cinema One from being the number one in the country as it continues to prove its leadership via the 7th year of Cinema One Originals.

This year’s batch of finalists is exciting because they are a mix of artists, writers, filmmakers, cinematographers.”It is very diverse this year with 4 female directors in the mix, regional movies coming from Mindanao,Cebu and even Mes De Guzman movie is set in the northern part of Luzon (Nueva Vizcaya). We have heavy dramas, light dramas, comedies, horror, arthouse fares and movies dealing with children”, said Cinema One channel head Ronald Arguelles.

They are:

1. Big Boy by director and production designer Shireen Seno, an experimental coming-of-age piece about a boy subjected by his parents to peculiar routines to grow into their desired poster boy for their cod liver oil business. This is Seno’s very first finalist-entry in this festival.

2. Mga Anino sa Tanghaling Tapat by writer-director Ivy Universe Baldoza is a visually atmospheric story of woman’s mystical journey back to her hometown to discover herself and her mother’s sensuous past . An alumni of the Mowelfund Institute, Baldoza was selected in the 2008 Berlinale Talent Campus Script Station and whose short film was exhibited in filmfests abroad.

3. Sa Ilalim ng Tulay by writer-director Earl Bontuyan is a light comedy drama for the family set in Metro Manila and Subic is about the plight of children. Bontuyan, a visual artist and director for TV shows and music videos mastered his cinematography training at the Mowelfund and has helmed three commercials for Close Up to Fame and the Didith Reyes episode in Case Unclosed.

4. My Paranormal Romance by Victor Villanueva is a teenage horror-comedy about a girl who pursues her crush, plagued by the supernatural in their haunted school in Cebu .

5. Sa Kanto ng Ulap at Lupa, an entry from Nueva Vizcaya by writer-producer- director Mes de Guzman revolves around a multi-ethnic group of kids who engages the urban environment by looting rugby from a nearby hardware of a developing town. De Guzman, an independent film director and scriptwriter has won four Palanca Awards and has won the 2007 Gawad Urian for Best Short Film for his segment “Tsinelas” in the movie Imahe Nasyon. She was also the Urian Best Director in 2005 for “Ang Daan Patungong Kalimugtong”.

6. Anatomiya ng Korupsyon is a social satire set in the 80s written for the stage by Malou Jacob and adapted for the screen by scriptwriter and filmmaker Dennis Marasigan.This is Marasigan’s 2nd movie for Cinema One Originals following his triumphant Sa North Diversion Road made in 2005.

7. Cartas de Soledad (Letters of Solitude) by writer-producer-director Gutierrez ‘Teng’ Mangansakan II is a dramatic story about a reclusive man named Rashid who returns to his hometown in Maguindanao after studying and working in Barcelona, Spain. Mangasakan’s recent film Limbunan (Bridal Quarter) starring Tetchie Agbayani and Joem Bascon was a finalist in last year’s Cinemalaya New Breed Section.

8. Six Degrees of Separation from Lilia Cuntapay by Antoinette H. Jadaone is a bittersweet access to ‘dakilang extra’ Lilia Cuntapay on her anxiety of preparing a speech for finally getting an acting nomination. A cum laude of Film and Audio Visual Communication from the UP Film Institute, Jadaone has directed short film Tumbang Preso, the Best Short Film in Cinemanila 2008, and Saling Pusa, the 3rd Prize in the Gawad CCP Para Alternatibong Pelikula 2007.

9. Ka Oryang by Sari Lluch Dalena is a drama with a political backdraft set in Southern Tagalog. It is a glimpse into female political detainees tortured in prison. Dalena is a short film director and documentarian whose memorable work is the feature Rigodon in 2005.

10. Di Ingon Na ‘to (Not Like Us) by writer-director team Brandon Relucio and Ivan Zaldarriaga is a horror that deals with how people in a far-flung barangay in Cebu deals with zombie infestation by religion, superstition or science . Relucio is a graduate of Literature from New York while Zaldarriaga won the Best Production Design for “The Leaving” in last year’s Cinemalaya Festival. (ßconfirmed)

All 10 titles continue this tradition of Cinema One Originals to introduce new talents/ filmmakers and relevant, exciting, different movie content to its audience”, added Arguelles.

From nearly 150 entries, they were chosen through careful deliberations by the selection committee composed of Ronald Arguelles, Teddy Co, Sherad Anthony Sanchez, Nick Olanka, Tammy Bejarano Dinopol, Jinky Laurel, Raymond Diamzon, Kathleen Pador and Lilit Reyes.

Each of these finalists will receive a grant of P1,000,000.00 to produce their movie and compete in the much-anticipated digital film festival to be held this October at the Shang Cineplex, Mandaluyong.

Cinema One Originals is also proud to announce that 2010 Cinema One Originals finalist, DAMGO NI ELEUTERA competes in Jeonju International Film Festival this May. Said film is also the most nominated movie in the 34th Gawad Urian. THIRD WORLD HAPPY starring Sam Milby, another 2010 Cinema One Original finalist will be showcased in the Cinemafest section of JEONJU Intl Film Festival and will have a special screening in SM Malls starting May 26, 2011.

Spearheaded by Cinema One, this year’s Cinema One Originals is also part of the 17th Year Anniversary of Cinema One’s leadership in local cinema.

Cinema One Originals is a project under Cinema and owned by Creative Programs, Inc.


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Mildred Patricia Baena