MANILA, Philippines - Organizers of the 4th Cinemalaya Philippine Independent Film Festival were giddy during the opening on Friday at the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP).

?I?m proud to say that all 10 finalists made it this year,? said Robbie Tan, chair of the production and monitoring team. In previous years, there was always a casualty, noted Laurice Guillen, competition director. She described the last few weeks before the launch as ?hora de peligro (danger hour),? when everyone ?buckled down to work.?

Finish line

Joel Cruz, director of ?Baby Angelo,? recalled 14 ?almost 24-hour work days.?

Onnah Valera, who wrote ?My Fake American Accent,? said, ?I didn?t need to be first at the finish line, but I had to get there.?

Ellen Ongkeko-Marfil, director of ?Boses,? said her material was a challenge in itself. ?Who would fund a film on classical music? A film about a battered child??

Michael Christian Cardoz, director of ?Ranchero,? agreed that budget was a huge concern all around. ?I was fortunate to have worked with kind and generous people.?

Obstacles aplenty

Obstacles have always been aplenty; in the past, not all were as lucky as this year?s 10 finalists. In the first Cinemalaya (2005), Francis Hechanova?s ?Angela, the Bading Assassin? had to drop out. The following year, Khavn de la Cruz?s ?Larombata? and Jon Lazam?s ?Mga Anino sa Apuhap? were disqualified.

Last year, Ed Lejano?s ?Sinungaling na Buwan? was shown during the festival, but couldn?t vie for awards because ?technical problems? prevented the filmmaker from submitting on time.

This year, Paul Morales? ?Concerto? almost didn?t beat the deadline, Tan said.

Morales commented, half in jest, that finishing his film ?required tremendous Will and Grace.?

?We?re very happy that we?re complete this year,? said Tess Rances, Cinemalaya coordinator. ?Our goal is for all the directors to finish.?

Carnival theme

Not all the filmmakers were present at the carnival-themed launch, though, Rances noted. ?Tara Illenberger (?Brutus? director) was in Mindoro.?

Earlier, Illenberger encountered a problem with a people?s organization that claimed her film violated Mangyan traditions.

?She secured all the permits and the screening will push through,? Rances pointed out.

Tonyboy Cojuangco, head of the Cinemalaya Foundation, said all 10 filmmakers ?challenged themselves to go further, in terms of quality and storytelling.?

Making the Cinemalaya launch more eventful was its opening film: Adolf Alix Jr.?s ?Adela? top-billed by Anita Linda.

The legendary actress was reduced to tears after receiving a standing ovation from the SRO crowd at the CCP Main Theater.

?The entire [1,800-seat] theater was filled, up to the fourth floor,? Rances said.

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