The entertainment sector is among the hardest hit by the COVID-19 pandemic. As early as May 29, 2020, there are about 865,000 workers in the audiovisual industry who have been displaced according to a report from the Film Development Council of the Philippines (FDCP). 

Even with the heart-breaking news, a lot of artists did not cave in. If you are one of them, maybe it’s time for your craft to be appreciated by a wider group of audience. The Cinemalaya Independent Film Festival is now accepting entries for its short film category this year!

According to the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP), interested Pinoy filmmakers must submit their application on or before March 5, 6 PM, to the Film, Broadcast, and New Media Division (FBNMD) at CCP in Pasay City.

Filmmakers who are submitting their entries must provide the following: 

• The final work in MP4 format, with violator/watermark, properly labeled with title, production company, address and contact numbers.
• Production date, director’s name, and running time (which should not exceed 20 minutes inclusive of credit titles). 
• Duly completed entry form, synopsis in English, a brief resume and two (2) recent 2×2 photos of the filmmaker/s.

For filmmakers who wish to submit their entries online, fill out the official Cinemalaya entry form here:  bit.ly/CinemalayaShorts2021Form

Meanwhile, artists who want to submit their entries offline must compile all the requirements in a flash drive. 

Please take note that offline or physical entries must be submitted in a long brown envelope properly labeled with the proponent’s name, title of film, and contact details.

The ten (10) short feature finalists will be screened online during the 2021 Cinemalaya Film Festival from August 6-15, 2021.

Last year, the Cinemalaya festival pushed through even with the restrictions brought by the pandemic.

For the first time ever, one of the country’s most celebrated film festivals was accessed through a dedicated channel on Vimeo on Demand. A minimum of P75 fetched a bundle of five titles, while P350 secured the entire library throughout the festival duration.

Should the lockdowns continue until August, the festival may follow the same scheme this year.

For more information and updates, visit the CCP website (www.culturalcenter.gov.ph) or follow the CCP and Cinemalaya official Facebook pages.