The 17^th  Cinemalaya film festival has finally started streaming its 13 watch-worthy titles this year. In this article, the Feed gives spoiler-free movie reviews of the entries in the Shorts Category A: ‘Maski Papano (I Mask Go On)’, ‘Crossing, Kawatan Sa Salog (A Toy In The River)’, ‘An Sadit Na Planeta (The Little Planet)’, ‘Looking For Rafflesias And Other Fleeting Things’, ‘Out Of Body’, and ‘Ang Pagdadalaga Ni Lola Mayumi’.

MASKI PAPANO (I MASK GO ON) by Che Tagyamon And Glenn Barit

The COVID-19 pandemic required people to distance themselves from one another in order to slow down the spread of the virus which put people’s social relevance in jeopardy.

In Tagyamon and Barit’s Maski Papano, a disposable face mask takes you on an adventure of finding one’s self-worth. The film proved that nothing is impossible for someone with a creative mind. The production team outsmarted the challenging film restriction and protocols during this pandemic by using dolls and masks as the main characters. Overall, Maski Papano (I mask Go On) is a film that will be loved for its entertaining personification and its relevance for a lot of people who experienced depersonalization during this pandemic.

CROSSING by Marc Misa

Desperation is a tenacious behavior that can sometimes seem reasonable but is the evil within Niño Mendoza’s character Gabriel in his demented endeavor.

Despite the takeaway plot and title, people should watch this film by Marc Misa for its odd turn and its consistency from the beginning until the end. Crossing lived up to its genre— crime thriller. It is a 5-minute thriller short film about a man’s attempt to mug a passenger bus. The elaborate sound engineering and superb use of foley helped in creating the tense atmosphere that crime movie enthusiasts will surely appreciate. Among equally strong entries this year, Crossing might just bag this year’s Best Film.

KAWATAN SA SALOG (A TOY IN THE RIVER) by Alphie Velasco

Kawatan sa Salog is a 2020 short film produced by the Asia Pacific Film Institute that follows the journey of a young child on an enigmatic island.

In the first few minutes of the 18-minute short, the mood was set to dramatic and shows the poor living conditions of  Kyle Kaizer Almenanza’s character Santi. The dialogues were not dramatic but are realistic enough to feel natural. Kawatan Sa Salog is delivered in Bikolano. So, enjoy the scenes without getting lost in the displayed translation. Viewers will appreciate the story with its cultural reference and the good dynamic between the young actor Kyle Kaizer Almenza and indie-veteran Lui Manansala.

AN SADIT NA PLANETA (THE LITTLE PLANET) by Arjanmar H. Rebet

Journey is often visualized as an outward voyage, much like Magellan’s expedition that proved the world is indeed not flat but round. In Rebet’s An Sadit na Planeta, he proved that one can journey starting from within.

Heavily color graded pictures and Mercedes Cabral could be a different definition of indie by millennial Filipino movie enthusiasts. Using a 360 camera, Arjanmar Rebet proved there is a world beyond traditional looks of indie films. An Sadit na Planeta is a refreshing piece of work, contemporary attack on discussing self-discovery, and a catalyst in much more diverse independent film.

LOOKING FOR RAFFLESIAS AND OTHER FLEETING THINGS by James Fajardo 

James Fajardo’s Looking for Rafflesias and other fleeting things is an attempt in explaining self-discovery in metaphors.

Gubat is the depiction of a young man in a journey of identity crisis. In the beginning, he asked his grandmother: “Halimaw po ba ako?”. ‘Halimaw’ in the dialogue is a “Tikbalang”, his father was rumored to be one too. It is safe to say, because Gubat does not have a father figure, he had a hard time identifying himself. The title stirred buzz online howbeit the movie could have done better more than just spontaneous outdoor swim and sudden-onset homosexuality.

ANG PAGDADALAGA NI LOLA MAYUMI by Shiri De Leon

A film produced during the pandemic is a real challenge, but the ambitious young filmmaker Shiri De Leon properly executed things despite the struggle of filming.

In the opening sequence of the film, the director draws the attention of the viewers to its location— a motel. It’s a great start to begin for a short film, it’s direct to the point which gets viewers’ full attention. It’s a motel and Lola Mayumi is determined to achieve the final piece of her self-actualization – losing her virginity. Ruby Ruiz’s very moving portrayal is also a good reason why people should watch Ang Pagdadalaga ni Lola Mayumi. Despite the heavy taboo and mood the film started, it contains few funny bits that enhanced the cathartic viewing experience. Overall, the film is a strong candidate to win this year’s best film.

OUT OF BODY by Enrico Po

Have you ever experienced liking something but then you experience it and realize that it wasn’t what you’re expecting? This is exactly the story’s turning point, Elle is a young model new to the industry who arrives at the set of her first commercial job to discover that the initial idea was scrapped.

This film is model Kelley Day’s debut as an indie actress and she incredibly carried out Elle’s character. The look and feel of the film set is also a commendable element, set in a warehouse where it was creatively organized in a visually thrilling arrangement. The combination of the sound and lighting was also superb which gives an unexplainable experience watching Po’s Out of Body; it resulted in a gripping plot build-up and a perplexing cliff-hanger. Definitely well worth seeing.

Make sure to watch these titles only on legitimate websites to support the independent film industry, To purchase tickets on ktx.ph, visit https://cinemalaya.org/buy-tickets/. Main competition films cost P150 per set (Set A and Set B). Cinemalaya17 runs from August 6 until September 5, 2021.