As the country’s leading platform for independent film, the Cinemalaya continues to champion the work of Filipino filmmakers with a series of book launches slated on October 8, 9, and 11, at the Red Carpet Cinema 2 at Shangri-La Plaza.
For its 21st edition, Cinemalaya highlights the intersection of cinema, literature, and Filipino identity through the launch of Manong: The Life and Works of Gerardo de Leon by Dr. Nicanor G. Tiongson; Agaw-Tingin (Stolen Glances) and Pinilakang Tabing (Silver Screen) by National Artist for Film and Broadcast Arts Ricky Lee; and Letters from the Future, 35 Years of the Gawad CCP para sa Alternatibong Pelikula at Video, published by CCP through its Film, Broadcast, and New Media Division.
Dr. Tiongson’s Manong: The Life and Works of Gerardo de Leon honors the life and works of the National Artist for Film Gerardo de Leon. The book is the first and only comprehensive study of the National Artist, tackling his personal and artistic background down to the synopses and analyses of over 80 films de Leon made for Parlatone Hispano-Filipino, the Eiga Haikyusa, Sampaguita Pictures, Premiere Productions, and the local and international independent companies.
National Artist Lee’s Agaw-Tingin (Stolen Glances) is a nonfiction anthology, with selected essays written for various publications. The book depicts the Filipino filmmaker as an observer, an artist who wants his readers to pay attention to the often-overlooked mundane.
Each written piece paints a lived reality, from within cinema halls and churches, to the open streets and protest rallies. Observations trigger emotions, transforming them into truths resonating across every page.
Pinilakang Tabing (Silver Screen), another book from Ricky Lee, is a novel about cinema. Grounded in the Filipino reality, Lee tells the story of characters whose lives and relationships are affected by Philippine cinema for 40 years.
Celebrating the impact of Gawad Alternatibo to the film industry, the CCP published Letters from the Future, 35 Years of the Gawad CCP para sa Alternatibong Pelikula at Video.
Edited by Adjani G. Arumpac, together with the editorial team Janella Paris, Bane Vicente, and Tom Estrera III, the books bring together 35 years’ worth of works by CCP Gawad Alternatibo-winning filmmakers.
In this anthology, the path of the Filipino filmmaker appears to be forking, bearing witness to multi-dimensional tales and rhyming with innovative and radical spirits of today. Through these titles, the experiences and realities of the Filipino filmmaker become chronicles, enduring through time as the industry evolves.
