- Sinag Maynila 2018 has finally started.
- Can’t decide what movies to watch in the festival? We got you covered with this article!
Last March 7, 2018, this year’s Sinag Maynila Film Festival has officially kicked off after it’s opening ceremony held at the iMax lobby of SM North EDSA.
The festival had opened this year’s edition with the special screening of the French film “Les Derniers Parisiens” also known as “Paris Prestige”, the feature debut of Mohamed Bourokba and Ekoué Labitey, two of France’s best-known rappers who as Hamé and Eboué.
Back on its fourth season, this year’s edition is presented again by Solar Entertainment Corporation together with renowned director Brillante Mendoza, with the support of the Film Development Council of the Philippines. Born from the vision of Mr. Wilson Tieng and Direk Brillante Mendoza’s wish to have a festival that not only inspires but educates and enlightens Filipino movie audiences, the festival which started back in 2015 has already produced numerous films recognized not only here in the Philippines, but also abroad.
This year, Sinag Maynila boosts a powerful line up of full-length feature films to be shown in all SM Cine Lokal theaters starting March 9, 2018. Can’t decide what movies to watch for this year’s festival?
Here’s a guide to help you in choosing a film for your next movie date!
ABOMINATION
90 minutes | Crime, Mystery, Thriller
Unitel | Underground Logic | Hit Productions | Laranas/Llobet
DIRECTED BY: Yam Laranas
STORY BY: Yam Laranas and Gin De Mesa
SCREENPLAY BY: Paolo Vacirca and Oscar Fogelstrom
STARRING Tippy Dos Santos, Toni Moynihan, Justine Peña, Paul Holmes, Lukas Magallano, Alexia Fernandez, Lexi Schulze, David Bianco, Leigh Halliwell, Emma Brennan
SYNOPSIS
A young woman found unconscious in a city street claims to be another person who was brutally murdered two months earlier. She escapes from the psychiatric hospital in which she’s confined to prove her identity and find out the truth about her life, death, and murderer.
This mystery thriller is from acclaimed director Yam Laranas, the same genius behind the horror films Sigaw, The Echo and The Road. The film has been picked up for international distribution by North American distributor Raven Banner Entertainment.
BOMBA (THE BOMB)
105 minutes | Drama
ATD Entertainment Productions | Heaven’s Best Entertainment |
Crowning Glory Movie Equipment Services
DIRECTED BY: Ralston G. Jover
STORY BY: Ralston Gonzales Jover and Dennis C. Evangelista
SCREENPLAY BY: Ralston Gonzales Jover
STARRING Allen Dizon, Angelline Nicholle Sanoy, Allan Paule, Sue Prado, Kate Brios, Joel Saracho, Tabs Sumulong, Felixia Dizon, Lucas Alric Dizon
SYNOPSIS
Pipo makes ends meet by taking on the toughest jobs. Life is more difficult because he is deaf. He supports himself and his teenage lover Cyril. His irate boss is getting difficult and Ben, his childhood friend wants his daughter Cyril back. Like a bomb, Pipo’s ticking to explode, anytime soon.
Despite the film being initially banned from cinemas as it received an X rating from the Movie and Television Review and Classification Board (it eventually got an R-13 rating on its second review), the film received critical acclaim abroad and even bagged the Special Jury Award at the 33rd Warsaw International Film Festival.
EL PESTE
95 minutes | Erotic Drama
Strawdogs Studio
DIRECTED BY: Richard V. Somes
SCREENPLAY BY: Richard V. Somes and Boo Dabu
STARRING Mon Confiado, Jean Judith Javier, Alvin Anson, Leon Miguel, Tikoy Aguiluz, Jim Libiran
SYNOPSIS:
ABNER (Mon Confiado) lives a drab, downcast, solitary existence. His wife has abandoned him for good. Working for pest control company Panther, his job remains his sole connection to the outside world. It seems going nowhere until he meets VIOLA (Jean Judith Javier), a client who is existence is as sad as his. Wife of a vain college teacher DODIE (Alvin Anson), Viola is a trapped bird. Meeting Abner seems to give her a chance to fly free. The house, infested with rats all around, becomes a powder keg of emotions and danger as the sexual tension between Abner and Viola turns to an illicit affair, all happening under Dodie’s nose. In order to extend their relationship, Abner devices something that will eventually lead to a tragedy that will change their lives forever.
According to director Richard Somes, the story of “El Peste” was created 10 years ago. It also took 4 years before the film finally got the chance to be screened for audiences.
MELODRAMA/RANDOM/MELBOURNE!
82 minutes | Drama
DIRECTED BY: Matthew Victor Pastor
SCREENPLAY BY: Celina Yuen and Matthew Victor Pastor
STARRING Celina Yuen, Bridget O’Brien, Rachel Javier, Khoa Le, Matt Furlani, Vlady T, Gregory Pakis, Kristen Condon , Elliot Ng , Charlie Dao, Louise Bremner, Aston Elliot, Jarrod Mayne, Matthew Victor Pastor, Michael Duong, Takako Kajiya, Mandy Luo
SYNOPSIS:
Presented in Glorious Cinema – O – ke! A feminist documentarian, a pickup artist, and a virgin’s lives collide. Aries Santos is a Fil-Aus feminist documentarian who is struggling to complete her new film. Her subjects are the male members of ‘©TRU MALE DYNAMICS’, a company formed to teach men how to seduce women. Meanwhile, a sex worker named Melody slays into the night. The line between reality and fiction blurs, and blood is shed on the neon-lit streets of Melbourne.
Director Matthew Victor Pastor had made a name for himself back in Australia and has gained quite a following there because of his films. This movie is part of the director’s ‘Fil-Aus’ trilogy.
TALE OF THE LOST BOYS
80 minutes | Drama
BEYONDtheBOX | Portico Productions | Gagaoolala
DIRECTED BY: Joselito Altarejos
SCREENPLAY BY: May de los Santos
STARRING Oliver Aquino, Ta Su, Kristel Romero, Abai Bashang, Mona Hayung, Joe Black, Lex Bonife, Tiffany Tsai, Nataleigh Sitoy
SYNOPSIS:
Tale of the Lost Boys is the story of the friendship between two men — Alex (Oliver Aquino), a Filipino mechanic, and Jerry (Ta Su), a Taiwanese aborigine student. The two meet randomly when Alex flees to Taipei from Manila, upon learning that his girlfriend is pregnant. A casual conversation develops into a surprising personal connection between them. Both realize that they yearn for a more intimate connection with their mothers since Alex’s abandoned him for a new family while Jerry is afraid that his traditional parents will reject him for being gay. The two men go on a road trip and end up at Jerry’s tribe. The trip eventually makes them reconnect with their mothers and both discover a certain sense of identity and freedom.
It features the comeback of former Star Magic teen actor Oliver Aquino (formerly known as Mhyco Aquino) and has already created a stir as it features threesome and love scene between two guys. The film has been selected to be part of the Hong Kong Lesbian and Gay Film Festival (HKLGFF) 2017. In addition to this, the film also won the Best Feature Film at the Serile Filmului Gay International Film Festival in Romania. It is also part of the Outfest Fusion sa Los Angeles this March 9-13, 2018.
Have you already decided what to watch among the five entries? Check out the schedules of each film below for more information.
SINAG MAYNILA 2018 will run from March 7-15 at SM Mall of Asia, SM Megamall, SM North Edsa, SM Fairview, SM Southmall, and SM Bacoor, SM Manila, and SM Sta. Mesa.
