Just six weeks to go until the Virgin Labfest premieres in the Visayas region. This is the second time that the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) will bring its largest festival of untried, untested, and un-staged one-act plays to the regions. An Extra VLF, as we call it.
The first one was held in Cagayan de Oro, dubbed “Unang Puga,” featuring nine plays written, directed and performed by Mindanaoan playwrights, directors, performers, and cast. This year, catch VLF Visayas Lab-as, with plays written and directed by Visayan playwrights and directors, performed by local talents.
Aside from the performances, the CCP takes its two-week mentorship program on the study and practice of dramatic writing for the stage, dubbed the Virgin Labfest (VLF) Writing Fellowship Program, to the Visayas region this November.
For several years, the CCP has hosted the VLF Writing Fellowship Program as part of its mission to nurture emerging playwrights who support artistic and cultural endeavors. In the previous year, in collaboration with The Performance Laboratory, Inc. and the Negros Museum, the CCP extended this program to the Visayas region. The goal was to train young Filipino playwrights and provide them with opportunities to explore the possibilities of pursuing a professional career in the arts.
This initiative aligns with the CCP’s commitment to expanding artistic opportunities and creative collaborations for all Filipinos, particularly the youth and reaching out to regional communities. While the program follows the basic curriculum of the VLF Writing Fellowship Program in Manila, it is tailored to the cultural context of the Visayas region to better reflect the voices and experiences of the participants.
In its second year, the regional leg of the VLF Writing Fellowship Program, in partnership with The Performance Laboratory, Inc., will be held online and on-site at the Negros Museum in Bacolod City, Negros Occidental, from November 7 to 18.
Eight new fellows from various regions will join the program, guided by renowned playwright Glenn Sevilla Mas. They will have the opportunity to immerse themselves in Virgin Labfest Visayas’s Lab-as, which is the regional counterpart of CCP’s largest theater festival, showcasing untried, untested, and unstaged one-act plays.
During the two-week mentorship, the fellows will attend lectures, participate in script critiques, engage in writing sessions, and interact with established playwrights, directors, and actors.
The program will culminate with a staged reading of the fellows’ works on November 18 at 5:00 p.m., also at the Negros Museum.
Organized by the CCP Artist Training Division, the VLF Writing Fellowship Program is an integral educational component of the Virgin Labfest, co-produced by the CCP, Tanghalang Pilipino, and the Writer’s Bloc. This renowned theater festival is known for producing innovative and outstanding ‘virgin’ plays, many of which have received recognition from the Palanca Awards for Literature.
***
Meanwhile, the CCP and Cinemalaya Foundation Inc. are gearing up for the 2025 edition by announcing a call for entries in the full-length feature competition category.
Following the successful 19th edition, the Cinemalaya Philippine Independent Film Festival is accepting submissions until November 17.
In its 20th year, this leading independent film festival remains committed to fostering innovative filmmaking and supporting aspiring independent filmmakers looking to leave their mark on the industry in 2025.
Those who are interested in submitting their entries may submit it ONLINE through https://forms.gle/UGr1ayAmASL2hSp98 or OFFLINE at the Film, Broadcast, and New Media Division office, located at the Cultural Center of the Philippines Annex Building, Vicente Sotto St., Pasay City.
For online submissions, interested parties must submit the following requirements: the concept paper of the project containing the premise(s) of the film, the genre, the tagline, the key characters, and their descriptions in Filipino or English; a two-page synopsis/storyline of the film project; resume of the proponent/s; two recent photos of proponent/s; and a sample of the work directed by the proponent.
For offline submissions, participants should submit the duly accomplished 2025 Entry Form which can be downloaded from www.culturalcenter.gov.ph or www.cinemalaya.org; concept paper; storyline, resume of the proponents and recent photos. Submit in six (6) copies in a long brown envelope properly labeled with the proponent’s name, title of film entry, and contact details. The sheets containing the concept paper must NOT bear the name of the proponent. Full scripts will not be accepted.
Interested participants may submit a maximum of three entries. However, only one entry per proponent may be considered as a finalist. Works already in principal photography or post-production phase before JULY 2024 are disqualified, except for documentaries.
Works that are attached to film and television productions, as well as those of local streaming platforms, are eligible for submission as long as said works are not commissioned projects but originated from the filmmaker as a proponent. Commissioned works from commercial platforms are disqualified for consideration.
By FEBRUARY 2, 2024 (Friday), the Cinemalaya Competition Committee shall select 30 promising submissions, whose proponents will be invited to a pitching session for their respective projects. The initial selection would be narrowed down to 20 entries, whose proponents will undergo the Cinemalaya Film Lab, a three-month-long film-laboratory mentorship program which brings together resource persons from different aspects of filmmaking, from scriptwriting, directing, cinematography, performance, editing, production design, sound, music, production management, and promotion strategies.
Since 2005, Cinemalaya has been committed to the development and promotion of Philippine independent film. At its core, it provides an avenue for the production of cinematic works of Filipino independent filmmakers that boldly articulate and freely interpret the Filipino experience with fresh insight and artistic integrity. With its call for submissions for the 2025 full-length film competition, Cinemalaya continues to invigorate the Philippine film industry by developing a new breed of Filipino filmmakers.
For full mechanics, visit the CCP website (www.culturalcenter.gov.ph) and the Cinemalaya website (www.cinemalaya.org). Follow the official CCP and Cinemalaya social media accounts on Facebook, X, Instagram, and Tiktok.
