ONLINE SCREENINGS VARIED SECTIONS/PROGRAMS
BAKUNAWA FEST X proudly presents this year's ONLINE FILM SCREENINGS - a blend of fantastic, over-the-top, sensitive, meaningful, provocative and interetsing films from different places, diverse cultures and directors whose varying visions give audiences a wider perspective of the world beyond us.
MATA-ASYA (ASIAN-EYE) presented by Bakunawa Fest X
One of BAKUNAWA FEST's exciting programs is a collection of fab, flashy, freaky, fragile and fearless films from around Asia. Genre films - especially horror and fantasy - are a delectable specialty in Asia. So here goes this year's selected non-competition films that comprise Mata-Asya. Look if you dare!
We present two films under 'Mata-Asya' - both from the Philippines: 'Itom nga Bugas Kanaryo nga Ugat' and 'Sulyap'. One directed by a promising young filmmaker; the other, a seasoned artists whose creative career spanning 30 years include collaborations with filmmakers like Lav Diaz, Gil Portes, Manny Reyes and Bakunawa Shaman, Roxlee. Leonard Ian Blancada Billones and Wilfredo 'Yeye' Calderon present varying films - a horror and a meditative drama respectively. Both explores issues that matter to the Filipinos and touches on very universal themes.
ONLINE SCREENINGS OPENS 8 PM, OCT 17, 2023 / CLOSES 12 MIDNIGHT, NOV 12, 2023
ITOM NGA BUGAS KANARYO NGA UGAT (BLACK RICE YELLOW ROOTS)
2022, Leonard Ian Blancada Billones
14min, 34 sec I Horror, Drama
Philippines
MATA-ASYA - ASIAN EYE
Viewing Notes: Mature & Sensitive Themes. Viewers discretion advised.
SULYAP
(GLANCE) 2022
Wilfredo 'Yeye' Calderon
10min, 48sec I Drama, Mystery
Philippines
MATA-ASYA I ASIAN-EYE
PHILIPPINE PREMIERE
Viewing Notes: Yep, for all!
PANAGIN-UP KALIBUTAN (WORLD SHORTS)
We've chosen some of the fantastic short film submissions from around the world to bring them to you.. These out-of-competition films will be presented to you in curated programs during the in-person screenings.
Two documentaries were selected for the online screenings: 'Walking in These Shoes' - making its Asian Premiere' - and 'Not the Usual Travel Video About the Philippines' - a World Premiere. 'Walking in These Shoes' by filmmakers Christian Hui and Samuel Ernesto Lopez is an inspiring tribute to the late HIV activist Derek Yee, long-time volunteer of Casey House, who was denied admission to the HIV-specialty hospital during his end of life and died alone at home. 'Not the Usual Travel Video...." by filmmaker Fritz Kohle is a personal experimental documentary - a casual commentary about the Philippines and Filipinos from a foreigner's viewpoint. Both docus, though presented in mild tones, visually or otherwise, come with urgent messages to correct ommisisons or to carry out actions.
WALKING IN THESE SHOES (2022)
Christian Hui, Samuel Ernesto Lopez
12min, 21 sec I Documentary
Canada
PANAGIN-UP KALIBUTAN I WORLD SHORTS
ASIAN PREMIERE
Viewing Notes: Inspiring Themes
NOT THE USUAL TRAVEL VIDEO ABOUT THE PHILIPPINES (2022)
Fritz Kohle
28min, 33sec I Documentary, Experimental I Netherlands
PANAGIN-UP KALIBUTAN I WORLD SHORTS
WORLD PREMIERE
Viewing Notes: Socio-Political Themes
REW <
REW< (pronounced 'Rewind'), a non-competitive section, aims to revisit past films and bring them to the attention of our fantastic audiences. We believe that many films need to be watched and screened for nostalgia, nth time enjoyment or reassessment. The idea of REW< came from early childhood Betamax and VHS days wherein we rewind the 'tape' if love a film so much and rewatch it again before returning to the Video Shop. Of course, this reminds us too about being responsible audiences with the "Be kind, rewind!" reminder. By responsible we mean, respectful towards other audiences; agreeing to disagree with respect; appraising films subjectively but in a fair manner. This year's line-up for REW< is an exciting mix of Pinoy Western Action to a Japanese bloody Thriller to a Neo-Noir Surrealist psychological thriller from the director of Dune.
Our online film for REW< is 'Hideout', an action thriller that deals with human behavior, the consequences of such behavior and the struggle for change. The complications of life demand that we pay for every action we do and this thriller introduces us to characters who may have similar fates with us. Watch and see if this has ever happened to you but in a different kind of way. Allow us to rewind your memories for a reassessment. In this way, we can perhaps say that we learned from our story; from his story.
HIDEOUT
藏匿處 2021
Yen Kuang Chen
118min I Action, Thriller
Taiwan
REW < I REWIND
PHILIPPINE PREMIERE
Viewing Notes: Mature Themes / includes fight scenes
LAM-AG NGA BANAG-BANAG (EXCESSIVE DAWN)
Some festivals call it Midnight Program. Others call it Madness. BAKUNAWA FEST calls it 'Lam-ag nga Banag-banag' - Hiligaynon for Excessive Dawn. We're doing counter-programming this year as our new venues - UPFI Film Center and UPFI Videotheque - cannot accommodate midnight screenings so we're ironically screening the in-person films early in the morning. As the name of the section suggest, we're celebrating the excessive personal explorations of filmmakers and the bizarre themes they creatively explore from dawn to sunrise.
Meanwhile, there's one that you can watch during midnight or anytime you feel like taking a different kind of spiritual and mystical journey (this is a World Premiere): Quantum Men Reloaded by filmmaker Carlos Serrano Azcona - a personal and emotional documentary. Join the filmmaker as he plunges you to the world of shamansim.
QUANTUM MEN RELOADED
2023 Carlos Serrano Azcona
96min I Documentary, Mystery
Spain I Mexico
EXCESSIVE DAWN
WORLD PREMIERE
Viewing Notes: Mature Themes / Some Images may be sensitive for viewers / Discretion advised
The film is age-restricted and can be watched in Bakunawa Fest's YouTube account.