I've already mentioned Aureaus Solito's magical Suring at ang Kuk-Ok. Others include Tad Ermitano's science-fictional psuedo-documentary The Retrochronological Transfer of Information (which actually went to Yamagata's international documentary festival), Roxlee's anarchic The Great Smoke, and Raymond Red's silent-film style Ang Magpakailanman.
And I'd say Mike de Leon's Aliwan Paradise , Lino Brocka's Bukas, Madilim, Bukas, Ishmael Bernal's Frigidyer, and Mario O'Hara's Halimaw sa Banga also qualify.
That would be my top shelf. Other very interesting works I've been lucky to catch are Khavn's Pugot, Raymond's Anino, A Study for the Skies, Balut, and one I can't remember the title of, only it featured two men on a bunk bed.
I always hear about that short of Tad's. Been trying to get a copy for some time now. Gotta follow up on that.
I really like Auraeus'
Suring at Ang Kuk-ok, and Rox's
Great Smoke. Haven't seen the shorts of Mike, Lino or Mario. Any idea where one might get a copy?
A Study for the Skies and
Ang Hikab (I think that's the one you are referring to, with the two men on the bunks. One of my personal favourites of Raymond's shorts). I'd add to your list
Makapili, his short study for the long anticipated feature length work. Quark's
Childstar starring G Toengi, a student work that he made in New York on color and b/w 16mm about a former childstar now floundering actress' need for acceptanace and attention, and Khavn's
Amen, a comical look at the practice of making
mano.
Some recent ones that I like quite a lot...
- Davao raised ADMU student Sherad Sanchez's (Davao-shot) haunting elegy on child prostitution and innocence lost,
Apple, which premiered internationally at the Rotterdam Film Festival.
- Raya Martin's atmospheric
Bakasyon, the story of a young girl visiting her lola that plays around with the
aswang legend, which won the Ishmael Bernal Award for Young Cinema at Cinemanila last year
- The personal experimental short films of John Torres,
Tawid Gutom,
Salat, and
Kung Paano Kita Liligawan Nang Di Kumakapit Sa Iyo-- very original and I'd even say poetic, haven't seen local shorts like them before. These are his first three shorts, and all were accepted into this years Singapore Film Festival.
