Alternative Cinema Continues to Thrive and Make Its Mark on the Philippine Film Scene
Alternative Cinema Continues to Thrive and Make Its Mark on the Philippine Film Scene
From Sinalang Film Festival Page
Performance art is a genre in which artists express themselves creatively through their presence, actions, and bodies. Renowned global figures like Marina Abramović and Yoko Ono have been instrumental in pushing the boundaries of conventional artistic expression. For its inaugural edition, The Sinalang Film Festival will take place in Brooklyn Warehouse on February 25, 2024. It will include seasoned performance artists, pioneers of the experimental movement, and up-and-coming filmmakers. Sinalang explores the idea of rebirth and reimagines the environment in which film might be created. In order to make watching experimental films into a spectacle, this festival draws influence from a variety of other artistic forms, including theater, performance art, and installation art.
As the first film festival of its sort in the Philippines, Sinalang seeks to question the notion of cinematic spaces by fusing performance art with film.
Leading the program is Rox Lee, a filmmaker and a local performance artist, whose early work started in the 80s. His classic film Juan Gapang, which incorporates performance art, is making an appearance in the festival. Joining the lineup of films are Do Plagues Happen Like Songs in A Revolution by Caloy Soliongco, Algae by Jesed Moreno, Never Odd or Even by Lih Ocampo, Lungkot by Redsh Alba, I feel like a stranger but I know I left pieces of myself here by Furan Guillermo, Hindi Pang Bata by Bob Macabenta, Glitters by Darryl Villafuerte and Salang by T. Also making an appearance in the festival is Nerisa del Carmen Guevarra, a performance artist from the Philippines, who will be debuting an entirely new performance art piece.
“Experimental filmmakers are on the fringes of the film industry.” This is a sentiment shared by the organizers and founders of the film festival. The group is composed of Tristan Ortega and Sublime, two local filmmakers and directors; Eunice Helera, a local programmer who spearheaded the Japanese Film Festival 2024, the French Film Festival 2023, and was on the selection committee for the Lowestoft Film Festival in the UK; and Jetri Bolintiam, a UP Diliman economics student.
As it is not as prevalent as its mainstream and indie counterparts, new filmmakers and artists may choose not to pursue this type of medium due to a lack of platforms and funding. Sinalang aims to change this by expanding the space where experimental film can be appreciated, and contribute to the overall experimental cinema landscape.
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