Pista ng Pelikulang Pilipino 2020: Mechanics, Co-Production Funds & Intensified Sine Kabataan

Wazzup Pilipinas!

The Pista ng Pelikulang Pilipino (PPP), which will be on its fourth edition this September, has leveled up in four ways. Firstly, it will produce an esteemed lineup of 10 films. Secondly, it will be choosing six finished films or films in post-production and four projects in their advanced development stage or production stage. Thirdly, it will be offering co-production funds of up to PHP 2 million via the FilmPhilippines Philippine Co-Production Fund. Finally, it will hold a beefed up Sine Kabataan 4, which will also offer production grants and film development lab sessions to young filmmakers.

PPP 4, which will be held from September 11 to 17, 2020 is organized by the Film Development Council of the Philippines (FDCP) in partnership with the Cinema Exhibitors Association of the Philippines (CEAP). The opening day of PPP is the final day of the year-long Philippine Cinema Centennial celebration as mandated by Presidential Proclamation No. 622, Series of 2018.


The photo above shows the PP3 Best Picture, "Lola Igna"

As the country officially closes the celebration of One Hundred Years of Philippine Cinema, the FDCP aims for PPP to be the venue to gather the entire film industry together as it looks to the future of the next hundred years of the industry. In line with this momentous celebration, PPP has a lot more in store this year.

PPP 4 will feature 10 films, making it the second year in a row that PPP will be screening 10 entries in more than 900 cinemas nationwide. It will be accepting four projects in their advanced stage of development or production stage and six finished films or films in post-production. FDCP has set the deadlines for PPP applications: March 20, 2020 for projects in their advanced stage of development or production stage and June 15, 2020 for finished films or films in post-production.

A wide variety of genre films with commercial and global appeal will be showcased in PPP 4. These could be family-oriented, romantic-comedy, horror, fantasy, and historical films, or arthouse films that reflect Filipino culture and sensibilities. A maximum of two entries per genre will be included in the final selection (e.g., romance, comedy, action, etc.).

Meanwhile, PPP 4 also introduces the Philippine Co-Production Fund (PCOF) of FDCP’s FilmPhilippines Program. The PCOF will give funding of up to PHP 2 million to selected works in their advanced stage of development or production stage via the PCOF co-production investment fund. Selected finished films or films in post-production may also opt to receive up to PHP 2 million from the PCOF.

Director Adolfo Alix, JR. with the cast of "Circa" led by Anita Linda and Enchong Dee

As for Sine Kabataan, it will return on its fourth year as an amped-up short film competition that now has a film development lab program. Sine Kabataan aims to encourage filmmakers aged 18 to 30 to make short films on issues relevant to the youth revolving around family values, education, health, or security and peace building. Sine Kabataan, which runs alongside PPP, will also grant production funds to applications featuring story concepts.

Each Sine Kabataan finalist is set to receive a PHP 50,000 cash grant and another PHP 50,000 worth of post-production grant. The finalists’ short films (with a maximum length of 5 minutes) will be shown nationwide during the PPP duration, with one short film to be shown before an official PPP entry. Sine Kabataan 4 finalists will also get to learn about script development, film production, film editing, and post-production in the Sine Kabataan Film Lab sessions that will be held throughout the year. The deadline for Sine Kabataan applications is on March 20, 2020.

FDCP Chairperson/CEO Liza Diño at the PPP 3 Sine Sandaan Press Conference with Sponsors and Partners

With all the new things happening in PPP 4, FDCP expects its flagship program to add vibrancy to the commemoration of the One Hundred Years of Philippine Cinema. PPP hopes to sustain the culture of support that it has created by encouraging Filipinos to watch local films in cinemas (student admission prices are PHP 180 for Metro Manila cinemas and PHP 130 for provincial theaters) and enjoining local filmmakers to showcase their creativity and originality with the support of production grants.









To view the PPP 2020 Mechanics, visit


http://pistangpelikulangpilipino.ph/mechanics.






For the Sine Kabataan 4 Guidelines, go to http://pistangpelikulangpilipino.ph/sine-kabataan-4.






For submission inquiries and further information, contact the PPP Secretariat c/o Film Development Council of the Philippines at 855 T.M. Kalaw St., Ermita, Manila or (02) 8256-9948 local 104.






For Sine Kabatan inquiries, send a message to sinekabataan2020@gmail.com.


For more pictures visit: http://fdcp.ph/media/pista-ng-pelikulang-pilipino-2020-mechanics-co-production-funds-intensified-sine-kabataan

Instituto Cervantes programs talk on the Filipino identity with Ambeth Ocampo, Sionil José, and Zialcita

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Instituto Cervantes, the cultural arm of the Embassy of Spain, is organizing a series of colloquia by Filipino intellectuals about aspects of Filipino identity with Hispanic traces, to be held at its Intramuros branch in Plaza San Luis Complex, Real St., Intramuros.

