In the streaming age, a movie night at home is hardly a straightforward thing. With thousands of titles within reach, the feeling of option paralysis is all too real. For people who create what is consumed, a similar struggle exists. Independent filmmakers spend months developing their passion projects. From there, the finished work is prepped for exhibition. And so the cycle begins, that of filling out application forms and chasing deadlines for a shot at being a part of a film festival. These days, it seems like there’s one for every niche, in every locality.
Since 2011, the Binisaya Film Festival has been a home for the burgeoning Cebu film scene, sharing and celebrating short films by storytellers from the regions. Their story began 14 years ago at the University of San Carlos, inside the College of Architecture and Fine Arts Lecture Theater. Its initial run as a fest coincided with the inauguration of the school’s four-year BFA Cinema program, the first of its kind in Cebu back then. Screenings have since expanded to mall movie theaters and mixed-use venues. Every edition of Binisaya always keeps people guessing and on their toes. When’s it going to be? Where? The No Permanent Address nature of Binisaya certainly adds to the excitement, but it does make one wonder: is it a bug or a feature? Cebu has the unique yet unfortunate status of being a highly urbanized city that still doesn’t have a cinematheque. Without a physical standalone film space, the official programs by the Film Development Council of the Philippines are out of reach. Seemingly in response to its absence, Binisaya takes place anywhere the team can set up a projector and screen, whether it’s a basketball court or rooftop parking lot.
Binisaya maintains close ties with other schools in ways beyond needing a place to stay. After all, a festival needs people to function and there are plenty of roles to fill. From registration attendants to tech teams at the projectionist’s booth, young volunteers lending their time and talents are a familiar sight in the cultural event circuit. Besides being a labor resource, students are also a source of material. A substantial number of submissions are thesis films with logos of universities emblazoned in the credits. It’s also the young ones who go all out for the nearly yearly Binisaya Shoot Out. This is a popular side activity that happens in the days leading up to the main event. Small teams pull out all-nighters to write, shoot and edit a micro short film in which they must incorporate a prop or line as creatively as they can. Their works are typically produced within 24 to 48 hours—a cinemathon challenge. Besides screenings, Binisaya also hosts film talks and other workshops. Filmmaker Glenn Barit and film academic Ed Cabagnot were its most recent guests who flew in for a lecture at The Kabilin Center.
With the amount of productions in circulation every year, festival programmers have a lot on their plate once they call for submissions. The final film lineup must be cohesive and on-brand. Some selection committees might prioritize technical prowess that emulate a polished professionalism. Others may prefer having sociopolitical commentary to advance an advocacy. Since its inception, Binisaya has always been a haven for auteurs with a distinct cinematic vision. Over the years, the Binisaya Best Film award has gone to the animated Sierra Madre (2017) by Jovanni Tinapay, experimental works like Octogod (2019) by Shievar Olegario and the documentary Kahayag sa Kangitngit (2021) by Carl Lara.
When asked what brings her back to the festival year after year, Ashley Manugas of The Brief History of a Filipino Astronaut (2023)—a science fiction romance that won Best Film for Binisaya 2024—says “Binisaya is so freestyle. No matter what your trip is, they’re open to all ideas.”
One of the most prolific young filmmakers in Cebu, her cross-genre body of work includes films like Propesiya (2017), The Best Employee (2018) , Martes Martes (2019) Sa Adlaw na Nabiyaan Mi sa School Bus (2020). All five films have been screened in previous editions of the festival. In many ways, Binisaya has had front row seats in witnessing her growth as an artist.
Her winning streak continues with Kataw (2024), awarded Best Film at Mga Kwento ng Klima, a climate-themed mobile filmmaking contest organized by the Oscar M. Lopez Center.
It could be said that Binisaya’s current curatorial culture is an after-effect of the Cebuano New Wave. Some works that define this exciting, eclectic filmmaking era include Jerrold Tarog and Ruel Antipuesto’s Confessional (2007), Remton Zuasola’s one-take drama Ang Damgo ni Eleuteria (2010), Victor Villanueva’s absurdist horror My Paranormal Romance (2011), Ivan Zaldarriaga’s zombie thriller Di Ingon ‘Nato (2011), Ara Chawdhury’s queer magical realist debut feature Miss Bulalacao (2015), Christian Linaban’s stoner comedy Superpsychocebu (2016), along with festival founder Keith Deligero’s Kordero ng Diyos (2012).
Indie productions (in)famously subject crew members to the fate of the multitasker. In the case of Binisaya, the filmmaker often becomes the film festival organizer. Binisaya 2024 festival director Danielle Aballe-delos Reyes puts it this way. “Although it’s not a necessity for a festival director to be a filmmaker, there’s a sincerity and empathy that comes with someone who knows the whole nine yards of filmmaking. There’s an awareness about how things are made. They become a bridge between the makers and the audience.”
If the posts on the Binisaya Facebook page are any indication, plans for next year’s fest are already underway. Hiccups have certainly happened and yet it’s still standing. Perhaps what it lacks in infrastructure, it makes up for in heart. Grit is the glue that keeps it going. On the last night of the festival, a symbolic ceremony had attendees lighting up the pitch black theater with their phones raised, the brightness level at 100%. Festival founder Keith Deligero shared a sentiment of solidarity. “With whatever technology available, from our devices… we can be heard if we do it together.” It was a solemn moment of silence for those in the dark and the depths, but it was also a call to action, a reminder to take up space, because our stories matter.
All photos taken from Binisaya Film Festival Photo Archives. Follow their official Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/binisaya
Comments