Increased representation at this year’s Cannes festival – from Lav Diaz to Kyla Danelle Romero – is sparking hopes that the country’s movies may finally get more widely distributed
The news is a welcome sign that Filipino cinema may be ready to make an international comeback and shows “a renewed interest in what artists from this side of the world have to offer in terms of cinematic storytelling,” according to Anne Frances Sangil, associate professor at De La Salle University.
Despite its lack of overseas influence, Filipino cinema has been quietly flourishing domestically for some time.
“The new era of Filipino cinema began long ago, with the coming of the New Wave [around the millennium],” says Parichay Patra, a film critic, academic and co-editor of Sine Ni Lav Diaz, the first book-length study of Lav Diaz. “With more dedicated festivals, short and independent works, it could acquire more visibility on the international scene.”
Shorter works are likely crucial for greater exposure. While Diaz is the most acclaimed modern Filipino director, the formidable run times of many of his films – such as Evolution of a Filipino Family (over 10 hours) and Death in the Land of Encantos (nine hours) – pose a significant hurdle for distribution and audience engagement.
