Get ready for this year’s biggest film festival in the country! Ten (10) films have completed the slate for the Pista ng Pelikulang Pilipino (PPP) 2019 as announced by the Film Development Council of the Philippines (FDCP) during the PPP 2019 Grand Launch last July 11, 2019 at Sequoia Hotel in Diliman, Quezon City.

All film entries will have their Philippine premiere during PPP 2019 from September 13 to 19, 2019 in all theaters nationwide and are composed of seven (7) PPP feature films and three (3) films under the Sandaan showcase in line with the One Hundred Years of Philippine Cinema.

PPP 2019 Feature Entries

“Cuddle Weather”

Director: Rod Marmol

Production Companies: Project 8 corner San Joaquin Projects and Regal Entertainment

Cast: Sue Ramirez and RK Bagatsing

Logline: It was love at first sound when Adela Johnson (Sue Ramirez), an experienced prostitute, met Ram (RK Bagatsing), a newbie call boy, as they had loud paid sex separately in adjacent motel rooms. Their mentor-mentee set-up seems like a dreamy porn film... until one of them begins to want more than just loveless lovemaking.

“LSS (Last Song Syndrome)”

Director: Jade Castro

Production Company: Produced by Globe Studios in association with Dokimos Media Studios Inc. and Ben & Ben

Cast: Gabbi Garcia, Khalil Ramos, and Ben & Ben

Logline: Sara and Zak, an aspiring musician and a yearning son find themselves in a series of almost-but-not-quite romantic encounters as they follow an upcoming indie-folk band.

“The Panti Sisters”

Director: Jun Robles Lana

Production Companies: The IdeaFirst Company, Inc., Black Sheep, and ALV Films

Cast: Paolo Ballesteros, Christian Bables, and Martin del Rosario

Logline: Three gay sons are called back by their estranged and terminally-ill father and given an offer they can’t refuse: a P300 million inheritance in exchange for each of them giving him a grandchild.

“G!”

Director: Dondon Santos

Production Company: CINEKO Productions

Cast: McCoy de Leon, Jameson Blake, Paulo Angeles, and Mark Oblea

Logline: A series of good times, bad times, cherished bonding moments which will make them all realize the value of love, friendship, family and life.

“I’m Ellenya L.”

Director: Boy 2 Quizon

Production Companies: Spring Films, N2 Productions, and Cobalt Entertainment

Cast: Maris Racal and Iñigo Pascual 

Logline: Ellenya’s world is of a typical millennial, one that revolves around the social media. Having the dreams of becoming the next big vlogger, she ventures on creating video contents with the help of her family. Will fate pave way for Ellenya L. to achieve her dreams or will it lead her to the rocky roads of life?

“Open”

Director: Andoy Ranay

Production Companies: T-Rex Entertainment and Black Sheep

Cast: JC Santos and Arci Muñoz

Logline: Rome and Ethan have been together for 14 years. When the two begin to feel that their relationship has gone stale, they explore the idea of going open.

“Watch Me Kill”

Director: Tyrone Acierto

Production Company: Cinebandits Entertainment

Cast: Jean Garcia and Jay Manalo

Logline: A ruthless assassin’s plan is interrupted when she discovers that the man she needs to kill has more to hide than expected.

PPP Sandaan Showcase

“Circa”

Director: Adolfo Alix, Jr.

Production Companies: Noble Wolf, ABAJ Film Productions, Swift Productions, and RSVP Film Studios

Cast: Anita Linda, Gina Alajar, Laurice Guillen, Jacyln Jose, Elizabeth Oropesa, Ricky Davao, and Enchong Dee with the special participation of Eddie Garcia

Logline: Doña Atang, a once celebrated film producer from the earlier years of Filipino cinema, celebrates her one hundredth birthday. For her wish, she wants a reunion with all the actors and staff that she has worked with in the past.

“Lola Igna”

Director: Eduardo Roy, Jr.

Production Companies: Found Films and EMBA Production

Cast: Angie Ferro, Yves Flores, Meryll Soriano, and Maria Isabel Lopez

Logline: Lola Igna is a foul-mouthed and stubborn woman who is eager to die but her neighbors are hung up on her winning the title “the oldest living grandmother in the world.” Her long lost great-great-grandson, Tim, is an aspiring vlogger who wants to latch on to her now-famous grandma but ends up giving her a new reason to live.

