While neighbouring countries Hong Kong, South Korea and China have thriving film industries, Southeast Asia struggles to establish infrastructure that supports excellent but also commercially viable – or at least widely distributed – films. Despite this, Southeast Asia has produced the likes of Apichatpong Weerasethakul, Lav Diaz, Jonathan Chen, Mouly Sury, Davy Chou, among others.
Under the tutelage of the National Commission of Culture and the Arts (NCCA) and their partners CulturAid, Asean 50, Shang Cineplex and Shangri-la Plaza, the Tingin ASEAN Film Festival will attempt to map out the different facets of ASEAN by showcasing important contemporary ASEAN films. These films each tell a particular story about their origin countries; gathering them in this festival consequently draws a composite picture of modern Southeast Asia. Thus says Tingin steering committee member and University of the Philippines Diliman professor Patrick Campos, “This festival can help address key issues in Southeast Asia today – immigration, ethnic and cultural differences, and the overt abuse of young girls and women.”
Tingin is being held in commemoration of the 50th Anniversary of the Philippines’ membership to the Asean and the Philippine chairmanship of Asean in 2017. The festival starts at 1 PM and the last screening begins at 8 PM.
Tingin includes exemplary Asean movies like A Yellow Bird (Singapore), Ilo-Ilo (Singapore), Golden Slumbers (Cambodia), Ang Damgo ni Eleuteria Kirchbaum (Philippines), Dearest Sister (Lao PDR), among others. Tingin will also include forums on the future of film distribution and an overview of contemporary Southeast Asian cinemas with academic luminaries such as Professor Patrick Campos and Baby Ruth Villarama. Some of the directors of these award-winning films will also hold Q & As after the screenings, such as Mattie Do (Lao PDR), Aung Ko Latt (Myanmar), and Remton Zuasola (Philippines). These films and forums will be made free and open to the public.
On October 11, NCCA ambassador and Tingin tastemaker Piolo Pascual will open the festival by introducing his choice for the opening film, K. Rajagopal’s “A Yellow Bird” (Singapore, 2016). After the screening, K. Rajagopal will also be on hand for a 30-minute Q & A with the audience. To close the festival on October 15, Thai actress Sasithorn Panichnok will be present to talk about her film, Pimpaka Towira’s “The Island Funeral” (Thailand, 2015) as well.
For questions and inquiries, please contact Tingin marketing coordinator Ginny Mata at +63 917 529 6133 and ginny.mata@gmail.com.
