3 Filipino films competing in the prestigious Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival

Wazzup Pilipinas!?

 

On its 25th year, Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival (PÖFF) selected three films from the Philippines to participate in its film festival happening in Tallinn and Tartu, Estonia which started last November 12 and will conclude on November 28, 2021.

Jun Robles Lana’s Big Night! is part of the festival’s Main Competition, joining 19 other competing films from all over the world to premiere in one of the biggest international film festivals in Northern Europe. Still basking in the success of Kalel, 15 in the 23rd PÖFF in 2019 where Lana received the Best Director Award, Big Night! is much anticipated by international audiences and film critics.

This dark comedy follows the story of a gay beautician, played by Christian Bables, whose life takes a drastic turn when her name appears on the neighborhood watchlist of drug users. As others on the list have fallen victim to assasination one by one, she has 24 hours to clear her name and save herself from the same fate. Joined by an outstanding cast of the industry’s brightest stars, Eugene Domingo, Gina Alajar, Janice de Belen, Ricky Davao, Gina Pareño, Alan Paule, Soliman Cruz, and John Arcilla, Big Night! is set to shine.

Khavn De La Cruz is joining this year’s roster with his Love is a Dog from Hell under the Rebels with a Cause category. Khavn is notable for his surprising treatments and his experimental approach to storytelling. For this film, he made a bizarre and fascinating spectacle shot with ten various cameras.

Finally, How to Die Young in Manila by Petersen Vargas will be competing in the PÖFF Shorts Competition which is set to begin mid-festival, November 16 until November 24. The film follows a teenage boy as he trails a group of hustlers in search for his anonymous night fling. One by one, the boys turn up dead until there is only one left.

These proudly Pinoy films are having their world premiere in Tallinn and will have multiple screenings across different venues in Estonia throughout the 2-week film festival.

The Film Development Council of the Philippines (FDCP) extends its well wishes to this year’s Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival participants from the Philippines. FDCP Chairperson and CEO Liza Diño shares, “Thank you to our three filmmakers for bringing the Philippines with them in the spotlight at Tallinn Black Nights International Film Festival. We are proud of them. Congratulations for making it to the competitions, and the best of luck to all of them in the coming days.”

The Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival, also known as PÖFF (Pimedate Ööde Film Festival) is one of the 15 film festivals that is rated in “A-category” by the International Federation of Film Producers Associations (FIAPF). This year’s festival is expected to be participated by over 1,000 guests and industry delegates and is set to screen more than 500 featured films and shorts.

World’s largest science film festival kicks off at NSTW

Wazzup Pilipinas!?

 

The Department of Science and Technology – Science Education Institute, together with the Goethe-Institut Philippines, will be screening the 12th annual Science Film Festival for free at this year’s National Science and Technology Week, from November 22 to 28, 2021. 

 

Since 2005, the Science Film Festival has been celebrating science communication in Southeast Asia and is now the largest event of its kind in the world. This year’s festivities include 35 science edutainment films—on topics ranging from cloud computing and biology to climatology and epidemiology—tied together by the theme, “Better Health Through Better Understanding.” The festival looks back on the challenges and milestones the world has faced in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, empowering viewers to take better care of themselves and the environment. 

 

“Health and mental well-being are vital in the aftermath of the pandemic, with many Filipino youths concerned about their and their family’s wellbeing,” said DOST-SEI Director Josette T. Biyo. “We hope to reach out to them and empower them through this Festival, even while fulfilling our mandate to deliver quality STEM education to the people.” 

 

The Science Film Festival also offers supplemental hands-on activities including experiments, projects, and learning games to supplement the films, making for an enjoyable and multidisciplinal learning experience. 

 

All 35 science edutainment films will be available for free online until December 3, 2021. For more details about the Science Film Festival and the available films, please visit goethe.de/ScienceFilmFestPh.  

Guidelines on reopening of entertainment and leisure venues

Wazzup Pilipinas!?

