CCP Festival of Arts goes online
Every February, we would always look forward to Pasinaya: The CCP Open House Festival. I had been invited many times to talk about film literacy. Busloads of students nationwide come to the CCP grounds to witness theater, musical performances, exhibits and film screenings for free! This was before the CoVid-19 pandemic entered our shores. Everything is a memory to me.
Do not fret because from March 19 to 28, the Cultural Center of the Philippines will hold Tuloy Po Kayo 202: The CCP Online Multi-Arts Open Community Festival in keeping with the call of the times to do an online multi-arts festival.
Over a hundred local arts groups and talented artists are going online to promote creativity by conducting workshops and roundtable discussions so the online viewers get to experience the elusive creative process.
With a Zoom link, audiences get to enter virtually the artist’s studio, home, and performance space. Also, there are exhibitions by partner Museums, Galleries, and other Cultural Venues. There is free access. No passwords and no pre-registration needed.
Theater director Dennis Marasigan will moderate the theater module. “Even without face to face or in person theater productions or workshops, we can all learn something more about theater,” he muses. “There will be lectures on staging and video excerpts of some productions.”
Part of the lineup is the Virgin Lab Fest Fellowship Program, Masterclasses, PPO performances, guitar classes, among others.
Directors Guild of the Philippines’ board member Ed Lejano will lead the roundtable discussion, Filmmakers & Their Storytelling Journeys, with panelists Sheron Dayoc and Antoinette Jadaone on March 19, from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m.
“During this past year, we’ve been so used to watching films online, locked in our homes, and surviving on Netflix-and-chill for days on end,” says Ed.
“Before the onslaught of lock-in shoots and production health protocols, it’s still important to regard the film medium as an indispensable tool in today’s media landscape where content is key,” remarks the festival director of the QCinema International Film Festival.
There is a need to have this conversation on why cinema is still relevant despite the film industry being hard hit by the pandemic. “If only to keep the idea afloat that cinema is alive and well, even if theaters continue to be closed,” he reiterated. “Let’s keep this celluloid dream alive.”
On March 27, the cast and production team of the Cinemalaya award-winning film, John Denver Trending, will have a “meet and greet” after the online screening.
‘Before the onslaught of lock-in shoots and production health protocols, it’s still important to regard the film medium as an indispensable tool in today’s media landscape where content is key.’
Tuloy Po Kayo 202 curates Palihan, introducing workshops in different performing art forms; Palabas, a series of performances and happenings in music, theater, dance, visual arts, film, and literature from the CCP resident companies, and regional arts groups; and Palitan showcasing the Arts Fair component.
As we try to stay hopeful despite pandemic challenges, we exclaim, “Tuloy ang sining!”
Visit Tuloy Po Kayo 2021 event page: https://fb.me/e/Fnd7TU9z.