Philippine Entertainment
PH films to compete in Busan
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MANILA — Filipino films will be showcased at the 19th Busan (South Korea) International Film Festival which will happen on October 2 to 11.
Two of the films are from the Cinemalaya Philippine Independent Film Festival held last month, with Milo Sogueco’s “Mariquina” will vie during the main competition, the New Currents section.
“Representing the country in Busan fills me with so much pride and joy. All the hard work has paid off. A filmmaker’s greatest happiness is to touch people’s lives. Hopefully in Busan, where the audience is bigger (and international at that), we can make this happen,” according to Sogueco. “It’s overwhelming and humbling. The shoot was fraught with challenges that never seemed to end. It was through a lot of inspiration, dedication and commitment that our team prevailed,” he added.
Aside from Sogueco, Francis Xavier Pasion’s “Bwaya,” meanwhile will be shown during the exhibition section, Windows on Asian Cinema.
“I feel like a suki (regular customer) of Busan. My two previous films (‘Jay’ and ‘Sampaguita’) were screened there, too. This is a big honor for my cast and crew. We are reaping the fruits of our hard work. Joining an international film festival is a precious opportunity, not just to showcase our cinema before a global audience, but also to keep abreast with the latest [trends in the industry],” shared Pasion.
For the documentary section, Cha Escala and Wena Sanchez’s “Nick and Chai,” is the country’s official representative. This documentary focuses on the destruction caused by Supertyphoon “Yolanda” which struck the country last year. It features the story of Nick and Chai Quieta, parents with four children who all died during that time.
“Stone Heart,” by Martika Ramirez Escobar will compete for the Asian Short Film section. The movie is about a 1970s actress who is so obsessed with her past and tries to revive it by watching her old movies.
