Lawrence Fajardo’s Imbisibol, Adolf Alix Jr.’s Mrs. Jay Altarejos’ Tale of the Lost Boys, Daniel Palacio’s Pailalim and J. E. Tiglao’s Her Locket are the past best picture winners of Sinag Maynila Film Festival, which was founded six years ago by seasoned film producer Wilson Tieng and 2009 Cannes Film Festival best director winner, Brillante Mendoza.

These best picture victors are testaments to the importance of the festival. Sinag Maynila, which champions “Sine Lokal, Pang Internasyonal” (Locally-produced, world-class cinema) has become an important platform for independent Filipino filmmakers that harness the power of the cinematic arts to make motion pictures that showcase uniquely Filipino narratives with characters that highlight the way of life, idiosyncrasies, passions, pain, tribulations and triumphs of the everyday and larger-than-life Juans and Juanas.

Talented Filipino lot

“It is important that we have a festival like Sinag Maynila because it showcases our stories and at the same time, we are teeming with so much talent, and in the films that become part of it, they are highlighted,” said festival director Mendoza.

Mendoza added: “The festival’s main objective is to inspire and enlighten the filmmakers and the movie-going public to embrace, support and watch films that showcase our society, culture, our thought processes and triggers, feels and emotions, what we hold dear, and morality.”

This year’s festival edition will have five full-length feature films, four open-call documentaries, 11 student made documentaries, 16 open-call short films and 25 student category short films.

The festival is slated from September 24 to 30. Its partner cinemas are Gateway, Robinson’s Manila, Robinson’s Antipolo, SM Mall of Asia and SM Fairview. Cinema price is P260 per ticket.

List of films

The five full-length films in competition are:

Altar Boy — directed by Serville Poblete, starring Mark Bacolcol, Shai Barcia and Pablo S.J. Quiogue.

Synopsis: A passive-natured teenager struggles to navigate the school year while trying to break free from the persona built around his religious upbringing.

Candé — directed by Kevin Pison Piamonte, starring JC Santos and Sunshine Teodoro.

Synopsis: A successful Filipino chef in New York returns to his hometown for his childhood best friend’s funeral, where he must confront a tragic past and the possibility of long-overdue forgiveness amid the backdrop of a vibrant hometown fiesta.

Jeongbu — directed by Topel Lee, starring Aljur Abrenica, Ritz Azul and Empress Schuck.

Synopsis: Jeongbu is the story of an evil element who wants to change the personality of Ethan’s wife and make her love him more than her own. “Jeongbu” is a Korean word that also means “mistress.”

Madawag Ang Landas Patungong Pag-Asa (The Teacher) — directed by Joel Lamangan, starring Rita Daniela, Jak Roberto and Albie Casiño.

Synopsis: Three years after a shooting incident and the pandemic shut down the elementary school in a remote village, a new teacher arrives and struggles to persuade the children to go back to class, and to work with a community used to the “old ways.”

Selda Tres (Cell Number 3) — directed by GB Sampedro, starring Carla Abellana, JM de Guzman and Cesar Montano.

Synopsis: After a brief and wrongful incarceration, a law office messenger helps defend his former cellmates in court as a paralegal.