Award-winning filmmaker Carlos Siguion-Reyna has taken on the role of Competition and Monitoring Committee chairman, succeeding director Jose Javier Reyes, who is now the chairman of the Film Development Council of the Philippines (FDCP).
“I have to get into transition mode. A lot of it is making sure that the plans for 2024 are implemented,” said Siguion-Reyna about his initial tasks. “Right now, I’m familiarizing myself with the landscape of this year’s Cinemalaya Film Festival.”
In addition to his new role, Siguion-Reyna will oversee the Cinemalaya Film Lab for 2025, guiding the 20 semi-finalists as they complete their scripts for next year’s competition.
Siguion-Reyna’s connection to Cinemalaya runs deep. He taught 13 writing and directing courses at the Singapore campus of New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts for seven years. During his summer breaks, he returned to the Philippines to participate in Cinemalaya.
His feature film “Hari ng Tondo (Where I Am King)” won the Special Jury Prize in the Directors’ Showcase category at the 10th Cinemalaya in 2014. He also served as a jury member for the Cinemalaya film competition in 2013 and 2015.
Currently, Siguion-Reyna remains the head and program director of the Cinemalaya Institute, the educational arm of the annual independent film festival. Since 2015, he has conducted workshops and film direction courses at the Institute.
“By 2015, when my stint at NYU was about to finish, I got a call from Cinemalaya president Laurice Guillen. She asked if I would be interested in running a workshop on filmmaking, and I was. So, we started the Cinemalaya Institute,” said Siguion-Reyna.
The six-week workshop offers five masterclasses on Basic Filmmaking: The Silent Film, Screenwriting, Production Management, Film Editing, and Cinematography. Its faculty comprises members of NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts Asia’s M.F.A. program in film in Singapore, headed by Siguion-Reyna.
“That went on every year for about five years until the pandemic hit. We talked about reviving the Cinemalaya Institute, regularly and face-to-face. I hope to get back to that by next year,” shared the veteran filmmaker-mentor.
Siguion-Reyna’s gradual involvement over the years allowed him to appreciate the evolving vision of Cinemalaya as an organization, foundation, and film festival.
“It got me interested, not only in independent-minded, personally-voiced films but also in education through the Cinemalaya Institute. I felt it was a place where I could contribute something. So, when I was asked by Direk Laurice to be the competition chairman, I immediately said yes,” shared Siguion-Reyna.
He sees a bright future for Cinemalaya, aiming to leverage the wealth of Philippine stories from different regions. “There is no shortage of personal voices. Considering the challenges we face as a nation, our internal and external affairs, and how they affect our attitudes and conditions as citizens, there is no shortage of things to talk about and make films about.”
Siguion-Reyna has directed 13 feature films, winning awards at various international film festivals in San Diego, Toronto, Newport Beach, Berlin, and Singapore, as well as local awards from Gawad Urian, FAP Awards, FAMAS Awards, and Young Critics Circle Awards.
“We will never run out of stories. Everyone has different experiences, and there is a lot of variety in where people come from.”
Regarding challenges in the film industry, he emphasizes the importance of getting audiences back to theaters. With the rise of online streaming services and increasing ticket prices, Siguion-Reyna hopes to revive cinema attendance before theaters become retail spaces.
“Audience development can be improved through education and working with theaters to find the best way to distribute and release films,” he said. “There is no shortage of good Filipino works, so I’m optimistic about the films. But there’s a challenge to stimulate the audience to go to theaters and watch films because people are watching Philippine films on streaming services.”
As a veteran filmmaker who champions the dynamic film landscape in the Philippines, Siguion-Reyna encourages aspiring filmmakers to keep telling their stories.
“What we are really looking for is something not spelled out enough or easily visible like a beautiful vista or a great acting scene. What is really important is to see your take on the world and what’s going on around you. It’s your voice and perspective. That is what will make me, as a viewer, want to go to the cinema to watch what you have created and take that journey with you,” concluded Siguion-Reyna.
The Cinemalaya Philippine Independent Film Festival will run from August 2 to 11, 2024. Catch the 10 full-length finalists and 10 short feature films competing for the coveted Balanghai trophies.
