Over time, movie audiences have been treated with multitudinous films specifically made “based on a true story.” This claim often sparks interest to analogize how the film breathes life into the lead characters and recreates scenes that may seem unimaginable to many. Whether the cinematic attempt lends credence to the real story or not, the obligation rests solely… Read More »

The concept of Catholicism interspersed with the pursuit of Rizalism proffers a stark contradiction, notably if one is drawn to the historical facts that led to the martyrdom of the Philippine national hero, Dr. Jose Rizal. Delineated images of oppressive friars during the 19th century elucidated by Rizal himself in his novels do not seem to augur a… Read More »

…”We’re goin’ up, up, up, it’s our moment You know together we’re glowin’, gonna be, gonna be golden”… When these lyrics of the song, “Golden,” played in my ears for the first time, every word persisted in my memory. “Golden” is the theme song of the animated feature film, “K-Pop Demon Hunters,” which was nominated for the Golden… Read More »

“…To The Victory” is a unanimous choice for this year’s “Platform award” amongst a very strong selection. Bringing cinematic language to its roots and at the same time masterfully playing with audience expectation, this film dismantles convention to reveal deeply resonant universal emotion. Director Valentyn Vasyanovych has choreographed a mise-en-scène, rendered with masterful precision, arriving at the kind… Read More »

This year is winding up, heralding some semblance to contemplate on how the world of cinema has managed to persevere and survive. Every cinephile can attest that the film industry they lean on continues to deal with major hurdles: reduction of audience numbers in theatres, monstrous streaming competition, fractious consequence of artificial intelligence (AI) on creativity, and soaring… Read More »

“ELEANOR THE GREAT” Award-winning actress Scarlett Johansson pours out her passion and extensive film experience through her directorial debut, “Eleanor the Great.” Taking into account her status as the highest grossing leading film actor of all time worldwide for her iconic roles such as Black Widow in the colossal Marvel sci-fi series, Johansson deviates from such theme and… Read More »

“A PRIVATE LIFE” Among hundreds of films that were showcased at TIFF50, I intuitively put “A Private Life” (Vie privée) on top of my list, not only because its lead star is the multi-awarded actress and director Jodie Foster; I was, in fact, looking forward to watching her speak full French during the entirety of the film. Indeed,… Read More »

The backdrop of a picturesque and breathtaking landscape of the early 19th century Hispaniola exudes a cinematic grandeur that entices the viewer to indulge in the riveting story of the film, “Under the Same Sun” (“Bajo El Mismo Sol”). With award-winning Spanish director and screenwriter Ulises Porra at the helm, he brings an outstanding ensemble of three young… Read More »

Part 2 – FROM THE GOLDEN AGE OF PHILIPPINE CINEMA  Just like the “70s and ‘80s,  the late National Artist Lino Brocka ushered the ‘90s with his last film entitled “Gumapang Ka sa Lusak” under Asian Horizons, together with “Dreaming Filipinos” by Manny Reyes. There was one in 1992, “Ang Totoong Buhay ni Pacita M.” by Elwood Perez.… Read More »

After 1,200 film screenings, multiple gala presentations, and 110 red carpets for eleven consecutive days, TIFF50 concluded by honouring outstanding films during the awards ceremony on September 14, 2025 at TIFF Lightbox Cinema. Filmmakers, accredited press and media, guests, and TIFF organizers gathered together to celebrate. As TIFF’s accredited press, Roberto and I were invited so we obliged.… Read More »