MANILA, Philippines?As the 11th Cinemanila International Film Festival opens Thursday at Bonifacio Global City in Taguig, its founder and prime mover, Tikoy Aguiluz, is only too happy to declare: ?Pinoy films have completely changed. When we started the festival in 1999, finding local works was a big problem. Now, for the first time, we?re opening and closing with Filipino films.?

Apart from offering some of the best of World Cinema?consisting of more than 100 full-length features, shorts and documentaries from different parts of the globe?Cinemanila 2009?s opener is Brillante Mendoza?s ?Lola,? which, coincidentally, takes an unflinching look at people dealing with hard times amid a brewing storm.

For the next 10 days, those trooping to Fort Bonifacio will have a choice of sampling the rest of the lineup at the following venues: Cinemas 4, 5, 6 and 7 at Market! Market!; U View at Fully Booked; and outdoor screenings (with tents) on Bonifacio High Street. (Log on to cinemanila.org for schedules.)

A number of films in the Main Competition section are winners in various festivals: the Philippines? ?Independencia? (Grand Prize, Southeast Asian Competition, Bangkok International Film Fest 2009); Australia?s ?Samson and Delilah? (Golden Camera Award, Cannes 2009); Chile/Brazil?s ?Tony Manero? (KNF Award, Rotterdam 2009); Spain/Peru?s ?Milk of Sorrows? (Golden Bear FIPRESCI Award, Berlin 2009), among others.

Cinemanila ends on Oct. 25 with Raymond Red?s ?Himpapawid.?