SA pagdiriwang ng 100 Years of Philippine Cinema, masayang inihayag ni Film Development Council of the Philippines (FDCP) Chairperson Liza Diño na kabilang ang Pilipinas sa 23rd Busan International Film Festival (BIFF) ngayong Oktubre.

Sa ginanap na send-off presscon para sa Busan delegates nitong Martes, inisa-isa ni Ms Liza ang mga pelikulang kalahok sa nasabing film festival.

“We cannot stress how great of an honor it is to be selected as the Country of Focus in Busan just in time for our centennial. More than highlighting our Cinema, being the Country of Focus means greater exposure for our filmmakers and more platforms for us to showcase this work,” sabi ni Ms Liza.

“Our target for our next hundred years is to go global not just through the prestige of being in festivals but in finding opportunities for coproduction and distribution, and Busan is the best place to start because it offers both when it comes to film market, festival, culture and industry.”

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Sampung klasikong pelikulang Pilipino ang mapapanood sa 23rd BIFF: A Portrait of the Artist as Filipino mula sa direksiyon ni Lamberto V. Avellana (1965); Ganito Kami Noon, Paano Kayo Ngayon? ni Eddie Romero (1976); Tatlong Taong Walang Diyos ni Mario O’Hara (1976); Ang Panday directed by Fernando Poe, Jr. (1980); Cain at Abel ni Lino Brocka (1982); Moral ni Marilou Diaz-Abaya (1982); Himala ni Ishmael Bernal (1982); Bayaning 3rd World ni Mike De Leon (2000); Dekada‘70 ni Chito S. Roño (2002); at Ang Damgo ni Eleuteria ni Remton Siega Zuasola (2010).

Ang mga pelikulang nabanggit ay sinuportahan ng National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA), Commission on Cinema, head of Subcommission on the Arts, Mr. Teddy Co; Manunuri ng Pelikulang Pilipino member Mr. Tito Valiente, screenwriter, director and author, Mr. Doy Del Mundo; at ang film historian at professor na si Mr. Nick de Ocampo, of Center for New Cinema and UPFI.

Ang ibang pelikulang kalahok naman sa Filipino Films at BIFF para sa kategoryang A Window on Asian Cinema Section ay ang mga sumusunod: Citizen Jake ni Mike De Leon (2018); Alpha: The Right To Kill ni Brillante Mendoza (2018); The Eternity Between Seconds ni Alec Figuracion (2018); Gusto Kita with All My Hypothalamus ni Dwein Baltazar (2018); Lakbayan ni Lav Diaz, Brillante Mendoza, at Kidlat Tahimik (2018); at Signal Rock ni Chito Roño (2018).

Kasama naman sa Wide Angle Section ang Last Order ni Direk Atty. Joji Alonso; at Manila is Full of Men Named Boy ni Stephen Lee; habang sa Wide Angle Documentary Showcase ay nakalusot ang Land from God ni Kevin Piamonte (2018).

Bilang suporta rin sa BIFF, mayroong book launching para sa Centennial Anniversary of the Philippine Cinema ngayong Biyernes, sa Busan Cinema Center, sa pangunguna naman ni Prof. Nick De Ocampo, Mr. Tito Valiente at Mr. Teddy Co.

May exhibit din para sa history of Philippine Cinema entitled Cinema Un/Bound: Archipelagic Cinema of the Philippines sa Busan Cinema Center sa October 6-11, 2018.

Samantala, pangungunahan naman nina Christopher de Leon, Sandy Andolong, Joel Torre, at Piolo Pascual ang Philippine delegation sa 23rd BIFF (Oktubre 4-13, South Korea).

“Christopher de Leon is going with us. Representing four films, tama ba? Apat na pelikula. Piolo Pascual is going with us for Dekada ’70,” sabi ni Ms Liza. “Sandy Andolong for Moral and Joel Torre, of course, for Bayaning Third World.”

Sagot ng FDCP ang airfare at sagot naman ng BIFF ang accommodation ng mga delegado.

Dagdag pa ni Ms Liza, first time na mapasama sa international film festival ang mga pelikula ni Direk Mike de Leon (Bayaning Third World at Citizen Jake) kaya masaya siya dahil sa termino niya ito nangyari.