Promoting Calabarzon filmmaking talent at Pelikultura

The ongoing Pelikultura: The Calabarzon Film Festival is a showcase of short films from the region as well as award-winning independent films from other parts of the Philippines.

Running until Feb. 28 at UP Los Baños' NCAS Auditorium, Pelikultura's lineup includes Lav Diaz’s “Norte: Hangganan ng Kasaysayan,” which will close the festival at 1 p.m. on Friday. The film won the top prize at the Nuremberg International Human Rights Film Festival last October and was an official selection at the Cannes Film Festival. Tickets for the screening only cost P50 each, while admission to all the other films is free.

Presented by the National Commission for Culture and the Arts as part of its celebration of February as National Arts Month, Pelikula also features 10 short films shortlisted for the narrative category and five for the documentary category—all by filmmakers from the provinces of Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal and Quezon.

The shortlisted films will compete for several awards, including Best Narrative Film, Best Documentary Film, Best Director (Narrative Film), Best Director (Documentary Film), and the following for the narrative films: Best Story, Best Performance by an Actor and Actress, Best Cinematography, Best Editing, Best Production Design, Best Sound, Best Original Music, and Most Gender-Sensitive Film. Special awards will also be given, such as the Audience Choice Award and the Special Jury Prize. The winners will be announced on Friday evening after the screening of "Norte."

Seminars are also part of the film festival. On Feb. 28, cinematographer Dexter Dela Peña will hold a workshop. — BM, GMA News

This is the fourth year of Pelikultura, one of the top venues for filmmaking talent from the Calabarzon region. For information and ticket reservation, contact the pelikuLAB Secretariat at 0998-4344055, 0905-3710186 or pelikulab@gmail.com.