True to its mandate of promoting Philippine independent film, the Cinemalaya Philippine Independent Film Festival is proud to announce that four films from its extensive 2022 roster have been officially nominated for Indie Movie of the Year at the 39th Star Awards for Movies.

Among the seven films nominated for Indie Movie of the Year are four Cinemalaya 2022 films: The Baseball Player by Carlo Obispo, Blue Room by Ma-an L. Asuncion-Dagñalan, 12 Weeks by Anna Isabelle Matutina, and Bakit ‘Di Mo Sabihin by Real S. Florido. The filmmakers are also nominated for Indie Movie Director of the Year.

Awarded as the Cinemalaya 18’s Best Film, The Baseball Player follows the journey of a 17-year-old Moro child soldier whose father was killed in an all-out war in 2000 as he dreams to become a baseball player. The film also won Best Screenplay (for Carl Obispo), Best Editing (for Zig Dulay), and Best Actor (for Tommy Alejandrino).

Blue Room is about Rebel Rebel, an indie rock band composed of woke albeit sheltered teens, who gets its biggest break at a prestigious local music festival but gets arrested for drug possession after a celebratory night out at a local bar. The film won the Special Jury Award, Best Director, Best Supporting Actor, Best Cinematography, and Best Production Design.

12 Weeks tells the story of a 40-year-old unmarried woman who discovers she is pregnant after ending her toxic relationship with her boyfriend Ben. The film bagged the NETPAC Award and Best Actress. It was also nominated for Best Picture at the 2022 QCinema International Film Festival.

Bakit ‘Di Mo Sabihin explores the life of deaf couple who have been struggling to keep their marriage. The Cinemalaya film won Best Actress at the Entertainment Editors’ Choice Awards.

To date, the Cinemalaya Foundation has nurtured over 200 Filipino filmmakers and showcased over 1,000 of their works, including full-feature films, shorts, documentaries, Filipino film classics, and art films.

Now in its 21st year, Cinemalaya continues to uphold its vision to discover, encourage, support, train and recognize gifted Filipino independent filmmakers. The country’s biggest and pioneering independent film festival has been relentless in developing and supporting the production of independent Filipino films since it was founded in 2005, bringing new narratives that embody the ever-evolving landscape of Filipino cinema each year.

This year, the Philippine Movie Press Club (PMPC) is set to honor outstanding individuals in the film industry in 2022 who persisted in their craft when the world has just recovered from the onslaught of the global pandemic. The PMPC, in cooperation with Winford Resort and Casino Manila, is holding a special awards presentation for them this coming Nov. 24.