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Inaugural Siné Film Festival launched in Toronto

Philippine cinema takes center stage in Toronto with the debut of Siné Film Festival by Siné Institute and co-presented by ABS-CBN International.

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<div><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/krNxCBqhy-w?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><br/></div><p>The first-ever Filipino Film Festival in Canada by Siné Institute made its debut in Toronto, showcasing select movies by Filipino filmmakers, both local and from the Philippines.</p><p>Among the featured movies in the Siné Film Fest co-presented by ABS-CBN International was Star Cinema’s romantic drama, “Hello, Love, Goodbye.”</p><p>Renowned Filipino director Cathy Garcia-Sampana and writer Carmi Raymundo visited Toronto to attend the screening and engage in the Q&amp;A session with the audience.</p><div><a data-ved="2ahUKEwjxq9GYgPSFAxXkVPUHHSubAZ0QFnoECBMQAQ" href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/entertainment/2024/4/10/sin-film-fest-by-sin-institute-abs-cbn-int-l-set-in-toronto-135" ping="/url?sa=t&amp;source=web&amp;rct=j&amp;opi=89978449&amp;url=https://news.abs-cbn.com/entertainment/2024/4/10/sin-film-fest-by-sin-institute-abs-cbn-int-l-set-in-toronto-135&amp;ved=2ahUKEwjxq9GYgPSFAxXkVPUHHSubAZ0QFnoECBMQAQ" style="color:var(--JKqx2);text-decoration:none;-webkit-tap-highlight-color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1);outline:0px;letter-spacing:normal;orphans:2;text-align:left;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;widows:2;word-spacing:0px;-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;white-space:normal;background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255)" id="isPasted"></a><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/entertainment/2024/4/10/sin-film-fest-by-sin-institute-abs-cbn-int-l-set-in-toronto-135">Siné Film Fest by Siné Institute, ABS-CBN Int&#x27;l set in Toronto</a></div><div style="line-height:1.3;padding:0px;display:inline-block;text-size-adjust:none;position:absolute;left:0px;top:0px;width:600px"><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/entertainment/2024/4/10/sin-film-fest-by-sin-institute-abs-cbn-int-l-set-in-toronto-135" data-ved="2ahUKEwjxq9GYgPSFAxXkVPUHHSubAZ0QFnoECBMQAQ" ping="/url?sa=t&amp;source=web&amp;rct=j&amp;opi=89978449&amp;url=https://news.abs-cbn.com/entertainment/2024/4/10/sin-film-fest-by-sin-institute-abs-cbn-int-l-set-in-toronto-135&amp;ved=2ahUKEwjxq9GYgPSFAxXkVPUHHSubAZ0QFnoECBMQAQ" style="color:var(--JKqx2);text-decoration:none;-webkit-tap-highlight-color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1);outline:0px;letter-spacing:normal;orphans:2;text-align:left;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;widows:2;word-spacing:0px;-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;white-space:normal;background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255)"></a><div style="display:flex;padding:0px;overflow:hidden;align-items:center"><a data-ved="2ahUKEwjxq9GYgPSFAxXkVPUHHSubAZ0QFnoECBMQAQ" href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/entertainment/2024/4/10/sin-film-fest-by-sin-institute-abs-cbn-int-l-set-in-toronto-135" ping="/url?sa=t&amp;source=web&amp;rct=j&amp;opi=89978449&amp;url=https://news.abs-cbn.com/entertainment/2024/4/10/sin-film-fest-by-sin-institute-abs-cbn-int-l-set-in-toronto-135&amp;ved=2ahUKEwjxq9GYgPSFAxXkVPUHHSubAZ0QFnoECBMQAQ" style="color:var(--JKqx2);text-decoration:none;-webkit-tap-highlight-color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1);outline:0px;letter-spacing:normal;orphans:2;text-align:left;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;widows:2;word-spacing:0px;-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;white-space:normal;background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255)"><span style="margin-right:12px"></span></a><div