Montañosa Film Festival 2023: Films To Watch Out For, Schedule, And More!

Montañosa Film Festival 2023 Official Photo

Image credit: Montañosa Film Festival (Facebook)

The Montañosa Film Festival is here!

A home for local filmmakers from all over the Cordillera and Philippines to showcase and hone their craft, the festival is where you can see some of the rising filmmakers of the country. And it’s also where you can enjoy the craft of filmmaking in all its glory.

This year’s theme is “Divergence + Convergence.” Expect to see dozens of unique, thought-provoking, entertaining, and eye-opening films from all over the country. So buckle up, get ready to go movie surfing, and enjoy!

Montañosa Film Festival History

The Montañosa Film Festival was established through the Cordillera’s culture of Binnadang. This refers to the communal unity or bayanihan among the city and region’s people. It is also considered the first-ever independent film festival in Cordillera. And it aims to celebrate the region’s heritage and establish Baguio City as a home to independent filmmakers.

As an avenue to revive the tourism industry, MFF first rolled out reels of film in 2021 with the theme “Crossing Borders.” A second celebration later followed in 2022 with the theme “Mindset Change For Climate Change.”

Up-and-coming independent homegrown filmmakers from Cordillera and the rest of the country showcase their films through competitions during the celebration. The entries of selected finalists will have full screening opportunities. However, unlike previous years, this year’s festival is extra special. This year, MFFF has collaborated with Cinema Rehiyon 15, under the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCAA). This led to Cinema Rehiyon 15 @ Montañosa Film Festival. And this partnership is expected to pave the way for a wide range of regional films from all over the country.

Montañosa Film Festival 2023 Schedule

As previously declared by Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Magalong through Executive Order No. 24, series of 2023, the whole month of March is for the celebration of the Montañosa Film Festival 2023. This month-long celebration hails various activities from March 1 to April 2.

Following the media launch last March 1, Cinema Rehiyon 15 @ MFF 2023’s Opening gala is on March 25. Meanwhile, the Sine Musikain: MFF Food, Music, and Movie Fest will begin on March 25 to March 31. As for the screening of films, the online screening for Cinema Rehiyon 15 will be on March 26. The festival’s indoor and outdoor screenings are scheduled on March 29 to March 31.

Films To Watch Out For

Featuring stories and experiences through various films, Cinema Rehiyon 15 @ MFF2023 includes different competition categories. The categories include Mobile Films, Documentary Films, and Narrative Films. Cinema Rehiyon 15 will also feature films under the Best of Regions and Thematic Categories.

Can’t wait to see what this year’s film festival has in store for us? Here are partial lists of films that you should watch out for:

Narrative Films Semi Finalists

The Best of Regions and Thematic (Cinema, Memory, History)

Editor’s note: Our staff works hard to bring you the latest information. However, all information mentioned in this article is subject to change. As always, please confirm before heading out.

Facebook Comments