How pioneering Cinemalaya filmmakers started and persevered

To date, the Cinemalaya Philippine Independent Film Festival has nurtured over 200 Filipino filmmakers and showcased over 1,000 works, including full-length films, short films, documentaries, classics, and art films.

The country’s biggest and groundbreaking independent film festival, organized by the Cinemalaya Foundation and the Cultural Center of the Philippines, has been steadfast in developing and supporting the production of Filipino independent films since it was established in 2005, bringing new narratives that embody the ever-evolving landscape of Filipino cinema each year.

With two decades under its belt and many filmmakers bolstered to success, Cinemalaya has once again welcomed another batch of filmmakers for their turn in articulating and interpreting Filipino experiences with fresh insights and artistic integrity. Celebrating its 20th year, we look back to some of the pioneers who became part of the tradition.

“Hindi ako makapaniwala na magiging direktor ako (I couldn’t believe I would become a director),” said 2005 Cinemalaya director Michael Angelo Dagñalan. “Nagbukas ng napakaraming pintuan at bintana ang pagsali ko sa Cinemalaya (My joining Cinemalaya opened many doors and windows).”

Dagñalan is a writer, director, and a composer/vocalist for the alternative rock band KontraLuz. He also founded Kuwentista Productions, a creative studio for film, television and advertising works. His debut full-length film, Isnats, is a crime comedy about a snatcher stealing a drug dealer’s phone. He worked with a script he already finished writing before joining Cinemalaya, a script he peddled to directors for two years to no avail. When Cinemalaya came, he seized the opportunity to finally see his work come to life.

“Malaking bagay siya kasi parang nabigyan ka ng pagkilala, ng kredibilidad na makatapos ng feature film na mahirap i-mount talaga. Kahit hanggang ngayon naman, mahirap mag-mount ng pelikula. Nakakatawa kasi nag-hang pa nga ‘yung DVD ng Isnats during premiere night (It was big thing because it recognized and gave credibility to finish a feature film that was really hard to mount. Until now, making a film is hard. It was funny that the DVD of Isnats hang during premiere night),” he related

Isnats also won first prize at the Dulang Pampelikula category of the 52nd Don Carlos Palanca Memorial Awards for Literature. It was chosen as an exhibition film at the 7th Cinemanila International Film Festival and included in the official selection at the New York Filipino Film Festival.

For Rica Arevalo, the first to win the Balangay trophy for Best Director, Cinemalaya was a great experience since they were trained to be professional filmmakers.

“Secondary na lang ‘yung awards para sa akin (The awards are secondary for me),” she said. “Ginawa ko ‘yung film kasi gusto ko siyang gawin at mayrtoon akong gustong sabihin (I made the film because I wanted to and I have something to say).”

Arevalo is a writer, director, and educator. She is currently the head of the Education Division of the Film Development Council of the Philippines. The filmmaker revealed she had a soft spot for films about family, which led her to her debut, ICU Bed #7, a quiet, funny and moving family drama about an ailing father and how his two daughters are torn whether to end or prolong his life.

Arevalo fondly shared how she already thought about Eddie Garcia as her main actor even while she was still writing the script back in 2003. Through Raymond Red, she was able to meet Garcia and cast him as the ailing father. She praised his professionalism as a veteran actor, which inspired her all the more in her craft.

ICU Bed #7 was also nominated for Digital Movie of the Year, with Arevalo nominated for Digital Movie Director of the Year and Eddie Garcia for Movie Actor of the Year, at the 2006 Star Awards for Movies. Arevalo won second place at the 53rd Don Carlos Palanca Memorial Awards for Literature for the screenplay.

Like Dagñalan and Arevalo, multi-awarded writer, director, producer and creative executive Aloy Adlawan was also a first-time, full-length filmmaker.

“I’ve been with TV since 1994 until 2002. Kaya sabi ko, baka kailangan ko na magpelikula (I said to myself, I maybe need to do a film),” enthused Adlawan. “I wanted to push through with filmmaking since I already had access to the industry.”

A chemical engineer by profession, Adlawan tested the waters of making films with his debut full-length film, Room Boy, a drama film about a motel room boy who falls in love with a prostitute, helping him find a new place to live in. It was inspired by one of the episodes he wrote for Star Drama Presents, an ABS-CBN Saturday program which featured a mix of veteran and upcoming stars from the Philippine entertainment industry from 1993 to 2001.

“Tinwist ko siya, ginawa kong pelikula na dramatic and may love story (I gave it a twist and made a dramatic film with a love story),” Adlawan mentioned. “Character-driven din. Kaya doon nabuhay (It is also character-driven. So, it is the driving force).”

Adlawan also shared how his ongoing career in the entertainment industry helped him with the casting, as he would write scripts with a potential actor already in mind: “Some actors look for something edgy, something dramatic, or offbeat for them, just so they can deeply explore their craft.”

Dagñalan emphasizes the freedom in producing art. As someone who started out in theater and writing before transitioning to film, he celebrates the newfound accessibility of tools and resources for aspiring artists to pursue their passion.

“Excited ang tao na magkuwento dahil natural ‘yan sa atin (People are excited to tell stories because it is natural to us),” Dagñalan said. “Wala naman kasing edad ang sining. Ito ay imortal. Anuman ang estado mo — mayaman, mahirap, may pinag-aralan o wala — puwede kang maging kuwentista ng bayan (Art has no age. It is immortal. Whatever your state — rich, poor, educated or not — you can be a storyteller of the nation).”

For Arevalo, who rejoices at the thriving community of young filmmakers today, new talents are always something to look forward to.

“Mas daring kasi sila, mas malakas ang loob. Kakaiba ‘yung paraan ng pagkukwento nila (They are more daring, braver. Their way of telling stories is different),” she said.

Meanwhile, Adlawan urges aspiring filmmakers to find their voice and strive for authenticity in their craft: “Kung ganoon ka ka-passionate (If you are passionate enough), and you know who you are as a storyteller, as a filmmaker, as an artist, or whatever you call herself, you will always land on your feet and find yourself in the right place.”

For its next iterations, Cinemalaya will continue to uphold its vision to discover, encourage, support, train and recognize gifted Filipino independent filmmakers.