style="vertical-align:middle;display:inline-block"><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/entertainment/2024/4/10/sin-film-fest-by-sin-institute-abs-cbn-int-l-set-in-toronto-135" data-ved="2ahUKEwjxq9GYgPSFAxXkVPUHHSubAZ0QFnoECBMQAQ" ping="/url?sa=t&amp;source=web&amp;rct=j&amp;opi=89978449&amp;url=https://news.abs-cbn.com/entertainment/2024/4/10/sin-film-fest-by-sin-institute-abs-cbn-int-l-set-in-toronto-135&amp;ved=2ahUKEwjxq9GYgPSFAxXkVPUHHSubAZ0QFnoECBMQAQ" style="color:var(--JKqx2);text-decoration:none;-webkit-tap-highlight-color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1);outline:0px;letter-spacing:normal;orphans:2;text-align:left;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;widows:2;word-spacing:0px;-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;white-space:normal;background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255)"></a><br/></div><br/><br/></div></div><p>&quot;When people thank me for my movie, that’s one of my greatest successes,&quot; said Sampana. &quot;Who wouldn’t be happy that for a time, it was the top grossing film? But beyond that, the thank you from your live audience is my greatest gift.&quot;</p><p>Raymundo, the creative head of ABS-CBN Films, hopes the partnership between ABS-CBN International and Siné Institute, would continue so they can serve more Filipinos abroad.</p><p>&quot;I hope that this is just the first,&quot; said Raymundo, &quot;that a lot of Filipino movies will get produced and will be shown here because it’s really inspiring to see and hear the stories of our fellow Filipinos from different parts of the world.&quot;</p><p>The director and writer further expressed their interest in future collaboration, especially given the ongoing film treaty between Canada and the Philippines.</p><p>The Siné Film Fest is among the events organized to mark the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries.</p><p>&quot;I would love to teach. I would love to share my knowledge. All of you new ones, let’s go! I want to be part of your journey towards your filmmaking dreams,&quot; Sampana added.</p><p>Siné Institute founder Michaelangelo Masangkay highlighted their commitment to empowering emerging and professional Filipino-Canadian filmmakers to help elevate their storytelling.</p><p>Aside from film screenings, Siné Film Fest offered workshops in partnership with Toronto Film School and launched the 48-hour Challenge, drawing new filmmakers across the globe to create short films within a tight timeframe.</p><p>&quot;If you’re an emerging filmmaker, then we’re giving you the tools and the resources and the community to be able to level up to a production level,&quot; said Masangkay, &quot;that then you can put out there as a proof of concept to become a filmmaker.&quot;</p><p>For filmmakers, he said: &quot;We want to take those professionals to be able to plug them into the international market. Let’s get to the Oscars! Let’s win Academy awards and Emmy’s! We are doing that in the background, but let’s do it together as a community.&quot;</p><p>Attendees, meanwhile, expressed their appreciation for the festival and for the unwavering support for Filipino culture.</p><p>&quot;What motivated me to come here today is the Filipino culture itself,&quot; said Ryan Fonte. &quot;Supporting Filipino culture and films is the best way to do it.&quot;</p><p>Sam East, another Filipino, said it was a source of pride to see people from creatives coming together to promote their work.</p><p>&quot;It&#x27;s truly such a beautiful experience to be a part of and I could not be more proud,&quot; East said.</p><p>Building on the success of its inaugural Filipino film festival, Siné Institute is determined to expand its reach, amplify Filipino stories, and showcase the richness of Filipino culture in various creative endeavours to the world.</p>

<p>Philippine cinema takes center stage in Toronto with the debut of Siné Film Festival by Siné Institute and co-presented by ABS-CBN International.</p>

Inaugural Siné Film Festival launched in Toronto

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Inaugural Siné Film Festival launched in Toronto

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Christine Santos | TFC News Toronto

Published May 04, 2024 08:32 PM PHT

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