LOCARNO, SWITZERLAND: Amid the pandemic that continues to rage throughout the world, we are still inflamed by the passion for cinema. Likewise, the return of Filipinos to this year's 74th Locarno Film Festival shows the resurgence of the global spirit among our 27 on-site and online delegates.

With the activities and screenings featured throughout August 9, it was dubbed as PH Cinema Day to highlight the Philippines' participation in Locarno.

The main event was the world premiere of "Kun Maupay Man It Panahon (Whether the Weather is Fine)" in the Filmmakers of the Present Competition. Ten delegates, led by director Carlo Francisco Manatad, producers Armi Rae Cacanindin and Josabeth Alonso, executive producer Quark Henares, and actress Rans Rifol, represented the Typhoon Haiyan (Yolanda) drama.

An Open Doors Talk moderated by Locarno and Venice Film Festival Programmer Paolo Bertolin featured Manatad and Cacanindin who discussed their journey in making "Kun Maupay Man It Panahon," a Film Development Council of the Philippines (FDCP) Project Market participant and FDCP FilmPhilippines International Co-production Fund recipient.

There were also screenings of critically acclaimed films "Filipiñana" by Rafael Manuel; and "Aswang" by Alyx Ayn Arumpac - who was in the Open Doors Roundtable, "A Checkpoint of Southeast Asia Creativity" on the creative status quo amid the pandemic.

As the three-year Southeast Asian Focus organized by Locarno Open Doors, which ignited collaboration opportunities among Southeast Asian filmmakers, came to an end, FDCP took part in celebrating this momentous occasion by hosting the "Locarno Open Doors Closing Dinner @ Philippine Cinema Night" at BLU Restaurant and Lounge.

This event, which put a spotlight on PH delegates and projects in Locarno, became a venue to meet international industry stakeholders, including award-winning filmmaker Gaspar Noé, the jury members of the Filmmakers of the Present section, Lao filmmaker Mattie Do, International Film Festival Rotterdam Festival Director Vanja Kaludjercic, and Locarno Artistic Director Giona Nazzaro.

Showing appreciation for Filipino filmmakers

The next day, the Philippine Embassy in Berne, Switzerland treated the Philippine Delegation to a sumptuous lunch as the Embassy expressed support for the festival participants.

The Philippine Mission to the United Nations and Philippine Overseas Labor Office represented by Labor Attaché Cheryl Daytec and her team then hosted a dinner for our PH Delegation together with the Filipino community here in Locarno to show their appreciation for our filmmakers who were representing our cinema.

Such were great occasions to celebrate and network with Filipino and international attendees, and more importantly, intensify the Philippine presence in Locarno. These would not have been possible without the all-out support from Philippine Ambassador to Switzerland Denis Yap Lepatan and his team, and Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello 3rd who extended his utmost support for the PH Delegation.

I would also like to thank veteran actress-producer Evelyn Vargas-Knaebel, a Locarno Pro Industry delegate, for her support to gather the Filipino community to celebrate the success of Philippine Cinema here in Locarno.

Also on-site were filmmakers Sonny Calvento ("Excuse Me, Miss, Miss, Miss") and Cris Bringas ("Next Picture") for Open Doors Screenings; E del Mundo and Pamela Reyes for Open Doors Hub; Stelle Laguda for Open Doors Lab; and Manuel for the Locarno Filmmakers Academy.

Our virtual delegates were Bianca Balbuena-Liew as an Open Doors Lab Mentor; Sarah Brakensiek, Patti Lapus, and Micah Tadena for Match Me! Online; and Marvin Lyndon Carmelo Matias, Gale Osorio, Ma. Anna Asuncion-Dagñalan, Anne Prado-Magadia, Real Randolph Joseph Florido, and Alex Poblete for Locarno Pro Online.

PH winning streak in Open Doors

Locarno, one of the world's oldest and most illustrious film festivals which has made Lav Diaz an acclaimed international cinema icon, wrapped up yesterday with attendees feeling emotional and touched by the success of its hybrid edition, proving that it is a sanctuary for lessons and connections that bring film projects to life despite all odds.

Its Open Doors program, which aims to assist directors and producers from the South and the East, had a Focus on Mongolia and Southeast Asia from 2019 to 2021.

In its final year as a Spotlight Country, the Philippines continued its winning streak with director del Mundo and producer Reyes of the project "SAM" bagging the Sørfond Invitation Award and second prize of the Open Doors Development Grant worth 15,000 Swiss francs.

"The project stood out with its deeply moving and personal pitch. A compelling project investigating the concepts of morality and guilt in a situation where refusing to be complicit to evil will put yourself in great danger," the Sørfond-Norwegian South Film Fund said of "SAM," a project in Full Circle Lab Philippines organized by FDCP and Tatino Films.

The success of "SAM" follows the Development Support Grant of Avid Liongoren's "Zsa Zsa Zaturnnah vs the Amazonistas of Planet X" in 2020 and the Sørfond Award and ARTE Kino International Prize of Pham Ngoc Lân's "Cu Li Never Cries," a co-production among Vietnam, the Philippines, France, and Singapore.

Remembering Joseph Laban

Myanmar-Philippines-Indonesia co-production project "The Beer Girl in Yangon" also won two awards: the CNC Development Grant worth 8,000 euros from France's National Centre for Cinematography and third prize of the Open Doors Development Grant worth 10,000 Swiss francs.

"The Beer Girl in Yangon" is directed by Sein Lyan Tun of Myanmar and produced by Indonesian John Badalu of Myanmar's PS Film Production and Joseph Israel Laban of One Big Fight Productions from the Philippines.

It was a bittersweet victory for "The Beer Girl in Yangon" as Laban, 40, lost his fight against Covid-19 over a week before Locarno. The acclaimed director, producer, and writer, also the founder and festival director of the Cine Totoo Philippine Documentary Film Festival, was so young and immensely talented.

Unique opportunities for Filipinos

The Open Doors' three-year Focus on Mongolia and Southeast Asia provided our filmmakers with opportunities that only Locarno can offer and helped forge significant partnerships and friendships.

As Locarno Artistic Director Nazzaro put it, "Open Doors has boosted independent filmmaking in Southeast Asia and Mongolia and created a sustainable dynamic in this region."

Filipino filmmakers have leveled up thanks to Open Doors and the other Locarno programs. We are beyond grateful to the Locarno Film Festival for opening so many doors for Filipinos throughout the years, effectively pushing them to strive to bring Philippine Cinema to its zenith for the rest of the world to see and appreciate.

Notes from the Chair
The Sunday Times Magazine  - The Manila Times

Notes from the Chair is part of the Arts Awake section of The Sunday Times Magazine published by The Manila Times. Click HERE to view the article on The Manila Times website.