Everything you need to know about Cinemalaya 2023: ‘IlumiNasyon’

Below are the titles for the short and full-length categories: 

Shorts

• Tong Adlaw nga nag-snow sa Pinas by Joshua Medroso: In a coastal barrio, Makong and Renren love playing with snow made from Styrofoam blocks and sword-fighting out of sticks they find on the shore. They spend most of their days playing in their little world. One day, Renren finds bruises on Makong’s neck and arms. In his way of telling his friend that he is not alone, knowing there’s only much that he can do, Renren does something unexpected.
  
  
• Sota by Mae Tanagon: Two horse caretakers struggle to make ends meet amid the low-wage employment in the horse racing industry.
  
  
• Sibuyas ni Perfecto by Januar Yap: On an errand run, an ageing man realises he missed doing one very important thing.  
  
  
• Hm Hm Mhm by Sam Villa-Real and Kim Timan: A young woman’s touch gives life to a dollhouse where an all-too-familiar story replays.
  
  
• Maudi nga Arapaap by Daniel Magayon: A night shift nurse’s action of dumping her mother’s possession attracts Batibat’s wrath. 

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• Makoko sa Baybay by Mike Cabarles: Two brothers hope to find the sea creature who killed their mother.
  
  
• Kokuryo: The Untold of Bb Undas 2019 by Diokko Manuel Dionisio: The search for the person who stole their cash prize from a gay beauty pageant tests the friendship between two transgender women. 
  
  
• Hinakdal by Arvin Belarmino: A zombie family gets their isolated life disturbed by a human being who attempts to steal their livestock.
  
  
• Golden Bells by Kurt Soberano: A young Chinese-Filipino boy learns the trade from his father, which becomes his foundation in maintaining the family business for love and legacy.
  
  
• Ang Kining BInalaybay Kag Ambahon Para sa Imo by Kent John Desamparado: A grandfather and a child share final moments before they separate ways.

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Full-Length Category

After his beloved grandfather’s death, Makoy embarks on a soul-stirring expedition to a mystical mountain in search of the legendary golden deer that possesses the power to grant wishes. His journey takes an unexpected turn when he befriends a spirited young mountain boy who joins him in the quest for the mythical creature and self-discovery.

While creating the subtitles of a film, a young Filipina translator and a middle-aged Japanese director test the limits of language and understanding.

Jose, a student, leaves his mother a letter to inform her that he’s going away to learn why people have decided to join the underground movement. His decision reaches Michael, the chancellor of the university where he studies. Michael invites Jose’s professor, Victor, to his home to ask him if he has anything to do with Jose’s decision.

They get into a heated argument which puts Victor’s principles and courage in question. After a few days, news reaches Victor that Jose is missing, rumoured to have been executed by the renegade Police Chief, Gabriel Ventura. Victor sees this as an opportunity to prove his principles about nationalism and patriotism. He plots to murder Gabriel as a means to provide justice for Jose.

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In every movie that he watches, 16-year-old Andoy creates narratives that could help him find answers to the questions that have always bothered him: Who is he and who is his father? While the truth remains elusive, his imaginings remain unrealised until two movie-like characters appear in their barrio—Ariel, a hairdresser who lures young men with his inexplicable charm, and Isidro, a mysterious, long-haired man who owns a VCD player.

Andoy finds himself entranced with Ariel and Isidro and begins to spend intimate time with them. As he gets entangled with their twisted lives, his reality becomes mystified. Just like in the movies, Andoy must decide whether to conclude his years-long search for his father with a bang or with a whimper.

Eric lives an ordinary life working as an animator in the Philippines. He has a nice, but dirty apartment, a good-paying job, and a guy he likes. One thing about Eric is he does not have a mouth, literally. One day, he receives a call from his mother, Rosalinda, asking him to check up on his seemingly lost uncle, only to find out that his uncle has been dead for days.

While still in shock, a familiar alien arrives, wanting to take Eric away from Earth. Iti Mapukpukaw is a Filipino-Ilocano rotoscope animated film that follows Eric’s life as it twists and turns after the arrival of the familiar alien and the death of his uncle, both of which trigger Eric to remember his past and untangle his memories.

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In 2016, Duterte’s drug war left 26,000 to 30,000 families, fatherless or husbandless. The wives and mothers of the killed victims are left trying to meet both ends for their families. The documentary follows three women named Maria after the bloodbath of Duterte’s drug war. A staunch supporter turned victim, a wife and mother fighting for their rights, and a woman who became a beacon of hope.

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Gemma Stone is a social media influencer/content creator who’s burning out from trying to maintain the interest of her followers. She meets James, a struggling musician suffering from depression. They enter into a relationship with the mutual intent to capitalise on the other. Gemma uses James for content by presenting him as a perfect aspirational romantic partner, while James leeches off Gemma’s wealth and connections to further his music career. But, as time passes, their intentions don’t pan out as they would expect and a blur forms between real love and exploitation.

Everything changes when an awkward teenager joins the volleyball team and falls for the volleyball team captain.

Related: Reels of Pride: Filmmaker Samantha Lee Empowers Women and LGBTQIA+ Community

A chance encounter leads to Eric and Kate’s discovery that any pain they inflict on themselves can be felt simultaneously by the other. While it starts heavenly for their relationship, with all their pleasure and senses magnified, their past tendencies soon begin to manifest, and their connection traps them into situations they’ve never been in before.

Slowly, with the balance of power upended, their relationship takes a dark turn. After being numb to years of abuse and the pain of frequent abandonment, Kate learns to exalt authority for the first time and begins to wield her ability to keep Eric under her control. Eric, on the other hand, experiences the helplessness of losing control for the first time. He becomes a hostage to the affair for fear of the pain she could inflict on herself and, by extension, to him.

Disconnected and desperate, “The Guy” wants to flee the country and reunite with his mother in the US to ease his loneliness. But with the global pandemic at its peak, he finds himself trapped in his condo against his will. One day, he finds a group of well-connected, privileged misfit condo residents who seek to throw an illegal party with their friends as a form of release.

When “The Guy” finds out that they have connections to the US Embassy, he offers to help them plan the event in exchange for his way out of this country. As The Guy figures out how to throw their illegal gathering, he meets the kind-hearted staff Rosemarie who makes him feel seen and at home. With Rosemarie holding the key to the success of the party, The Guy takes a big risk with his new unlikely friendship.

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