In celebration of National Women’s Month, the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) mounts Lakbay Sine Para sa mga Inday, special online screenings of selected award-winning films from Cinemalaya: Philippine Independent Film Festival for women deprived of liberty (WDL) in three jails in Iloilo City, Pototan in Iloilo and Bacolod City in Negros Occidental, every Sunday and Monday of March.

Bringing the stories inside to shed light on the lived experiences of incarcerated women, this program hopes to unite artists beyond prison walls through a series of online film screenings and talkbacks involving over 500 detainees in Iloilo City District Jail Female Dormitory, Iloilo District Jail Female Dormitory in Pototan and Metro Bacolod District Jail Female Dormitory. This cultural caregiving initiative directly addresses the needs of some of the most underserved women artists behind bars — persons/women deprived of liberty — who often remain invisible, voiceless, powerless and marginalized.

Set to be screened are the following Cinemalaya films about women and for women: Sanglaan by Milo Sogueco, Mayohan by Dan Villegas and Paul Santa Ana, Balota by Kip Oebanda, The Baseball Player by Carlo Obispo, Pan de Salawal by Che Espiritu, Utwas and Mga Handum nga Nasulat sa Baras by Arlie Sweet Sumagaysay and Richard Jeroui Salvadico, and Primetime Mother by Sonny Calvento.

The screenings are on 9, 16, 23 and 30 March, 9 to 11 a.m., in Iloilo; and on 10, 17, 24 and 31 March, 2 to 4 p.m., in Bacolod City.

The full-length film Sanglaan looks at seemingly simple relationships and uncomplicated events happening in a very mundane institution through a variety of characters. This light, funny, poignant and very Pinoy story about hope and redemption won Balanghai trophies for Best Actress and Best Supporting Actress at the 2009 Cinemalaya Film Festival, as well as the INALCO Jury Award at the Vesoul Asian Film Festival.