AS ANNOUNCED by Briccio Santos, head of the Film Development Council of the Philippines (FDCP), at the Inquirer Indie Tribute last month, the first Sineng Pambansa or National Cinema film festival will run in Iloilo City from January 19 to 21.

Quick on the heels of the recently concluded Metro Manila Film Festival, the Sineng Pambansa will showcase 11 independently produced movies, which will be shown for three days at SM City Iloilo.

The films included in the lineup have been shown in festivals here and abroad: Ralston Jover?s ?Baseco Bakal Boys?; Richard Somes? ?Yanggaw?; Joel Lamangan?s ?Sigwa?; Raul Jorolan?s ?Red Shoes?; Chito Roño?s ?Emir?; Raymond Red?s ?Himpapawid?; Brillante Ma. Mendoza?s ?Lola?; Jim Libiran?s ?Happyland?; Sheron Dayoc?s ?Halaw?; Francis Xavier Pasion?s ?Sampaguita?; and Monster Jimenez?s ?Kano.?

In his speech during the Inquirer Indie Tribute, Santos said that after Iloilo City, another Sineng Pambansa festival will be held in ?Zamboanga City in February and in Baguio City in March.?

?The FDCP will be launching seven local film fests in key cities in 2011 and we expect to hold more in 2012,? Santos said.

Partnership

He related that the first Sineng Pambansa is a ?partnership between the FDCP and the city government, through the office of Iloilo Mayor Jed Patrick Mabilog and the local tourism office.?

On November 30 last year, a memorandum of agreement was signed between the FDCP and the Iloilo City government.

Mayor Mabilog noted the ?importance of the program? in the context of Iloilo?s rich cultural heritage. He said that the city and its people are proud to participate in the launch of Sineng Pambansa. He envisions that it will become an annual film fest, perhaps with an international component, too.?

Santos explained that the Sineng Pambansa will provide a venue for indie films to be shown in various regions and give the audience a fresh perspective on and appreciation of the new breed of films.

He pointed out: ?We take pride in the achievements of indie filmmakers in festivals abroad, but it will be even better to be honored and recognized in their own communities.?

?Cinematheques?

Santos described the Sineng Pambansa as ?a unifying move by the FDCP, to consolidate all efforts ? to establish a true national cinema.?

In a related development, Santos also announced at the Inquirer Indie Tribute that the FDCP will open a ?clearing house? in Makati as a first step towards a national archive, along with the first cinematheque, also in Makati, this month.

?Another cinematheque will be established in Baguio City in March,? he said. ?FDCP aims to open four cinematheques in 2011 and eventually 16 cinematheques?one for each region.?

He explained that the cinematheque ?will showcase films from different genres and hold workshops and symposia for students, filmmakers and cinéastes.?