National Film Festival features 12 of the best directors in PH

The Film Development Council of the Philippines, in cooperation with SM Cinema, will launch the Sineng Pambansa National Film Festival 2013 All-Masters Edition.

The National Film Festival (NFF) 2013 – All Masters Edition will feature 12 of the best and most prolific film directors in the country.

This year’s NFF will showcase new masterpieces from Philippine’s cinema greats, namely  Tikoy Aguiluz, Mel Chionglo, Peque Gallaga and Lore Reyes, Joel Lamangan, Elwood Perez, Gil Portes, Jose Javier Reyes, Maryo J. Delos Reyes, Chito Roño, Romeo Suzara and Celso Ad Castillo.

Elwood Perez of the Bilangin ang Bituin sa Langit fame, makes a comeback with Otso starring veteran actress Anita Linda. Otso is a story of an ambidextrous, aging author who calls on his muse to rid him of his writer’s block while Gil M. Portes,  directs Isang Tag-araw ni Twinkle, an account of a drug addict who seeks rehabilitation and in the process re-connects with her dying father. Isang Tag-araw ni Twinkle stars actress Ellen Adarna. Portes is also the director of Gawad Urian-winning Mga Munting Tinig.

The tandem of Lore Reyes and Peque Gallaga has Sonata to offer. Sonata, which stars Cherie Gil and Richard Gomez, tells the story of a worn-out artist who recovers her spirit through a relationship with a young boy. Gallaga and Reyes had worked on a few films in the past which include Magic Temple and Batang X.

Jose Javier Reyes, known for his mainstream blockbusters such as Kasal, Kasali, Kasalo and Wedding Tayo, Wedding Hindi, offers Ano Ang Kulay ng mga Nakalimutang Pangarap? which has Bobby Andrews, Angel Aquino and Ryan Agoncillo in the cast. The movie traces the life of Teresa, who dedicated 60 years of her life to the service of a middle class family at the expense of her own happiness and fulfillment. Now that the matriarch of the family has died, the children who were under her care have flown in from abroad to bury their mother and decide on  their nanny’s fate.

Romy Suzara comes back with his NFF opus Tinik, a story of a middle-aged couturier who faces the myriad problems of a gay man. In the midst of his dilemma, he tries to hold on to his dignity. Tinik stars Raymond Bagatsing and Hayden Kho. Suzara rose to fame in the early 70s with movies like Tatlong Mukha ni Rosa Vilma and Cariñosa, both starring veteran actress Vilma Santos.

Tikoy Aguiluz, on the other hand, directs Eman, a biopic on Eman Lacaba, a brilliant poet turned activist with matinee idol Derek Ramsey playing the lead role. Aguiluz has directed a similar biopic in the mid-80s: Balweg which is  about rebel priest Fr. Conrado Balweg.

Lauriana by Mel Chionglo centers on domestic drama about a Philippine Constabulary soldier’s mistress in the 1950s. The film tackles obsession, passionate love and abuse. Based on a true story, Chionglo describes the film as a psychological thriller. The film casts Bangs Garcia and Allen Dizon.

A couple of this year’s NFF films have strong political themes. Chito Roño’s film Badil revolves around a small barrio’s corrupted voting system seen through the eyes of a young boy while Joel Lamangan’s Lihis is set in the 70s Martial Law era where two male members of a rebel organization, in while crusading, they  share an intimate relationship. Lihis stars Jake Cuenca and Joel Bascon with Isabelle Daza, Lovi Poe and Gloria Diaz.

Veteran director Maryo J. Delos Reyes’s Bamboo Flowers completes the line-up and is a film that tackles the rousing beauty of Bohol Island and the lives of the people in it. The film casts indie film siren Mylene Dizon with Max Collins, Neil Ryan Sese and Ruru Madrid. Delos Reyes directed Magnifico,which won the Crystal Bear Award in the Berlin International Film Festival.

Each of the director’s film is set in their respective hometowns: Maryo J. Delos Reyes in Bohol, Tikoy Aguiluz in Davao, Peque Gallaga in Bacolod, and Mel Chionglo in Quezon, with undisclosed places for Chito Roño and Jose Javier Reyes.

NFF will also feature a Masters’ Master Tribute to the late Celso Ad Castillo with the screening of his last film Bahay ng Lagim with the documentary The Gospel According to Celso Kid.

The festival, in honor of two other Philippine cinema legends Lino Brocka and Manuel Conde, will also screen the late directors’ films namely the restored version of Maynila: Sa mga kuko ng Liwanag and GenghisKhan, respectively.

Sineng Pambansa National Film Festival 2013 will run from Sept. 11 to 17 at all SM Cinema branches nationwide.