SINAG MAYNILA 2019 AT THE PODIUM

The Sinag Maynila Team. Award winning filmmakerBrillante Mendoza; Ms. Millie Dizon; SM Senior Vice President for Marketing Communications; Butch Ibañez, Solar Pictures General Manager; and Kate Villena, Solar Entertainment Marketing Director with The Plastic SolutionFiona Faulkner (1^st from left).

Sinag Maynila 5 opens on Wednesday, April 3, 2019, at the Podium cinemas with “Lakbayan” a three-part omnibus film by National Artist KidlatTahimik, BrillanteMendoza, and Lav Diaz— all of whom are awardees at the Berlin International Film Festival and have made their marks in several international film fests.

Direk Lawrence Fajardo and JoselitoAltejeroshave entries in this year’s festival.

Now on its fifth year, Sinag Maynila, continues to showcase quality and thought provoking full length movies, documentaries, and short films from young, non-mainstream Filipino filmmakers from April 3 to 17 at selected SM Cinemas.

Lawrence Fajardo and JoselitoAltejeroshave entries in this year’s festival.

            A joint project of Solar Entertainment, Centerstage Productions, and SM, the festival seeks to inspire, educate, and enlighten the viewing public.In its fifth year of providing independent filmmakers a brand- new platform to showcase their stories, Sinag Maynila will feature three competition sections, noteworthy international exhibition films and a variety of cinema-related activities.

The roster of finalists, which were presented during the recent press conference in the Podium was handpicked by Sinag Maynila CEO and Founder Wilson Tieng and world-renowned and internationally acclaimed film director Brillante Ma Mendoza. These include full-length five features: "Akin angKorona" by ZigDulay, "Jesusa" by Ronald Carballo, "Jno To Mari' by Joselito "Jay" Altarejos, "Pailalim" by Daniel Palacio, and "Underground" by Ralston Jover

Sylvia Sanchez and YnezVeneracion

The finalists for the Documentary category includes"At Home: by Arjanmar H. Rebeta, "Entablado" by Lie Rain Clemente and Nori Jane Isturis,

"Hope Sports" by Joseph Dominic Cruz, "Hyatt: MgaKwento, Lihim at Katotohanan" by Jayvee V. Biscuit, and "Tata Pilo" by Dexter Macaraeg.

Actress Harlene Bautista, director of “Kiss,” a Sinag Maynila 2019 Short Film Category Finalist. Kiss is a straightforward tale about random encounters creating alasting impact. This is also the directorial debut of Ms. Harlene Bautista.

Competing in the short film category are "Bisperas" by RaphQuincena, "Dana Jung" by John Rogers, "Dude Pare Bro" by Lora Cerdan, "Kiss" by HArlene Bautista, "Kilos" by Marjon Santos, "Marian" by Patrick Lim, "Memories of the Rising Sun" by Lawrence Fajardo, "Nagmamahal, Sal" by Jeff Subrabas, "NgitiniNazareno" by Louie Ignacio, and "Panaghoy" by Alvin Baloloy.

Actress Harlene Bautista, director of “Kiss,” a Sinag Maynila 2019 Short Film Category Finalist. Kiss is a straightforward tale about random encounters creating alasting impact. This is also the directorial debut of Ms. Harlene Bautista.

Winners of the competition will be announced at the Gabi ngParangal to be held on Sunday, April 7.

True to its mission of bringing "sine lokal, pang-international," Sinag Maynila has become an important pathway for Filipino Films artists to communicate their stories, and an irresistible opportunity for enthusiasts to watch unique and exciting films.

           

Actress Harlene Bautista, director of “Kiss,” a Sinag Maynila 2019 Short Film Category Finalist. Kiss is a straightforward tale about random encounters creating alasting impact. This is also the directorial debut of Ms. Harlene Bautista.

Sinag Maynila 2019 Short Film Category Finalists with DirekBrillante Mendoza

Sinag Maynila 5 will also feature a forum on Saturday, April 6 at SM City North EDSA with speakers Ms. Joanne Goh, Chairman of the Malaysia International Film Festival and Young-woo Kim, Programmer for the Busan International Film Festival.

           

“Ronald Carballo and the cast of Jesusa, aSinag Maynila 2019 Full-Length Feature Category Finalist. The story centers on a woman from a rundown community whose circumstances will put her in a downward spiral.

Other workshops include an environmental film screening and forum with resource speaker Fiona Faulkner, Environmental and Community Development Officer of The Plastic Solution as well as a Film Editing workshop to be conducted by Mr. John Anthony Wong, Managing Director of Edge Manila Creatives Corporation. These will take place on April 12 at Solar Century Tower.

“Ronald Carballo and the cast of Jesusa, aSinag Maynila 2019 Full-Length Feature Category Finalist. The story centers on a woman from a rundown community whose circumstances will put her in a downward spiral.

Finally, Sinag Maynila closes with the film “Journey”, an Asian Three-Fold Mirror project by the Japan Foundation on April 8 at The Podium.

The cast of “Persons of Interest,” Sinag Maynila 2019 Full-Length Feature Category Finalist. It is about a story of a man with two personalities: a blind cook accused of mass poisoning and as a figment of his 6-year-old son’simagination.

            Sinag Maynila 5 is presented by McDonald’s and Co-presented by Nissan. In partnership with the Film Development Council of The Philippines (FDCP), and in celebration of 100 years of Philippine cinema.Special thanks to: The Plastic Solution, Cinema 76 Film Society, Black Maria Cinema, Edge Manila Creatives.

SM and SM Cinema is the official event venue partner. For more information, log on to www.sinagmaynila.com and www.facebook.com/SinagMaynila/ and follow @SinagMaynila on Twitter and Instagram.