PeliKULAYa LGBTQIA+ International Film Festival Concludes Month-long Festival, Announces Short Film Winners

July 07, 2022

MANILA, PHILIPPINES, JULY 7, 2022 — The PeliKULAYa LGBTQIA+ International Film Festival of the Film Development Council of the Philippines (FDCP) has recently concluded the month-long festival and announced the winners of the short film competition during the festival’s Closing Party and Awards Night last June 26 held at the Xylo at The Palace in BGC, Taguig.

The winners of the short film competition were awarded at PeliKULAYA's "Pride in this Club” Closing Party and Awards Night. It was hosted by DJ Jhai Ho, with a performance from Frenchie Dy, and drag performances from Minty Fresh, Eva Le Queen, Brigiding, Viñas Deluxe, Marina Summers, and Precious Paula Nicole. Present in the event were government officials, embassy partners, members of the press, filmmakers, artists, and other special guests.

The award presenters were actors Topper Fabregas, Ricky Davao, and Bembol Roco, filmmakers Cha Roque and Petersen Vargas, actresses Therese Malvar, Ria Atayde, and Eula Valdez, producer Dolly Dulu, director and producer Louie Ignacio, Manila Vice Mayor Yul Servo, Head of Bilateral Cooperation and Economic Affairs of the Embassy of Mexico Juan Gabriel Espejo Ceballos, and FDCP Chairperson and CEO Liza Diño.

FDCP

“Pelikulaya is an initiative that is very personal to me. Marami na kaming festivals na nasusuportahan ang lahat ito, personal. Lahat ito may gustong sabihin, lahat ito ay may gustong ibahagi sa ating industriya. Pelikulaya started in 2018, it started being just a showcase, we wanted to celebrate pride and freedom every June, and be part of this ongoing crusade, this ongoing movement, para kalampagin ang ating mga mambabatas. Para gumawa ng mga batas na magpoprotekta sa mga kapakanan at kilalanin ang karapatan ng LGBT community,” said FDCP Chairperson and CEO Diño in her closing remarks.

“We all know the power of cinema, how it's able to convey messages that move and change perspectives. The power of cinema allows us to understand some concepts that perhaps, kung ikukuwento lang natin o ilalaban ng usapan, hindi maiintindihan ng iba. I am so proud of our filmmakers who are part of Pelikulaya because they were so brave to represent the unseen and unheard stories of our LGBTQIA+ community. We need more voices like theirs: fearlesss, timeless, passionate, and will really represent what’s happening on the ground,” she added.

The ten finalists of the PeliKULAYa LGBTQIA+ Short Film Competition showcased their films at the Cinema ‘76 Anonas, Cinematheque Centres, Gateway Cinema, and on the FDCP Channel. The screenings were held for free alongside the short films from CineIskool Short Film Lab and Festival and Healthy Pilipinas Short Film Festival.

The PeliKULAYa winners are Nang Maglublob Ako sa Isang Mangkok ng Liwanag by Kukay Zinampan that bagged the Best Short Film award and a cash prize worth PHP 35,000; Kung Sa Diin Ang Suba Tarabuan by Seth Andrew Blanca with the Special Jury Prize and a cash prize worth PHP 30,000; This Is Not A Coming Out Story by Mark Felix Ebreo who won the Best Director trophy with a cash prize of PHP 30,000; As If Nothing Happened by JT Trinidad and Baklaak (I'm Gay) by Gabb Gantala which both received the Special Mention recognition and a cash prize worth PHP 20,000; and Mga Kuan by Jermaine Tulbo with the Audience Choice award and a PHP 10,000 cash prize.

The winners for the Best Short Film and Best Director award will also receive an all-expenses-paid training to Platform BUSAN of the Busan International Film Festival in South Korea, an annual networking event for emerging independent filmmakers.

This year’s PeliKULAYa was held in a hybrid format. The lineup of films, activities, and events featured include: free and paid screenings onsite and online of international and local films co-presented by partner embassies and organizations; a series of FDCP Film Talks; premiere of short films from three film festivals (PeliKULAYa, Healthy Pilipinas, and CineIskool); and a Nick Deocampo Retrospective.

The PeliKULAYa: International LGBTQIA+ Film Festival is presented by the FDCP, powered by FDCP Channel, Cinelokal, Cinematheque Centres, and Nood Tayo Ng Sine, in partnership with the British Council in the Philippines, Embassy of Sweden in the Philippines, Embassy of Denmark in the Philippines, Embassy of Chile in the Philippines, Embassy of Spain in the Philippines, Embassy of Canada in the Philippines, Korean Cultural Center in the Philippines, US Embassy in the Philippines, Mexican Embassy in the Philippines, Instituto Cervantes, Metropolitan Theater, Cinema ‘76, Gateway Cineplex, and the Metropolitan Theater.

Official List of PeliKULAYa LGBTQIA+ Short Film Competition Winners