By Chito Chavez
Quezon City will host the 2nd Pista ng Pelikulang Pilipino (PPP), a festival that will exclusively feature Filipino films organized by the Film Development Council of the Philippines (FDCP) in recognition of the ‘Buwan ng Wika’.
(photo from FDCP Facebook)
Among the activities to be organized by the QC government and FDCP is the Grand Fans Day on Saturday, 11 August at Liwasang Aurora in Quezon Memorial Circle which will include an ‘all-star’ motorcade that will start from Amoranto Sports Complex and will pass through Timog, Maginhawa, and end up at the Quezon Memorial Circle.
Liza Diño-Seguerra, chairman and CEO of FDCP, stressed the economic contribution of QC in Metro Manila for having the most number of cinemas.
“Ang Quezon City po ang merong pinakamaraming sinehan sa buong Metro Manila, 60 percent of cinemas in Metro Manila are all in Quezon City, and the 80 percent of the gross box office receipts actually comes from Quezon City. This will be a big step for us to work together towards naming Quezon City as one of UNESCO’s creative cities, lalo pang mapapayabong ang kultura ng pelikula and the economic contributions of what film can do,” Diño said.
There will be an opening night for the PPP on August 14 and Film Industry Conference on August 17 and 18 at Novotel Manila in Araneta Center, Cubao.
Vice Mayor Joy Belmonte said the plan of the Quezon City Council to craft an ordinance that will require a one-week screening of Filipino films in Quezon City to all cinemas to celebrate ‘Buwan ng Wika’.
“May balak ang Sangguniang Panlungsod na magpasa ng isang ordinansa kung saan merong isang linggo sa Buwan ng Wika na puro Filipino film lamang ang pinapalabas sa lahat ng sinehan sa buong Lungsod Quezon (The Quezon City Council plans to pass an ordinance where all local films will be shown for a week during the Buwan ng Wika in all the theaters in Quezon City),” Belmonte said.
She also emphasized the vision of the city government to be the center for the culture and arts in the Philippines.
“Ang atin pong pangarap ay ang Lungsod Quezon ay maging permanenteng kilala bilang sentro ng sining at kultura sa buong Pilipinas lalo na sa larangan ng pelikula sapagkat tayo ay kinilala bilang ‘City of Stars’ by ordinance and entertainment capital of the Philippines. Gusto po talaga nating patunayan sa lahat na we are deserving of these titles that have been bestowed upon us (Our dream is for Quezon City to be the permanent center of culture and cinema in the Philippines especially in the field of film making since the city is known as the “City of Stars’’ as stated in an ordinance and entertainment capital of the Philippines),” Belmonte said.
Pista ng Pelikulang Pilipino features eight films that will be shown in all theaters nationwide from August 15 to 21, 2018, the following films are: Ang Babaeng Allergic sa WiFi directed by Jun Lana, Bakwit Boys directed by Jason Paul Laxamana, Madilim ang Gabi directed by Adolfo B. Alix, Jr., Pinay Beauty directed by Jay Abello, Signal Rock directed by Chito S. Roño, The Day after Valentine’s directed by Jason Paul Laxamana, Unli Life directed by Miko Livelo, and We Will Not Die Tonight directed by Richard Somes.
Ticket prices for movies included in the Pista ng Pelikulang Pilipino will depend on the cinema, and will offer a 20 percent discount for students with valid IDs during weekdays.