Xian Liam directs ‘Ibong Adarna’ puppet film for kids


This kicks off Sining Sigla’s puppet series to bring arts closer to Filipino children

Trick or treat might be cancelled because of the ongoing pandemic as well as the threat brought by super typhoon “Rolly,” but it doesn’t mean that children and families wouldn’t be able enjoy this long weekend.

To give everyone an artistic, fun, yet learning-packed bonding experience this Halloween, the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) drops the premier of MALA Ibong Adarna, a puppet film adaptation of Filipino classic literary book—Ibong Adarna.

Directed by award-winning actor Xian LimIbong Adarna will be showcased in a puppetry film series this Oct. 31 at 5:45 p.m. on the CCP’s - Office of the President Facebook page.  

“I have a strong passion for voice acting and dubbing. I find magic in it,” Xian says.  “It’s a different form of art. My love for voice acting really come in to play, guiding the puppeteers on the different emotions they are giving to the story.”

Using a combination of puppets, visual effects, and live action, Ibong Adarna is set to wow audiences. It is one of the puppet series for children under the Movies Adapted from Literary Arts (MALA), which is part of Sining Sigla, a program of the CCP president Nick Lizaso.  

“This show is to kick off the National Children’s Month this November,” Nick says. “Sining Sigla is our way of bring arts closer to people. Since we can’t go to their place this year, we bring it to them digitally. And we still have a lot of programs scheduled until at the end of the year.”

Through this program, puppetry has taken a new role of inculcating essential values and arts appreciation to young children as it joins forces with selected Filipino stories under Sining Sigla’s MALA (Movies Adapted from Literary Arts) series. MALA is written by premiere ventriloquist Ony Carcamo and is produced by CCP president Nick Lizaso.

Ibong Adarna is just one of the events to take place before the “ArtsXpress: CCP’s Children's Biennale,” which is set on the same date.  It is a series of events that aims to encourage and develop creativity and artistic expression in children, as well as art appreciation together with their parents and guardians. The “Biennale” opens on Oct. 31, and other events take place on Nov. 1, 6, 8, 13, 14, 15, 20, 21, 22, 27, 28, 29, and Dec. 5.

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