BAKUNAWA FEST X
BAKUNAWA FEST X ANNOUNCES CLOSING FILMS
Bakunawa Fest X proudly closes with the Indonesian documentary 'Roda Roda Nada' (The Tone Wheels) by Yuda Kurniawan, a compelling story that follows a group of passionate, determined artists who performs and celebrates Dangdut music on the streets of Jakarta. This is a charming documentary that effortlessly brings you into the action. There's much to like in this documentary and will surely lure you to invest on their story. The artists here are rock stars in their own universe - the long noisy streets of real everyday people! It's a gem of a film (discovered first at Jogja-NETPAC Asian Film Festival 2022) and Roda Roda Nada proves that not all edgy films need to be odd, weird or shocking!
And we end this year's edition with two shorts: the quiet yet genre-bending 'Promessa de um Amor Salvagem" (Promise of a Wild Love) by awardwinning Brazilian filmmaker Davi Mello (who-directed 'All the Faces I Love Look Alike' from Bakunawa Fest 9) and the Filipino folkloric horror 'Sa Burutlakan' (Where the Sun Rises) by young Ilonggo filmmakers Kyle Fredrick Jabian and Aaron Dave Escobido which makes its World Premiere at Bakunawa Fest X.
Together with our Opening Films, our Closing Films speak much of the diversity and direction of Bakunawa Fest X - to be brave amidst the changing human landscapes; to be free despite the oppresive nature of the times; and to remain locally fantastic in the face of commercial pressures.
RODA-RODA NADA (THE TONE WHEELS)
Director: Yuda Kurniawan
Documentary I 98min I Indonesia
CLOSING FILM I PHILIPPINE PREMIERE
Ubay, a 50 year-old Dangdut musician and owner of a street-traveling Dangdut cart group in Lenteng Agung of South Jakarta, and his wife and Dangdut cart member, want to be able to record their songs and eventually release a long-desired album because they are already getting older. Ubay’s old friend Didiet, 53, wants to help them realize their dream even though he only has a simple recording device and an outdated computer. The process of recording was tough and challenging – something filled with obstacles and something that they didn’t expect. Their love for Dangdut pushed them to never give up. Join their journey and discover if they were able to make their dream come true.
NOV 11, 2023 (SAT) 5 PM
UPFI VIDEOTHEQUE
YUDA KURNIAWAN
Yuda Kurniawan is an Indonesian film producer and director. He is the founder of Rekam Films, a film company based in Depok, West Java. His films has been screened in various film festivals both domestic and overseas and has won several awards. Some of his films include: "The Ballads of Cinema Lovers" (2017), “The Song of Grassroots" (2018) which won the Citra Award (Indonesian Oscars) for best documentary feature of Indonesian Film Festival 2018. “The Tone Wheels” (2022) is his latest feature documentary that highlights the Dangdut music as an identity and reflection about social life of most Indonesian people.
PROMESSA DE UM AMOR SELVAGEM (PROMISE OF A WILD LOVE)
Director: Davi Mello
Mystery, Drama, Fantasy, Romance I
22min, 59sec I Brazil
CLOSING SHORT I PHILIPPINE PREMIERE
After crashing into a party, a young man discovers that this will be his last night.
NOV 11, 2023 (SAT) 5 PM
UPFI VIDEOTHEQUE
DAVI MELLO
Davi Mello is a filmmaker, professor and researcher in Cinema and the Audiovisual. He is a PhD candidate in Education, Art and Cultural History and has a Master in Communication Studies. His research involves cinematographic ethics and aesthetics in postwar Polish cinema, as well as the diverse scenery of experimental films and audiovisual installations. As a director and screenwriter, he has award-winning short films, which were screened in more than 180 film festivals, including selections at Rio Film Festival, Sao Paulo International Short Film Festival, Bogoshorts (Colombia), Fest New Directors | New Films (Portugal), Izmir International Short Film Festival (Turkey), Fantaspoa (Best Brazilian Short film in 2020), Festival Jóvenes Realizadores - Granada Film Fest (Spain), among others.
SA BURUTLAKAN
(WHERE THE SUN RISES)
Directors: Kyle Fredrick Jabian & Aaron Dave Escobido
Folkloric Fantasy I 8min, 9 sec I Philippines
CLOSING SHORT I WORLD PREMIERE
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Hilway and Luàs' quiet solitary lives were disturbed when they were invaded by beings that brought about darkness that engulfs nature and the skies— robbing them and their people of the sun that could promise their freedom. They flee to where the sun rises as they escape the invaders and hope for the sun to shine on them.
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NOV 11, 2023 (SAT) 5 PM
UPFI VIDEOTHEQUE
KYLE FREDRICK JABIAN
Kyle Jabian is a filmmaker from Calinog, Iloilo. Kyle is also editor and has edited the film, ‘Mga Aningal sang Taguangkan' (Echoes From the Womb) which had won in three International Film Festivals in Brazil (Best Screenplay), Colombia (Best Sound Design), and India (Best Director). He founded an independent production team named Melon Films which has produced award winning films in national and local film festivals. Some of his notable films are 'Kuris ka Kandila' (The Scribbles of Candles) which won Best Film during the Apoy at Lente Film Festival last 2021, and ‘Karang Dyan pa ang Bulak’ (Untainted Flowers) an official selection at Bakunawa Fest 7 (formerly, Bakunawa Young Cinema).
AARON DAVE ESCOBIDO
Aaron Dave Escobido is a filmmaker from Calinog, Iloilo and one of the co-founders of an independent production team named Cineastas A Vela Productions which has produced award-winning films and has been selected in international and local film festivals. He is also the cinematographer of films like ‘Singkal’ (Scorch) which was officially selected in international film festivals in the UK and Canada and in the 4th Pista ng Pelikulang Pilipino; and, ‘Ang May Akda: Ikatlong Yugto’ (The Author: Chapter Three) selected in more than 10 international film festivals and won Best in Category (Get to the Point) at Copenhagen Web Fest 2021 in Denmark and Extreme Scream Award at Berlin Flash Film Festival 2021 in Germany.