Siné Film Fest by Siné Institute, ABS-CBN Int'l set in Toronto

Siné Institute and ABS-CBN International will hold an inaugural Filipino film festival in Canada this week.

Siné Film Fest is happening on April 13 and 14 at the prestigious Hotel X in Toronto. It aims to showcase the best of Filipino talents in cinema.

"We want to be able to celebrate Filipino storytelling on the big screen," said Siné Institute vice president Rosary Escaño. "So, this is one way to bring everybody together, to celebrate it, not just within the Filipino community, but [also] to the rest of Canada."

Escaño said the event is also part of the commemoration of the 75th year since the establishment of diplomatic relations between the Philippines and Canada.

Siné Institute, ABS-CBN Int'l to hold inaugural Siné Film Fest

The gathering will see film enthusiasts, industry professionals, as well as trade delegates from the Philippines, and special guests, in one venue.

Siné Institute partnered with ABS-CBN International to host the event.

Said Escaño: "ABS-CBN has been a strong pillar and a great source of Filipino content worldwide. They have contributed so much in promoting Filipino storytelling, not just for Filipinos in the Philippines, but [also] to Filipinos worldwide.

Ginny Ocampo, ABS-CBN International's head of global content, said it was an honor to become Sine Film's official media partner.

"We are excited," said Ocampo. "ABS-CBN's heart and soul is really in storytelling. This aligns with our mission of bringing Filipino content to the world stage. "

The festival is open to all and will feature a carefully curated selection of 10 feature films and seven short films, including the 2019 hit film of Star Cinema, “Hello Love, Goodbye.”

Directed by Cathy Garcia-Sampana, the film explores the lives of Filipino immigrants in Hong Kong, which reasonated deeply with the experiences of Overseas Filipino Workers.

The festival will also showcase works by Filipino-Canadian filmmakers, including "Kahel," a Filipino TV original by Filbert Wong, "Islands," directed by Martin Edralin, and "Spiderman: Raf," a debut fan-film by Carlos Juico.

Prior to the festival, Siné Institute also launched a 48-hour Siné challenge where aspiring filmmakers competed on a limited-time challenge.

"It sparked a lot of interest, especially for those who are budding filmmakers who want to create content and who want to showcase their talents," said Escaño. "We're excited also to award the winner to a filmmaker who won."

Beyond the film screenings, the festival also aims to encourage young Filipino-Canadians to delve into filmmaking and acting.

To achieve this, Siné Film Fest collaborated with the Toronto Film School to conduct educational workshops throughout the two-day event.

Ocampo hopes that ABS-CBN International's collaboration with Sine Institute will lead to further opportunities for ABS-CBN in the global film industry.

"To our fellow Filipinos, our Kapamilyas in Canada, know that ABS-CBN is very much present through TFC," she said. "We continue with our mission of telling the story of the Filipino."

The collaboration between ABS-CBN International and Sine Institute also comes as The Filipino Channel celebrates its 30th anniversary this 2024.

"We promise that TFC will make sure that all other ABS-CBN properties will play an active role in various areas of the entertainment industry," said Ocampo.