place in the afternoon, which will be led by Liza Ofianga and Jomel Lucenario. They will be promoting local incentive programs, organizing set visits, and exploring various filming locations in Iloilo.
The initiative aims to increase the number of applications and attract new and high-quality projects by marketing the program at major local film festivals in the country, and provide an immersive experience, allowing delegates to witness the unique and diverse settings that Iloilo has to offer for cinematic productions.
Aside from film screenings and talks, there will be a book exhibit all throughout the three-day festival, which is curated by Eric Abalajon whose writings on film have appeared in Alon: Journal for Filipinx American and Diasporic Studies; Southeast Asian Media Studies Journal; Pelikula: A Journal of Philippine Cinema and Moving Image.
Meanwhile, the documentary film "Ghosts of Kalantiaw '' written and directed by Chuck Escasa and produced by Aimee Apostol-Escasa will serve as the closing show of the festival.
Cinema Rehiyon said that the film is keenly relevant as it invokes the specter of the pseudo historical Datu Kalantiaw, which was once credited with creating the first legal code in the Philippines, known as the Code of Kalantiaw.
"The film explores the complex interplay between truth and the post-truth era. Taking viewers on a journey from the realm of fabricated history to the present time, Chuck Escasa emphasizes the perils of neglecting the past. Ghosts of Kalantiaw is a warning against the manipulation of historical narratives for contemporary gain," it added.
The Cinema Rehiyon is still part of the celebration of this year's National Arts Month, which seeks to encapsulate the idea that the bountiful harvest of a Filipino creative nation is drawn from the products of human imagination, not just of individuals but of people as a collective; and that artistic endeavors are celebrated as essential contributions to the nation's development and cultural richness. (AAL/JNH/PIA Iloilo)
