BINISAYA Film Festival 2019 unveiled its official film selections at a press conference at Handuraw Whitegold last Sept. 5.
The official choices for the Binisaya Shorts competition are “Victoriana” by Chloe Capatoy; “The Best Employee” by Alyssa Ashley Manugas; “Budots” by Jay Rosas and Mark Limbaga; “Gitlo” by Bobby Villacarlos II; “Gabii sa Nabilin” by Ronnie Gamboa Jr.; “Medium Rare” by Christian Naparota and “Aksyon!” by Frank Go.
The festival will also screen three films under the Binisaya Feature Films section: “Huwebes Huwebes” by Januar Yap, Kris Villarino and Don Frasco; “Markado: Bakunawa sa Duha Ka-Manglahing Takna” by Joe Bacus; and “A Short History of a Few Bad Things” by Binisaya Film Festival founder Keith Deligero.
Deligero stated that when it came to the selection of the films for the competition, it all came down to filmmaker-driven films.
“[We’re looking for] films that can blow our heads off; Films that challenge the way we see cinema, whether it’s a crowd-pleaser film or a school project. We are not looking for the best film. We’re looking for strong voices.”
There’s also “Binisaya Horizons 2019,” an exhibition of non-Bisaya shorts namely: “Viral Kids” by Arjanmar H. Rebeta (Camarines Sur); “Siyudad sa Bulawan” by Jarell Serencio (Davao); “Ang Nagliliyab na Kasaysayan ng Pamilya Dela Cruz” by Miguel Louie De Guzman (Batangas); “Mountain To Cry For” by Khurshid Kalabud Jr. (General Santos); “Fish Out Of Water” by Mon Garilao (Bulacan); and “Nangungupahan” by Glenn Barit (Tuguegarao).
Feature films from different parts of Asia under the Asian Shorts 2019 section will also be showcased: “A Cold Summer Night” by Yash Sawant (India); “Death of the Sound Man” by Sorayos Prapapan (Thailand); “Krampon” by Abdullah Şahin (Turkey); “War for Keyboard Warriors” by Lam Lam Can-zhao (China); “Francis and Laika” by Mark Chua and Lam Li Shuen (Singapore); “Pulangui” by Bagane Fiola (Philippines); and “Avasheesh” by Manoj Babu Panta (Nepal).
The press conference also unveiled this year’s featured art piece by John Ahmed Durano titled “Filemon,” to which the artist described as the epitome of the current state of Philippine society.
Binisaya Film Festival debuted in 2011 at the University of San Carlos Fine Arts Lecture Theater and is run by Binisaya Movement Inc., a non-profit organization. Catch this year’s festival from Oct. 16 to 18 at Ayala Center Cebu.