Anchored on its mission to support and promote Philippine regional cinema, the Film Development Council of the Philippines (FDCP), the country’s national film agency, forged partnerships with five regional film festivals which take place this December, namely the Salamindanaw Asian Film Festival, Festival de Cine Paz Mindanao, Mindanao Film Festival, CineKasimanwa: The Western Visayas Film Festival, and Pasale: Cinemarehiyon-Bikol Film Festival.

FDCP Chairperson and CEO Liza Diño stated during the Cinema Rehiyon X Festival last 2018 that regional cinema should be given equal importance as the films that are set in Manila. She said, “Philippine cinema has been very Manila-centric. There has to be a focus and special attention given to regional filmmakers. These are the things we should show outside that is a representation of who we are.”

Festival de Cine Paz Mindanao (December 2 to 5)

The Festival de Cine Paz Mindanao (FDCPM), according to its Facebook page, showcases the different stories and faces of peace and aims to support and strengthen the vision of sustaining the journey for peace. It is held during the Mindanao Week of Peace celebration.

A total of 25 films are being showcased under the Festival’s La Bella Mindanao (Mindanao Shorts Competition), Pluma de Paz (Philippine Shorts), and Bloom (Rainbow Competition), a special section for LGBTQ+ films.

In its third edition, FDCPM opened with a documentary film “War is a Tender Thing” by Adjani Arumpac last December 2. Meanwhile, 2019 QCinema Audience Choice Award winner “Excuse Me, Miss, Miss, Miss” by Sonny Calvento will close the Festival on December 5.

In an effort to make film education even more accessible, FDCP will hold Film Talks at Ateneo de Zamboanga University-Lantaka Campus in Zamboanga City as part of the Festival. Documentary filmmaker Ditsi Carolino will talk about the Art and Craft of Documentary Filmmaking on December 4 at 3:00 PM, while Mindanaoan filmmaker Bagane Fiola will discuss Behind Wailings in the Forest: Filmmaking as an Immersive Process of Learning One’s Culture on December 5 at 9:00 AM.

Other topics thatwill be tacked under FDCPM Film Talks include Reading Cinema by film critic and educator Tito Valiente, Cinema and Peace by documentary filmmaker Jaja Arumpac, Pinoy Regional Cinema: Quo Vadis? by film educator and Cinemalaya founding member Ed Cabagnot, and The Art of Independent Film Producing by screenwriter and producer Gale Osorio.

A Facebook post from the Festival de Cine Paz Mindanao page announced FDCP as its official festival partner. “Festival de Cine Paz Mindanao is happy to announce its partnership with the Film Development Council of the Philippines represented by Chairperson and CEO Ms. Liza Diño-Seguerra. Ariba, Cinema Filipinas! Ariba, Sine Sandaan!”

The 3rd Festival de Cine Paz Mindanao runs from December 2 to 5, 2019 in Zamboanga City.

Salamindanaw Asian Film Festival (December 2 to 6)

The Salamindanaw Asian Film Festival is the only international film festival in the southern Philippines which is getting recognized as a vital platform of emerging talents in Southeast Asian cinema. Since 2013, it has been aiming to be a mirror (salamin) of peace (salam) in Mindanao.

The seventh edition of Salamindanaw presents films under Asian competition, Philippine shorts competition, and exhibition programs. Southeast Asian cinema will also be showcased as a panorama of shorts by filmmakers from Brunei, Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, and the Philippines.

Salamindanaw opened with “For My Alien Friend” by Jet Leyco and “Budots” by Jay Rosas and Mark Limbaga last December 2. Thai documentary film director and cinematographer Nontawat Numbenchapol also attended the Festival. 2019 QCinema International Film Festival finalist “Kaaway Sa Sulod” (“The Enemy Within”) by Arnel Barbarona will close the Festival this December 6.

On a post from the Salamindanaw Facebook page, the organizers thanked FDCP for the Agency’s unrelenting support. “Salamindanaw Asian Film Festival is profoundly grateful for the support of the Film Development Council of the Philippines in helping us bring the best of Asian cinema to Mindanao for the last seven years. This partnership has resulted in the positioning of Salamindanaw as one of the important development platforms for young voices in Southeast Asian cinema. Padayon!”

Salamindanaw Asian Film Festival 2019 runs from December 2 to 6, 2019 in General Santos City, South Cotabato.

Mindanao Film Festival (December 4 to 10)

The Mindanao Film Festival (MFF) is the longest-running regional film festival in the Philippines and the longest-running independent film festival in the country. Since 2003, it has been featuring films that tell the distinct stories of Mindanao and introducing them to wider audiences.

Fifty-eight films will be screened under the MFF’s official film selections for Main Competition, Mindanao exhibition, and Non-Mindanao exhibition sections. There will also be special screenings of “Kaaway Sa Sulod” (“The Enemy Within”) by Arnel Barbarona and “Huwebes, Huwebes” by Don Frasco, Kris Villarino, and Januar Yap.

In an interview, MFF Assistant Film Festival Director Ivan Tadena shared, “The MFF has been a witness to the growth of regional cinema in Mindanao and we are excited to see the new works from our regional filmmakers, this film festival is for them.”

The 17th Mindanao Film Festival runs from December 4 to 10, 2019 in Davao City.

CineKasimanwa: The Western Visayas Film Festival (December 6 to 15)

Ran by filmmakers for filmmakers, the CineKasimanwa: The Western Visayas Film Festival showcases the best of Ilonggo cinema. It aims to be a platform for Western Visayan films, filmmakers, and stories to be presented to local and global audiences.

This year, 14 films will be presented under the categories of Winners Circle and Filipino Competition Films from Outside Western Visayas.

CineKasimanwa Festival Director Reymundo Salao expressed on his Facebook post that their Festival “has been the festival that has nurtured, cultivated, and raised Western Visayas Cinema for what it is now, and what it promises to become.”

The CineKasimanwa 7 runs from December 6 to 15, 2019 in Iloilo City.

Pasale: Cinemarehiyon-Bikol Film Festival (December 17 to 18)

The Pasale: Cinemarehiyon-Bikol Film Festival is an initiative of Ateneo de Naga University Center for Culture and the Arts (AdNU-CCA) as a film conference and cultural outreach program. The Festival is a part of Cinema Rehiyon, the flagship program of the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA)’s National Committee on Cinema. It also features talks and workshops, film exhibition, and competition.

The 6th Pasale: Cinemarehiyon-Bikol Film Festival runs from December 17 to 18, 2019 in Naga City.