MANILA, PHILIPPINES, JUNE 8, 2022 — The Film Development Council of the Philippines (FDCP) is celebrating Pride Month this June with PeliKULAYa: International LGBTQIA+ Film Festival in a hybrid format from June 10 to 26. 

With the theme “Pantay-Pantay, Iba’t Ibang Kulay!,” this year’s PeliKULAYa aims to champion and empower members of the LGBTQIA+ community, while highlighting stories that delve into the underrepresented members of the LGBTQIA+ community, especially the trans community, through a lineup of film screenings of local and international films, film talks, and special events. 

“This year, as we continue to fight for the freedom and rights of the LGBTQIA+ community, we also celebrate the achievements and support the causes of the members of the community this June. We, at the FDCP, are offering an eventful month through PeliKULAYa with a month-long lineup of film screenings and events to celebrate this significant month. Happy Pride Month from Team FDCP!,” said FDCP Chairperson and CEO Liza Diño. 

PeliKULAYa screenings, special events, and film talks 

PeliKULAYa 2022 had its Grand Press Launch at the Amrak Comedy Restobar last Tuesday, June 7, to officially announce this year’s lineup of films and activities. The event was hosted by DJ Jhai Ho and was followed by the Pride Party and FDCP’s 20th Anniversary Celebration. 

A total of 50 local and international films co-presented by partner embassies and organizations: the British Council, Embassy of Sweden, Embassy of Denmark, Embassy of Chile, Embassy of Spain, Embassy of Canada, Korean Cultural Center, US Embassy, Mexican Embassy, Instituto Cervantes, will be screened online and onsite as part of this year’s festival lineup. 

Beginning June 10, there will be a one-time special screening of Isabel Sandoval’s Lingua Franca at the Cinematheque Centre Manila, while 6 subscription films and 1 available for rental on the FDCP Channel, including 10 films from this year’s PeliKULAYa LGBTQIA+ Short Film Competition and 6 films from Cinespectra Short Film Festival 2019 that can be streamed for free throughout the festival. 

June 11, 2022 (Saturday) 
The FDCP Film Talks on Pelikulaya “The ABCs of SOGIE” is a discussion that delves into the the basics of Sexual Orientation or Gender Identity or Expression and the effects it brings to the lives of the Flipino members of the LGBTQIA+ community. It will be at 2 p.m. at the Cinematheque Centre Manila. 

Women Do Cry by Vesela Kazakova and Mina Mileva will have its Philippine premiere, featuring a special video message from the filmmakers, at 6 p.m. at the Cinematheque Centre Manila. 

June 12, 2022 (Sunday)

Film historian, scholar, and accomplished filmmaker Nick Deocampo will launch his book Alternative Cinema, 10:30 a.m. at the Cinematheque Centre Manila. The book launch event will also screen four of his films as part of the Nick Deocampo Film Retrospective for this year’s festival: Oliver, Sex Warriors and the Samurai, Private Wars, and Memories of Old Manila. 

June 16, 2022 (Thursday)

A special screening followed by a talkback session of Boys Don’t Cry, co-presented by the U.S. Embassy in the Philippines, will be held at 5:30 p.m. at the Cinematheque Center Manila. 

The PeliKULAYa: Short Film Competition - Set A Gala Night will be at 6 p.m. at the Cinema ‘76 Anonas. The event will be attended by the filmmakers of the short films for a talkback session after the screenings. 

June 17, 2022 (Friday)

PeliKULAYa: Short Film Competition - Set B Gala Night will be at 6 p.m. at the Cinema ‘76 Anonas followed by a talkback session with the filmmakers of the competing films. Gutierrez “Teng” Mangansakan II’s Topografia will also have its world premiere at 6 p.m., followed by a talkback session at the Cinematheque Centre Davao. 

June 18, 2022 (Saturday)

The FDCP Film Talks on PeliKULAYa “The Color Reel” is a panel discussion on the roles members of the LGBTQIA+ community are taking on as part of the audiovisual industry. The discussion will be at 2:30 p.m. at the Cinematheque Centre Manila. At 6 p.m. in the evening, Jun Robles Lana’s Big Night! will have its Gala Night followed by a talkback session. 

