THE FILM Development Council of the Philippines’s (FDCP) PeliKULAYa: International LGBTQIA+ Film Festival returns for a third year, this time in a hybrid format, from June 10 to 26.
The film festival’s name is a portmanteau of the words pelikula (movie), kulay (color), and laya (freedom). “Through film, there is freedom to show your true colors,” FDCP Chairperson and CEO Mary Liza B. Diño-Seguerra said at the film festival’s launch at the Amrak Comedy Bar on June 7. “This festival aims to celebrate independence and pride in the month of June.”
With the theme “Pantay-Pantay, Iba’t Ibang Kulay!” (Equal, Different Colors) this year’s film festival will include online and onsite film screenings, competitions, and film talks.
SCREENINGS AND MOREFifty local and international films will be screened online and onsite in this year’s festival lineup. The films are co-presented by partner embassies and organizations: the Embassies of Sweden, Denmark, Chile, Spain, Canada, the US, Mexico, the British Council, the Korean Cultural Center, and Instituto Cervantes.
Unless noted, all the on-site events will be held at the Cinematheque Center Manila.
There will also be six subscription films and one available for rent on the FDCP Channel, 10 films from this year’s PeliKULAYa LGBTQIA+ Short Film Competition, and six films from the Cinespectra Short Film Festival 2019 that can be streamed for free throughout the festival.
The festival begins with a one-time special screening of Isabel Sandoval’s Lingua Franca on June 10 (7 p.m.).
Among the FDCP Film Talks during the festival is “The ABCs of SOGIE,” a discussion that delves into the basics of sexual orientation or gender identity or expression and the lives of the Filipino members of the LGBTQIA+ community. The talk will be held on July 11, 2 p.m.
The film Women Do Cry, by Vesela Kazakova and Mina Mileva, will have its Philippine premiere, with a special video message from the filmmakers, on June 11, 6 p.m.
Film historian, scholar, and filmmaker Nick Deocampo will launch his book Alternative Cinema, on June 12 (10:30 a.m.). The book launch will include the screening of four of his films as part of the festival’s Nick Deocampo Film Retrospective: Oliver, Sex Warriors and the Samurai, Private Wars, and Memories of Old Manila.
A special screening followed by a talkback session of the film Boys Don’t Cry, co-presented by the US Embassy, will be held on June 16, 5:30 p.m.
On the same day, the PeliKULAYa: Short Film Competition – Set A Gala Night will be held at 6 p.m. at Cinema ‘76 Anonas in Quezon City.
The PeliKULAYa: Short Film Competition – Set B Gala Night will be held on June 17, 6 p.m., at the Cinema ‘76 Anonas. It will be followed by a talkback session with the filmmakers of the competing films.
Gutierrez “Teng” Mangansakan II’s film Topografia will have its world premiere at 6 p.m. on June 17, followed by a talkback session at the Cinematheque Center Davao.
On June 18, 2:30 p.m., “The Color Reel,” a panel discussion on the roles of members of the LGBTQIA+ community in the audiovisual industry will be held as part of the FDCP Film Talks. Jun Robles Lana’s film Big Night! will have its Gala Night that day at 6 p.m. followed by a talkback session.
The From His/Her/Their Lens: A Nick Deocampo Film Retrospective Gala will be held on June 18, 2 p.m., at the Cinematheque Centre Iloilo. The event will also screen Deocampo’s films Private Wars and Oliver.
Ivan Andrew Payawal’s Gameboys The Movie will be screened on June 19, at 6 p.m., followed by a talkback session. There will also be a special screening of Markova: Comfort Gay by Gil Portes that same day at 5 p.m. at the Metropolitan Theater.
In celebration of Manila Day on June 24, PeliKULAYa will hold special screenings of Manila By Night by Ishmael Bernal and Esoterika: Maynila by Elwood Perez at the Cinematheque Centre Manila.
On June 25, 11:30 am., the panel discussion “Trans Representation in Media” — part of the FDCP Film Talks — will delve into the representation of transexuals in Philippine media, how it evolved, and what else needs to be done. The day concludes with a screening of Kimberly Peirce’s 1999 film Boys Don’t Cry at 5:30 p.m.
There will also be screenings of the films of the finalists of the PeliKULAYa: Short Film Competition, the Healthy Pilipinas Short Film Festival, and CineIskool Film Lab and Festival at the Gateway Cinemas in Cubao, Quezon City.
The film festival concludes on June 26 with the Closing Program, Para sa Makulay na Bukas! (For a colorful tomorrow). The winners of the PeliKULAYa: Short Film Competition will be announced during this event.
HOPEFUL RETURNAsked when Filipino titles will return to commercial cinemas (currently only international films are being screened), Ms. Diño-Seguerra said that the FDCP is coordinating with Filipino producers.
“We’re still in touch with the Filipino producers na magpapalabas ng mga pelikula nila (who will release their films). Nood Tayo ng Sine (Lets Watch a Movie) will be the main program that will identify these films and create a promotional plan para masuportahan sila (to support them),” Ms. Diño-Seguerra told BusinessWorld after the film festival’s launch.
Nood Tayo ng Sine is the FDCP’s campaign on the promotion of local films. It is currently supporting the promotion of Prime Cruz’s Ngayon Kaya, starring Janine Gutierrez and Paulo Avelino, which is set for theatrical release on June 22.
Ms. Diño-Seguerra also hopes for the return of the Pista ng Pelikulang Pilipino in theaters in September.
For more details and the full lineup of films to be shown in PeliKULAYa: International LGBTQIA+ Film Festival, visit https://www.fdcp.ph/updates/fdcp-celebrates-pride-month-pelikulaya-international-lgbtqia-film-festival.
The Cinematheque Centre Manila is at 855 Kalaw Ave., Ermita, Manila. The Cinematheque Centre Davao is at Teodoro Palma Gil St, Poblacion District, Davao City, while the Cinematheque Centre Iloilo is at MHX9+JQC, Solis St., Iloilo City Proper, Iloilo City. — Michelle Anne P. Soliman