“Pagbalik”

Directors: Hubert Tibi and Maria Ranillo

Production Companies: Nuances Entertainment Productions and PRO. PRO

Cast: Gloria Sevilla, Vince Ranillo, Suzette Ranillo, and Alora Sasam

Logline: Rica (50s), after working abroad, comes home to stay with Choleng (85), her ageing mother, until she finds new work. She learns what her mother has done all the years when she was working abroad.

Themed “Pamilya, Pagkakaibigan, Pag-ibig,” PPP, FDCP’s flagship program, promises on its third year to offer a grander week-long celebration of exclusive quality and diverse films. PPP 2019 will serve as the grand kickoff for Sandaan: One Hundred Years of Philippine Cinema, which will have its opening event on September 12, 2019.

“The Pista ng Pelikulang Pilipino this year is extra special because aside from it is a showcase of the diversity of our local films, it is also a commemoration of our historic One Hundred Years of Philippine cinema. We encourage everyone to take part in this celebration by supporting our incredible lineup of films and attending PPP 2019 events. We can’t wait for all of you to see different quality Filipino films that reflect the best that Philippine cinema offers,” said FDCP Chairperson and CEO Mary Liza Diño.

The chosen films were announced by the PPP Selection Committee assigned by FDCP and led by Chairperson Diño. Each PPP 2019 finalist will receive up to two million-peso worth of co-production fund to support the production and marketing cost of each film entry.

In addition to feature films, short films created by young filmmakers will be screened in all cinemas nationwide during PPP 2019 under Sine Kabataan. They will receive Ten Thousand Pesos (P10,000) and will be paired with PPP 2019 feature films. The winner of CineSpectra 2019: A Film Festival for HIV/AIDS Awareness will be announced soon and will also be shown during PPP 2019 along with its feature film counterpart. 

Sine Kabataan 2019 Entries

“Pinggu, Pwede Na?”

Directors: Elle Ubas and Johanna Valdez

Logline: A depressed teenager lets a stuffed toy penguin and a paper-filled jar decide when she's going to end her life.

“Magna”

Directors: Geoffrey Solidum, Alexis Siscar, and Stanley Barroga

Logline: Despite all the preparations and safety measures, no one safe from eager, cunning thieves.

“Kalakalaro”

Director: Rodson Verr Suarez

Logline: A less-fortunate child playfully finds his way to experience how to become a real kid again.

“Chok”

Directors: Richard Jeroui Salvadico and Arlie Sweet Sumagaysay

Logline: The chalks of a teacher mysteriously disappears. As she discovers who the culprit is, her life and perception changes.

“Baon”

Director: Czareena Rozhiel B. Malasig

Logline: An innocent boy's greatest dream of being a policeman is ruined by a new rule being implemented by the state. This makes him a policeman aspirant to a young criminal.

“Tinay”

Directors: Andre Jacques Tigno and Angelo Fernando

Logline: A story in one orphanage where parents are adopted instead of the children.

“Atchoy”

Director: Regin de Guzman

Logline: “’Di pa man buo ang aking katawan, tahanan ko na ang Kadiliman.”

“Kanlungan”

Directors: Leslie Ann Ramirez

Logline: Si Ani ay pitong taong gulang na pangkaraniwang bata. Sa kabila ng pagiging masiyahin niya sa loob ng kanilang tahanan kapiling ang kaniyang lola, nagkukubli ang sakit na pilit niyang ikinukubli sa kaniyang mga ngiti.

“Toto, Tawag ka ng Ate Mo”

Directors: Mary Franz Salazar

Logline: “Toto, Tawag ka ng Ate Mo” tells a story of a young boy who's named Toto who he calls a college student girl named Esme and her mother's conversation from the phone leads the real truth behind why Esme let him call “ate” instead of its original title.

The PPP 2019 Grand Launch is presented by FDCP in partnership with the Cinema Exhibitors Association of the Philippines (CEAP) and sponsored by CMB Film Services. Other sponsors include Fire and Ice Productions, ThinkBIT Solutions, and Sequoia Hotel with media partners Inquirer.net, InqPOP!, and Solar Entertainment