The “From His/Her/Their Lens: A Nick Deocampo Film Retrospective” Gala Event will be at 2 p.m. at the Cinematheque Centre Iloilo. The event will also screen Deocampo’s Private Wars and Oliver. 

June 19, 2022 (Sunday)

Ivan Andrew Payawal’s Gameboys The Movie will have its Gala Night followed by a talkback session at 6 p.m. at the Cinematheque Centre Manila. There will also be a special screening of Markova: Comfort Gay by Gil Portes at 5 p.m. at the Metropolitan Theater. 

June 24, 2022 (Friday)

PeliKULAYa will hold special screenings of Manila By Night by Ishmael Bernal and Esoterika: Maynila by Elwood Perez at the Cinematheque Centre Manila in celebration of Manila Day. 

June 25, 2022 (Saturday)

The FDCP Film Talks on PeliKULAYa “Trans Representation in Media” is a panel discussion that delves into the representation of transexuals in Philippine media, how it has evolved, and what else needs to be done. The film talk will be at 11:30 a.m. at the Cinematheque Centre Manila. 

A special screening of the closing film Boys Don’t Cry, co-presented by the US Embassy, will be at 5:30 p.m. at the Cinematheque Centre Manila.

There will also be screenings of the films of PeliKULAYa: Short Film Competition finalists, Healthy Pilipinas Short Film Festival, and CineIskool Film Lab and Festival at Gateway Cinemas. 

June 26, 2022 (Sunday) 

The PeliKULAYa 2022 Closing Program “Para sa Makulay na Bukas!” will serve as the closing event of this year’s festival. The winners of the PeliKULAYa: Short Film Competition will be announced during this event. 

The PeliKULAYa: International LGBTQIA+ Film Festival is presented by the Film Development Council of the Philippines, powered by FDCP Channel, Cinematheque Centres, and Nood Tayo Ng Sine, in partnership with the British Council, Embassy of Sweden, Embassy of Denmark, Embassy of Chile, Embassy of Spain, Embassy of Canada, Korean Cultural Center, US Embassy, Mexican Embassy, Instituto Cervantes, Metropolitan Theater, and Cinema ‘76, Gateway Cineplex, and the Metropolitan Theater. 

The PeliKULAYa: International LGBTQIA+ Film Festival lineup from June 10 to 26:

Opening Film (June 10)

Lingua Franca by Isabel Sandoval

• Gala Night at 7 p.m. at the FDCP Cinematheque Centre Manila 
• With succeeding paid screenings at the FDCP Cinematheque Centres
• Ticket Price: P200.00

Closing Film (June 25)

      Boys Don’t Cry (co-presented by the US Embassy)

• Closing Night at FDCP Cinematheque Centre Manila
• With preceding screenings at FDCP Cinematheque Centre Manila only

PeliKULAYa LGBTQIA+ Short Film Competition 

Set A Gala Night: June 16 at the Cinema ‘76 Anonas:

• Mga Kuan by Jermaine Tulbo
• Cut/Off by Von Victor Viernes & Sean Russel Romero
• As if Nothing Happened by JT Trinidad
• Kubli by Jam Navalta
• This is Not A Coming Out Story by Mark Felix Ebreo

Set B Gala Night: June 17 at the Cinema ‘76 Anonas:

• We Were Never Really Strangers by Patrick Pangan
• Second Gear by Christian Angelo Cruz
• Kung Sa Diin Ang Suba Tarabuan by Seth Andrew Blanca
• Baklaak by Gabb Gantala
• Nang Maglublob Ako sa Isang Mangkok ng Liwanag by Kukay Zinampan

The LGBTQIA+-centric film of this year’s lineup are divided into three sections: Spectra Pelicula is a curation of feature-length films from local filmmakers, Rainbow World Cinema are feature length films from all over the world co-presented by partner embassies and organizations, and Rainbow Shorts are local and international short films co-presented by partner embassies and organizations. There will be free and paid onsite screenings at Cinematheque Centres nationwide, as well as at the Metropolitan Theatre. Selected films from the lineup are available to stream on the FDCP Channel. 

Spectra Pelicula

Paid screenings at the FDCP Cinematheque Centres:

• Lingua Franca by Isabel Sandoval <Opening Film> <Php200> 
• Topografia by Teng Mangansakan <World Premiere> <Php150>
• Big Night! by Jun Robles Lana <Php200>  (Manila Only)
• Gameboys The Movie by Ivan Andrew Payawal <Php200> (Manila Only)

Free screenings at the FDCP Cinematheque Centre Manila (June 24): 

• Manila by Night by Ishmael Bernal (Manila only)
• Esoterika: Maynila by Elwood Perez  (Manila only)

Free screenings at the Metropolitan Theater (June 12):

• Markova: Comfort Gay by Gil Portes (Digitally Restored and Remastered)

Paid access via the FDCP Channel:

• Ang Tatay Kong Nanay by Lino Brocka  <Subscription, Php 499/year>
• Traslacion by Will Fredo <Subscription, Php 499/year>
• Memories of Forgetting by Joselito Altarejos <Subscription, Php 499/year>
• Kasal by Joselito Altarejos  <Subscription, Php 499/year>
• Tale of the Lost Boys by Joselito Altarejos <Subscription, Php 499/year>
• Pink Halo-Halo by Joselito Altarejos <Subscription, Php 499/year>
• Billie and Emma by Samantha Lee <Rental, Php 99/7 days>

Rainbow World Cinema 

Paid screenings at FDCP Cinematheque Centres:

• Women Do Cry by Vesela Kazakova and Mina Mileva <Philippine Premiere> <Php 200>
• Portrait of a Lady on Fire by Celine Sciamma <Php150>

Free screenings at the FDCP Cinematheque Centres:  

• Boys Don’t Cry  <Closing Film>  <Co-presented by the US Embassy> 
• Travesia Travesti (Travesia Odyssey) by Nicolas Videla <Co-presented by the Embassy of Chile> 
• El Lugar Sin Límites (The Place Without Limits) by Arturo Ripstein <Co-presented by the Embassy of Mexico> 
• A Perfectly Normal Family by Malou Reymann <Co-presented by the Embassy of Denmark> 
• Carmen Y Lola by Arantxa Echevarría <Co-presented by the Embassy of Spain and Instituto Cervantes>
• The Handmaiden by Park Chan Wook <Co-presented by the Korean Cultural Center in the Philippines>
• Laurence Anyways by Xavier Dolan <Co-presented by the Canadian Embassy>

Rainbow Shorts

Free screenings at the FDCP Cinematheque Centres (Set): 

• Isaac and the Ram by Jason Bradbury <Co-presented by the British Council>  
• Hidroalcohólico by Roberto Pérez Toledo <Co-presented by the Embassy of Spain and Instituto Cervantes>
• Next Door Letters by Sascha Fülscher <Co-presented by the Embassy of Sweden>
• Noontime Drama by Kim Timan and Sam Villa-Real 
• Love in the Ungodly Hour by Bradley Jason Pantajo 
• Dikit by Gabriela Serrano 
• Alingasngas ng mga Kuliglig by Vahn Leinard Pascual 

Free and on-demand screenings on the FDCP Channel:  

• A by Roylan Modina 
• Alex and Aki by Dexter Paul De Jesus 
• Ang Gasgas na Plaka ni Lolo Bert by Janina Gacosta and Cheska Marfori 
• Doon Sa Isang Sulok by Alfredo Tapang Jr. 
• Gulis by Kyle Francisco 
• Pahinapon by Eli Razo

From His/Her/They Lens: A Nick Deocampo Film Retrospective

Free screenings at FDCP Cinematheque Centre Manila, Iloilo, Davao, Negros, and Nabunturan (in 2 Sets)

• Oliver
• Sex Warriors and the Samurai
• Private Wars
• Memories of Old Manila

To know more about this year’s PeliKULAYa, visit www.facebook.com/fdcp.pelikulaya,

 www.twitter.com/pelikulayafest, and www.instagram.com/pelikulayafest.