DTI issues guidelines on reopening of entertainment and leisure venues: Cinemas re-open at 50% capacity as NCR shifts to Alert Level 2

Metro Manila eases into Alert Level 2 allowing maximum 50% indoor venue capacity for entertainment and recreational establishments which started last November 5 up to November 21, 2021, backed by the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) issued minimum public health standards and protocols.

With the goal of gradually restarting the country’s economy while managing the potential risk of exposure, spread, and transmission of COVID-19, DTI released a memorandum circular on sector-specific guidelines in reopening movie theaters, cinemas, non-contact sports venues, and amusement parks last October 27, 2021.

The Film Development Council of the Philippines (FDCP), Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), Department of Health (DOH), and other stakeholders provided inputs  on the drafting of the issuance in line with the  health standards and protocols under the pilot implementation of alert levels system COVID-19 response of the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-MEID).

Working towards the day of reopening of cinemas, DTI clarified requirements and guidelines in operating theaters. Limited indoor cinemas opened last November 10, 2021 with strict implementation of the following health protocols, as indicated in “Annex A” of the said reference:

 

●      Only COVID-19 vaccinated individuals are to be allowed in an enclosed cinema, provided that they do not have any symptoms and presentation of vaccination cards is required

●      Physical distancing at all times, from ticket queuing to entrance and entry points, and maintaining one seat apart from all directions of cinema seating

●      Ensure proper ventilation and air filtration system, and disinfection of venue should be done every after film

●      Availability of hand hygiene and sanitation facilities

●      Designation of entry and exit points, directive signages for moviegoers, and utilization of spaces to avoid crowding by having breaks in between screening times

●      Face shields are required upon entry but may be taken off only during the screening proper

●      Face masks should be worn at all times, unless for a quick quench of thirst - eating is prohibited

●       Consideration of a pre-show announcement as reminder for health protocols and guidelines

 

Minimum IATF and DOH mandated health protocols should still be followed— temperature check upon entry, contact tracing, and disinfection and physical distancing for all entering individuals. Different government agencies, consisting of the DTI, DOLE, DOH, and the Local Government Unit’s (LGU) Health Offices, are working hand-in-hand in continuing compliance monitoring and may conduct inspections.

Cinema capacity and allowable patrons vary for each alert level. DTI stated in the memorandum that on-site capacity will follow the latest guidelines set by the national government, with the addition of other prohibitions that may be imposed by the governing LGU. Below are the differences of each in accordance to the IATF-MEID guidelines:

 

●      Alert Level 5 - Cinemas are not allowed

●      Alert Level 4 - Cinemas are not allowed

●      Alert Level 3 - Maximum of 30% indoor venue capacity for fully vaccinated individuals only

●      Alert Level 2 - Maximum of 50% indoor venue capacity for fully vaccinated individuals and those below 18 years of age, even if unvaccinated

●      Alert Level 1 - 100% on all establishments, persons, or activities, are allowed to operate, work, or be undertaken at full on-site or venue/seating capacity

 

For guidelines on the alert level system for COVID-19 response in pilot areas, refer to the IATF mandate uploaded here.

DTI opens their lines for any public concern and feedback regarding these guidelines through DTI Consumer Care Hotline 1-384. To read the complete memorandum, a copy is available through DTI’s website.

 

Call of Support for Local Films

FDCP emphasizes the value of reopening cinemas to the recovery of the local film industry. FDCP Chairperson and CEO Liza Diño expressed her excitement for the development, “We’ve been waiting for cinemas to be reopened for months, and now that it’s here, we wish for a safe and worthwhile experience for our viewers.”

Diño appeals for audiences to prioritize Filipino films upon the cinemas’ return. “We see this as a chance for our local filmmakers, productions, artists, crew, and each one involved in creating films to get back on their feet,” she added.

FDCP’s Nood Tayo ng Sine campaign, which was released last year, aims to put together an online community to keep the support for cinema alive and to bring back the audience to the cinemas safely.

For the list of available cinema screenings, you may check this post from Nood Tayo ng Sine’s Facebook. To get updates on the latest from the local film industry, and more exciting things to look forward to, visit their website, and their social media pages Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.