THE National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) will hold the fifth installment of Cinema Rehiyon, the flagship project of the Cinema Committee of the NCCA’s Subcommission on the Arts spearheaded by Dr. Mike Rapatan, in the University of the Philippines Los Baños (UPLB) from February 5 to 8, 2013.

This project by the NCCA is done as a celebration of the National Arts Month (NAM) every February and is part of the Philippine Arts Festival (PAF).

Cinema Rehiyon is a film festival that showcases the works of Filipino filmmakers from all over the Philippines. This year, Cinema Rehiyon is guided by the theme “Cinemas of home.” Established and budding filmmakers will grace the event as well as film enthusiasts, critics and movie stars.

This year, the flagship project of NCCA’s Cinema Committee is done in partnership with pelikuLAB and the UPLB Foundation Inc. (UPLBFI), with UPLB Office for Initiatives in Culture and the Arts (OICA) as its major sponsor.

Aside from the numerous films that will be screened in UPLB, the 2013 Short Film Competition is included in Cinema Rehiyon’s list of activities. The contest will be held on February 5 and will coincide with the screening of other Filipino movies.

Live performances are also expected during the festival as delegates and spectators will have a trip to the Philippine High School for the Arts. It will not only be about the visuals of cinema because there will also be a program on film, dance and theater.

Filmmakers, critics and the audience of Cinema Rehiyon will have a chance to mingle with each other and talk about the issues that concern filmmaking in the Philippines. Topics such as Master Class in Directing or Acting, Writing for Film (Film Journalism, Bloggers and Scholarship), Redefining Philippine Cinema: The Case of Regional Cinemas, Practices of Regional Filmmaking and Regional Film Festivals and Film programming could be possibly discussed. The film festival proper will be capped off with a dinner and swimming party.

Cinema Rehiyon is annually done by the NCCA as a promotion of the Filipinos artistry in the field of cinema. It also aims to bring different works of Filipino filmmakers to different audiences and communities. It is a platform for filmmakers to exhibit their works and interact with other filmmakers and stakeholders.

The festival raises awareness among its audience and the Filipinos about the abundance of filmmaking in the country visibly embodied by the works of the regional filmmakers. Most of these films hold culturally rooted narratives that promote and gives a visual sense of awareness. Organizers, curators and programmers are given a chance to build their networks and share expertise with one another.

For more details on the activities and schedules, contact PAF Media Director and NCCA-Public Affairs and Information Office (PAIO) head, Rene Sanchez Napeñas at (632) 527-2192 or at 0928.5081057. Log on to www.ncca.gov.ph or email us at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .