A local advocacy-driven film festival is set to return next year.
In a release last week, supermarket chain Puregold announced the return of its CinePanalo Film Festival in 2025. The retail company said that it is raising the production grants for full-length materials in the Philippines.
READ: Film grants up for grabs in 1st CinePanalo Filmfest
Vincent Co, Puregold president, their brand, which has delved into “retailtainment” is “proud to have started its mark in the Philippine film industry” following the success of the inaugural CinePanalo Film Festival last March.
“We aim to continue this for the benefit of Filipino students and filmmakers. This year, we challenge more aspiring filmmakers to push boundaries, tackle new matters and experimental approaches while raising Filipino heritage and values,” he said.
As part of their advocacy, seven deserving professional and amateur directors will receive P3 million film production grant each while 25 promising student filmmakers will each receive P150,000 for their short film production.
The supermarket chain said Puregold CinePanalo Film Fest has two categories: short films for students and campus-based filmmakers and full-length films for amateur and professional directors.
Unlike the inaugural festival run, they now require applicants to submit complete screenplays for their entries to allow the Selection Committee “to identify the most compelling and well-realized stories suited to the festival’s theme.”
The festival’s theme is “Mga Kwentong Panalo ng Buhay” and they are expecting entries with uplifting stories.
The runtime for full-length films must have a minimum length of 90 minutes while the student shorts have a maximum runtime of 20 minutes.
“We seek fresh perspectives in storytelling. Puregold CinePanalo aims to be a platform for local artists to take risks and be bold in their craft. Our goal is to bring more outstanding Filipino films to the national—and even global—stage,”Puregold senior marketing manager and festival director Ivy Hayagan-Piedad said.
Those who wish to join the festival line up can now apply at https://forms.gle/wNUUQ62okYcyW5r37. Full-length directors may submit applications until July 15,2024 while the deadline for student directors in the short film category is set on Aug.15, 2024.
The winning entries will be screened during the festival proper scheduled from March 14 to 25, 2025, at the Gateway Cinemas.
These films will be eligible for recognition at the Puregold CinePanalo Awards Night, which will be held on March 19, 2025.
The inaugural run of Puregold CinePanalo featured full-length films from directors such as Kurt Soberano, Sigrid Bernardo, Joel Ferrer, and more. Student shorts were produced by young filmmakers from UP Diliman, Polytechnic University of the Philippines, University of Santo Tomas, and other schools nationwide. — Rosette Adel
READ: Lights, Camera, Panalo: Puregold CinePanalo Film Festival introduces finalist directors | Who’s who: Winners of 1st Puregold Cinepanalo
