Cine Lokal features gritty set of films this month
This month, the Film Development Council of the Philippines (FDCP) is featuring three independently-produced films of 2017 through Cine Lokal, all set to screen in eight SM Cinemas, focusing on the daily real life struggles of people who are short-changed by life but with big dreams.
Last April 6 was the opening night of Mga Gabing Kasinghaba ng Hair Ko
(Those Long Haired Nights), a film by Gerardo Calagui that participated in various international film festivals such as Busan International Film Festival, Thessaloniki International Film Festival, Taipei Golden Horse Film Festival, Hawaii International Film Festival, Cinematografo Originals International Film Festival, San Diego Asian Film Festival, Black Movie Geneva International Independent Film Festival, International Film Festival Rotterdam, Cambodia International Film Festival and Translations Film Festival Seattle. It stars Rocky Salumbides, Anthony Falcon, Matt Daclan and Mon Confiado.
The film is about the red light district of Manila. Three transgenders are the best of friends, working as masseuses who offer sexual services for their clientele. The youngest of them, Tuesday, is a hopeless romantic looking for love in all the wrong places. The wise one, Amanda, returns home to her province to attend the christening of her ex-girlfriend’s son. The brave one, Barbie, looks to make more money through drug deals for a Korean client. As all three of them chase their dreams, it is anything but a normal night in the chaos of Burgos.
Opening on April 13 (1 p.m., 3:30 p.m., 6 p.m. and 8:30 p.m.) is Bhoy Intsik directed by Joel Lamangan, a Sinag Maynila Independent Film Festival 2017 Finalist which won the Sinag Box Office Award. The film features RS Francisco, Ronwaldo Martin, Jeric Raval, Elora Espano, Mon Confiado and Tony Mabesa.
In the film, two small-time felons with disparate personas cross paths. One is a principled tough gay; the other is a scheming, street-smart teenager. Together, they get caught up in a string of petty exploits while managing to forge a stronger bond.
The final film lined up for April is a sci-fi-themed Throwback Today directed by Joseph Teoxon starring Carlo Aquino, Annicka Dolonuis, Kat Galang, Benj Manalo and Empress Schuck.
The film is about Primo, gifted with a good eye for production design, ventures into the working world with a great desire to succeed. Unprepared for the harsh realities of the real world, Primo experiences failure, heartbreak and regret in a series of unfortunate events. He wastes away, wallowing in grief and jumping from one odd job to another for more than a decade. While trying to make ends meet at the peak of his misfortunes, he experiences a technological glitch with his old desktop computer and gets a chance to rewrite his life. Throwback Today opens on April 20 and screens at 1 p.m., 3:30 p.m., 6 p.m. and 8:30 p.m.
Catch these films at these dates and time at SM Manila, SM Sta. Mesa, SM Mall of Asia, SM Megamall, SM North Edsa, SM Fairview, SM Southmall and SM Bacoor.