In last week's column, we talked about the launch of the annual International Silent Film Festival Manila which is now on its 15th year. It had its opening ceremony last Wednesday at the newly reopened Metropolitan Theater. We noted that instead of presenting one original silent film classic like our partner countries to represent their country, the Philippines will be represented by nine newly-made silent short films.

Most of the time, the sincerest, deepest human emotions can only be said without the nuance of words — perhaps this is the reason, too, why a quiet tear can mean overwhelming joy, or a longing look speaks of a great yearning. Sometimes, silence speaks volumes and conveys the profundity of the most poignant emotions.

It is not an overstatement to say you can find a Filipino anywhere in the world. In airports, it is not uncommon to be greeted with an enthusiastic "Oy, kabayan!" with a smile. We are everywhere.

Even after a film had its day in the local theaters, a whole world of possibilities still await outside the domestic market, via film markets, film festivals and other distribution channels. Through these channels, Filipino movies are given another chance to be understood from the lenses of a different culture or belief. But while film markets significantly cater to buying and selling finished films, films in development have their space in the market, too.

Philippine cinema has developed a rich horror tradition with its long list of masterpieces. Some characters have become parts of fond, albeit scary, memories of childhood.

Cinemas are back! I developed my love for watching films in the cinema at an early age. As my mother was a theater checker, I used to sneak inside theaters to catch films. As a film worker now, I know how hard filmmakers, producers, actors, and the whole production team work to produce a movie and the long journey to getting it to the big screen for audiences to enjoy.

Everyone's looking at South Korea right now as the model film industry that produces world-class content. And so we wonder, what is South Korea doing that sets them apart from the rest of the world? How do they produce great and unique content? Besides the relatable and diverse concepts that they come up with, along with the collaboration of hardworking and passionate film workers, the key distinction lies within their approach to public funding.

When the pandemic hit early last year, one of the behaviors that drastically changed was how audiences consume content like film and TV shows. The pandemic-induced lockdowns left us searching the web for ways on how to entertain ourselves within the comfort of our homes. The closing of cinemas inevitably drove audiences to shift online, contributing to the fast rise of online streaming platforms.

The Agency worked and executed a total of 28 major events in one month. The commemoration went beyond honoring the invaluable contribution of the film industry stakeholders by also educating and preparing our audiences for the continuous shift of the industry.

Since the onset of Covid-19, the Philippine film industry has faced incredible drawbacks — from the continued closure of cinemas which affected the production of local films, to the challenges plaguing the safe conduct of production activities and onsite events. This has undeniably put a damper on the spirits of our stakeholders.