8th CINEMALAYA INDEPENDENT FILM FESTIVAL : HINDI TALAGA “MALAYA”?

Biglang nagkaroon ng sigalot sa bakuran ng CINEMALAYA nang diniskwalipika ang dapat sanang lahok ni Emerson Reyes para sa ika-8 taon ng nasabing filmfest. Ang kagya’t na dahilan diumano ay ang kawalan ng chemistry na matatawag sa pagitan ng dalawang bidang nais itampok ng director. Sadya rawng pinagsabihan na ng komitiba na hindi sila sang-ayon sa tambalang JOY VIADO at ALLAN PAULE para sa MNL 143. Narito ang liham ng pagdiskwalipika mula sa pamunuan ng Cinemalaya na si Laurice Feleo: “Following consultations on your entry between Mr. Emerson Reyes and Monitoring Head, Mr. Robbie Tan, we were informed that you were fixed on the original casting of your two leads, which we had pointed out were not suitable to the material.  There is never any directive given to the finalists on who to cast—only our guideline as to how to cast. The basis of our interest in casting is that we want competence, suitability to the role, and greater audience acceptability.  In our briefing, it was emphasized to the finalists that all requirements that are to be submitted for the corresponding grant releases will have to be approved and accepted before any fund release is to be made. This is also provided for in our MOA.   We have always treated our finalists as partners, and as such, mutually look out for what is best for each project. But in the case of MNL 143, not heeding Cinemalaya’s advice shows a one-sided effort—only on our part—to achieve our objectives.Constrained therefore by a conflict of interest and by the provision in the MOA, the Cinemalaya Organizing Committee collegially decided on February 8, 2012 to exercise its prerogative and disqualify your entry from competition.”

Malinaw naman palang nakatali ang artistic freedom ng isang film maker kapag sumali sa CINEMALAYA. Malinaw na may sariling adyenda ang pamunuan nito sa ano mang dahilan at ang ayaw nila ay hindi makakalusot. Samu’t saring reaksyon ang umusbong mula sa pagkakatanggal ng proyekto ni Reyes sa pestibal tulad nito mula sa PINOY FILM BUFFS FACEBOOK GROUP:

>>>Barney BrownBear : Pano naman nila na-siguro na hindi mag-wo-work ang tandem ni Alan Paule at Joy Viado? Sila lang ba ang may taste? At hindi ba insulto ito sa tried-and-tested acting talents of the two? I thought Cinemalaya goes for the non-formulaic approach in film-making?

>>>Vincent Paul M. Valdez: isnt this supposed to be the artistic freedom of the director? ano karapatan ng iba na magdictate who to cast and not to cast? if theyre giving out grants, they must trust the choice of the director.

Mula naman sa isang FB page na Reform Now! Cinemalaya Needs to be Free. Kung saan ay naka-ekis ang mukha ng mga pamunuan ng Cinemalaya ay ito naman ang ating nakalap:

>>>>>Isa sa mga hinihiling namin ay magsalita na ang mga kasama namin ngayon sa batch ng mga ginagawa sa kanila ngayon din ng Cinemalaya at hindi lang nagsusumbong ng mga hinaing nila.
May nakaamba na namang entry na ididiskwalipika sa di mapaliwanag na kadahilanan. Ang isa naman ay ipinapasulat ang script sa ibang writer na pinili ng mga nasa committee.

>>>Mauro Feria Tumbocon Jr Very disturbing development. Point of clarification: Has it been clear to applicants at the outset thay Cinemalaya will somehow act like a producer? Ito ang basa ko sa news release, e. Ang impresyon ko kasi, grant-making body siya, which means wala siyang market/box office expectations. Paki-klaro nga. Salamat.

>>Archie Del Mundo i havent seen a cinemalaya contract, except the ones that involve third-party producers which specifically points out that producers dont have a say with the creative decisions.
it’s the call of the time shouting out, every one and every entity are not giving for nothing.

>>>Mauro Feria Tumbocon Jr I wish Cinemalaya works as a grant-making body; that way, malayang sine ang labas. Pero, kung nasa kontrata with the filmmakers, lumalabas na co-producer siya, tapos na nga ang kuwento. Kaya, kailangang uriratin ang fine print ng kontrata; if so, it should be treated like a business entity with taxation consequences.

Heto pa ang karagdagang info ukol sa pagiging masikilin sa sining ng paggawa ng indielikula ng kupunang Cinemalaya:

Reform Now! Cinemalaya Needs to be Free.

Here are some of the CINEMALAYA “dropouts” and “disqualifieds” through the years. Add away, if I missed some titles

ANGELA THE BADING ASSASSIN MUSICAL – Francis Hechanova, 2005
MGA ANINO SA APUHAP – Jon Lazam/Sigrid Bernardo, 2006
LARONGBATA – Khavn Dela Cruz, 2006
SINUNGALING NA BUWAN – Ed Lejano, 2007
143445’6 – Emmanuel Dela Cruz, 2008
ANTIPARANG BASAG – Edith Asuncion, 2008
SHEIKA – Arnel Mardoquio, 2010
THE DOG SHOW – Ralston Jover, 2011
MNL 143 – Emerson Reyes, 2012

“Just some of the movies disqualified by Cinemalaya Festival Heads for unjustified reasons. Same pattern: These Filmmakers were bullied until they just felt so disgusted to continue… Now the TRUTH will out. I encourage everyone to TELL THEIR ORDEAL”
– Emman Dela Cruz

 

Hahaba pa ang usaping ito, nguni’t ayon mismo kay Emerson Reyes ay itutuloy nila ang pelikula na tampok sina ALLAN PAULE at JOY VIADO.  Ang MNL143, ay kwento ng isang OFW na sa kanyang pag-uwi ay nagdrive ng FX at hinanap ang tunay niyang mahal.

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