2011 Cinemalaya NETPAC Competition calls for entries

Taken from Cinemalaya website: 

Entries are now being accepted to the 2011 Cinemalaya NETPAC Competition. The special Cinemalaya Netpac Award is given to new independent digital works that will premiere at the 2011 Cinemalaya Festival on July 15-24, 2011 at the Cultural Center of the Philippines.

NETPAC or Network for the Promotion of Asian Cinema is a worldwide organization of more than thirty member countries and is composed of critics, filmmakers, festival organizers and curators, distributors and exhibitors as well as film educators.  Established in 1990, NETPAC has become the leading platform for the discovery and promotion of Asian Cinema.

Cinemalaya is among the important film festivals where the NETPAC Award is given.  The NETPAC Award is given at 28 international film festivals, including those of Abu Dhabi, Antalya, Asiatica Filmediale, Bangkok, Barcelona, Berlin, Brisbane, Bursa, Chongqing, Estonia, Kazakhstan, Hawaii, Kerala, Jeonju, Jogjakarta, Karlovy Vary, Locarno, Mumbai, New Delhi, Pusan, Puchon, Rotterdam, Singapore, Taipei and Vesoul.

Launched during the 2009 Cinemalaya Festival and Competition, the Cinemalaya NETPAC Award aims to encourage the creation of and recognition of outstanding Filipino independent films participating in the Philippine Premieres section of the Cinemalaya.  The first Cinemalaya NETPAC Award was given to Ralston Jover’s Bakal Boys while Arnel Mardoquio’s Sheika received the award in 2010.

The Cinemalaya NETPAC Award gives more incentives for Filipino filmmakers to submit good films for this section, said Nestor O. Jardin, Cinemalaya Fesival Director. “The quality of films in the Cinemalaya NETPAC Philippine premiere section, has steadily improved since we started the section.  This year we hope to get even better films,  We expect the content to be be varied and like other Cinemalaya films, we choose them according to their boldness of spirit and their compelling narrative on the Filipino experience,” Jardin added.

The 2011 Cinemalaya Independent Film and Competition will be held on July 15-24, 2011 at the Cultural Center of the Philippines.  Now on its seventh year, Cinemalaya is a project of the Cinemalaya Foundation, CCP, Film Development Council of the Philippines and Econolink Investments, Inc. It is an all-digital film festival and competition that aims to discover, encourage and honor cinematic works of Filipino filmmakers that boldly articulate and freely interpret the Filipino experience with fresh insight and artistic integrity.  

Cinemalaya’s main competition categories are the New Breed Full Length Feature category and the Short Feature category featuring works by new directors.  The Directors Showcase is a competition for works by established directors.  This year’s Cinemalaya will feature a new focus on Asian films that will offer new independent works by Asian/ASEAN directors.  Other sections of the Cinemalaya  are Ani, Kids Treats and Midnight Specials. Cinemalaya also will feature the Cinemalaya Film Congress and other film related events such as the Sine Taktakan, fora and lectures, and exhibits.

Filmmakers who would like to participate in the Cinemalaya NETPAC competition should  email CCP Media Arts Division at ourdailyplanet@yahoo.com or send a note to the CCP Media Arts Office at the 4th Floor, CCP Main Building, CCP Complex, Pasay City  and provide the following information:  Title of film, brief synopsis of film, listing of main cast, listing of main production team, 2-3 production stills, curriculum vitae highlights, and a 2 x 2 recent photo.

Filmmakers must submit their screener in DVD format not later than May 13, 2011 to the CCP Media Arts office.

For the details and mechanics of the Cinemalaya NETPAC Award, please call CCP Media Arts at (632) 832-1125 local 1702 and 1705. For more information on Cinemalaya 2011, please visit the CCP website at www.culturalcenter.gov.ph and Cinemalaya Facebook page.