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Filipino filmmakers make their mark at TIFF

Filipino cinema shone with five standout films at the Toronto International Film Festival.

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At this year’s Toronto International Film Festival, the Film Development Council of the Philippines set up its first-ever booth in the industry section, showcasing the Philippines as a prime location for international filming and co-productions. FDCP Executive Director Joie Pacumio highlighted the strong interest in Filipino films, with inquiries about distribution, talent, and incentives, making this milestone a big win.&quot;We’re very happy and proud to have representation of Filipino films at TIFF,&quot; he said. &quot;We’re happy to promote the Philippines as a filming destination.&quot;Pacumio also shared that they are getting many inquiries about possible collaboration with Filipino filmmakers, especially &quot;when they learn that there are incentives for international co-production.&quot;Filipino cinema shone with five standout films, including &quot;Sunshine,&quot; which tells the story of a gymnast facing an unexpected pregnancy before the Olympics. Directed by Antoinette Jadaone, the film features a strong female lead in Maris Racal and explores important issues relevant to women. Jadaone emphasized the film&#x27;s representation of women and its timely release, coinciding with gymnast Carlos Yulo&#x27;s gold medal wins at the Paris Games.&quot;I&#x27;m super happy that a Filipino film is screening at the centerpiece section at TIFF,&quot; she said. &quot;It’s a universal experience for women.&quot;&quot;It happens to girls all over the world; it’s just that it&#x27;s more restrictive, more religious, and the culture is different in the Philippines. But I’m sure it will resonate with the rest of the world.&quot;Another highlight at TIFF was &quot;Vox Humana,&quot; written and directed by Don Eblahan, a co-production between the Philippines, the USA, and Singapore. The film blends fantasy, Western, and sci-fi elements to spotlight ecological changes and injustices faced by indigenous people. Eblahan and his cast expressed their excitement to be at TIFF, emphasizing the importance of indigenous representation.&quot;For native indigenous filmmakers like myself, it’s a good representation, especially for those of us from the Cordillera,&quot; Eblahan shared. &quot;It&#x27;s inspiring and hopefully will motivate aspiring filmmakers to see other native and indigenous artists succeeding in film festivals like this.&quot;In addition to international Filipino filmmakers, a local Toronto film featured a Filipino producer behind the scenes. Enrique Baniqued, the producer of &quot;Village Keeper,&quot; represents the success that newcomers can achieve in Canada. His journey from arriving in 2020 as an international student to becoming a permanent resident demonstrates how determination and hard work can lead to breakthroughs in the film industry in just four years.&quot;We made &#x27;Village Keeper&#x27; through government grants, and not everybody gets these grants. It&#x27;s been tough to secure them,&quot; he said. &quot;I’ve been fortunate enough to be doing what I do now for as little as four years. I don’t see myself as anyone special; I feel like anybody can do it. I just put myself out there.&quot;

Filipino cinema shone with five standout films at the Toronto International Film Festival.

Filipino filmmakers make their mark at Toronto Int'l Film Festival

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Filipino filmmakers make their mark at Toronto Int'l Film Festival

ABS-CBN News,

Christine Santos | TFC News Toronto

Published October 15, 2024 06:15 PM PHT

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