Cinemalaya Bente Short Films

Cinemalaya Bente Short A Short B

Watching a compilation of selected short films on Cinemalaya at a commercial theater exposes me to diverse stories focused on a single provocative theme.

Though not glossy and most visually textured, due to the limitations of technology and infrastructure, the filmmaker still successfully sends across messages clearly and convincingly told differently.

While watching them, two ideas flow through my mind: first, I'm immersed in the unfolding of the story with no expectations, and second, I'm subconsciously seeing the constraints of creating the film behind the scenes (one shot in an iPhone, another written and directed in a remote location single handedly, another a thesis in a film class and the rest in collaboration with other young friends).

There are two sets of shorts with 5 films each

•Short A themes are on death, mother, memories, space and the environment
•Common in Short B is the loss of hope

Thank you for the opportunity to talk back with the young and skilled film makers sharing Pinoy stories told in minutes.

Short Films A
• Cris Bringas of All This Wasted Space
• Breech Asher Haran of Pamalandong sa Danow, reflections in the marsh

Short Films B
• Ryan Capili of I Was Walking on the Street of Chinatown
• Sam Manacsa of Cross my Heart and Hope to Die
• Alexandra Brizuela of Mama

Short stories were told capable of provoking and making a statement.

https://cinemalaya.org/films/finalists/short-films-2024/

#CinemalayaBente  #Cinemalaya2024