MANILA, Philippines?Good news!

Only days after the Inquirer reported on the problems of indie filmmakers who are invited to festivals abroad, Gutierrez Mangansakan II, director of Venice-bound movie ?Limbunan,? wrote on Facebook that he?s ?overwhelmed by the outpouring of support and generosity?from cousins to high school batchmates, from the press to cultural leaders, from distant relatives to strangers to Pinoys in foreign lands.?

He told the Inquirer that ?the National Commission on Culture and the Arts saved the day? and paid for his ticket to Italy.

He wrote in his blog: ?I realized that, despite the seemingly insurmountable difficulties ... the most important thing is that people do care. That in itself is reward enough for me.?

Meanwhile, Danny Añonuevo, whose film, ?Rekrut,? is competing in the First Films section of the Montreal World Film Festival, managed to buy a plane ticket on credit.

On the eve of his flight to Canada on Wednesday, Añonuevo told the Inquirer that he still hoped to find a sponsor to shoulder the cost.

In Korea, the Philippines headlines the 15th Pusan Film Festival to be held next month, with 10 entries: Sheron Dayoc?s ?Halaw? and Francis Xavier Pasion?s ?Sampaguita? in the new filmmakers? competition; Mark Meily?s ?Donor,? Chito Roño?s ?Emir,? Kim Homer C. Garcia?s ?Magkakapatid? and Adolf Alix?s ?Chassis? in the exhibition section; Chris Martinez?s ?Here Comes the Bride? in the open exhibition; Zurich Chan?s ?Boca? and Rommel Tolentino?s ?P? in shorts contest. Bayani San Diego Jr.