The first colloquium in the series, which will be held on March 18, Wednesday, at 2 PM, will be about the view of Filipino identity by writer Nick Joaquin (1917-2004), arguably the contemporary Filipino who knew best how to interpret and value the Hispanic legacy in the Archipelago. In this discussion, historian Ambeth Ocampo will present the historical setting during the important milestones in the life of the National Artist for Literature, while fellow National Artist Francisco Sionil Jose will focus on his friend as a literary figure and as a person, and anthropologist Fernando Zialcita will talk about the Filipino identity as envisioned by Nick Joaquin, also known by his pseudonym "Quijano de Manila."

Dr. Fernando Zialcita, who obtained his M.A. and Ph.D. in Anthropology from the University of Hawaii, teaches at the Department of Sociology and Anthropology at the Ateneo de Manila University and heads the Cultural Heritage Studies Program. He specializes in Heritage and identity, art and its cultural context, and interfaces between the foreign and the indigenous. Dr. Zialcita has written various articles on the Spanish influence on the cultural identity of Filipinos.

Dr. Ambeth Ocampo, former chairman of the then National Historical Institute, is a history professor at the Ateneo de Manila University as well. He was awarded the Premio Manuel Bernabe by the then Centro Cultural de la Embajada de Espana en Filipinas and a Premio Quijano de Manila from the Instituto Cervantes Manila.

National Artist for Literature, Francisco Sionil Jose, received awards both in the Philippines and in other countries. His novels and short stories, which depict class struggles and colonialism, have been translated into 28 languages.

The lecture is open to the public. Admission is free on a first-come, first-served basis. For further information, please check out Instituto Cervantes’ Facebook page: www.facebook.com/InstitutoCervantesManila, or call Instituto Cervantes at (632) 8526 1482.

7 Things to Keep You Busy After Your Early Retirement

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Getting your early retirement is an achievement. It is a privilege desired by many who are sick of the hustle and bustle of the working life. But life should not stop there. You only retired from work, not from having fun!

You have dedicated your yesteryears making yourself financially stable. It’s time to let yourself engage in things that you may have forgone before just to achieve what you have today. Your retirement from work should not be boring!

Check out these fun and interesting diversity of activities and side hustles to keep you busy after your early retirement.

1. Start your healthy eating habits.

Choosing to eat healthy meals is something you may have missed while you spent years working and earning money. You were so busy chasing time, beating deadlines and prioritizing things that didn’t include making yourself a hearty meal.

Now is the time to say good bye to those instant noodles, three-in-one coffee and other fast foods that you used to take just because you don’t have time for yourself. Since retirement gives you all the time you want, all you need is the willingness to start making the effort.

Take your time shopping for all the healthful food you see at the grocery store. Watch videos from YouTube and don’t be afraid to try cooking nutritious recipes. This is also a perfect time to delight your family make up for the times you weren’t home to prepare their meal.

2. Read books.

Recover all those books that you once had to give up just because you had to prioritize learning stuff related to your career. It’s time to awaken your bookworm self for you now have the all the time in the world!

Visit the nearest bookstores in your place. Take time scanning through synopses of novels you tried to ignore before. There’s no need to hesitate whether to buy the whole set of a series or not. It’s time to reward yourself! Reading is now for recreation, and not as a requirement.

3. Go to the gym.

You did well in establishing yourself financially. Now is the time you work on enhancing your physical self. Sign up for a gym membership and get yourself a personal trainer. Make doing exercise a habit.

As you gained experience and wealth from working over the years, you may have also gained fats and muscle pains. Set a goal with your trainer and exert extra efforts in achieving that goal. Change the way people look at retirees.

4. Challenge your body.

Your journey to achieving physical fitness is not just about going to the gym. Engage yourself in other exhilarating activities such as running a marathon, cycling for miles, hiking or even rock climbing. Learning how to skateboard is also a must-try!

Don’t worry, you need not become an expert of the mentioned activities. You only have to challenge your body a little. Discover the things you didn’t know you’re actually capable of doing. 

5. Travel.

You may find young people filing for vacation leaves to go on trips trying to keep a work-life balance. What those young people feel can never be compared to how you feel when booking your one-way ticket and not minding when to schedule your return ticket since no boss anticipates when you are coming back.

Make a bucket list of the places you’ve always wanted to visit. Don’t mind how much you will be spending for what you are about to gain is priceless. You will not just get a glimpse of beautiful places; you also get to meet new people.

6. Create side hustles.

Retiring doesn’t require you to work harder. It doesn’t prohibit you from working either. You could always choose to keep earning so you have unlimited funds for your future recreational activities and travels.

There is no easy way to further sustain your retirement, unless you win the PCSO Lotto or the Singapore Pool 4D Lottery. You may opt for businesses or jobs that are done online so you still manage to spend more time to relax at home with your family. It’s also an edge if you choose a field that you are passionate about so you won’t just work to earn, but also to have fun.

7. Get a hobby.

You may go back to the old hobbies you had to abandon before, or better yet, get a new one. It’s always delightful to discover something new. Exciting must-try activities include enrolling in an art class, learning how to play an instrument, taking up a new sport like tennis, setting up movie marathons, and even volunteering in organizations.