TINGIN celebrates strong, powerful women in Southeast Asian films

It’s been a landmark year for strong female representation in media and films – a much-needed
salve for these increasingly disturbing times. Thus, it’s fitting that the second TINGIN ASEAN Film
Festival will officially open tonight, November 26, at 6:30 PM at Gateway Cineplex, with an
award-winning film, The Last Reel, by Kulikar Sotho. She is the first woman director in Cambodia to
emerge on the global stage since the 1970s. The Last Reel features the character of Sophoun
(played by Ma Rynet), a headstrong teenager who becomes a filmmaker so she can complete her
mother’s long-forgotten movie. In the process, she uncovers dark secrets about her parents’ lives
during the Khmer Rouge regime. There will be a masterclass by director Kulikar Sotho on November
26 at 3:15 PM in Cinema 1 as well.


Hailed as one of the most revelatory film fests of 2017, the first TINGIN ASEAN Film Festival was
NCCA’s groundbreaking initiative that introduced students, teachers, filmmakers, and local art
enthusiasts to representative films from all over Southeast Asia. With our curiosity piqued and our
eyes firmly set on the cinemas of our ASEAN neighbours, TINGIN returns for the second time this
coming November 26 to 29, 2018 at the GATEWAY CINEPLEX in Cubao, Metro Manila.
Just like last year, admission to all of TINGIN Year II’s events (film screenings and master classes) is
completely free of charge. The impressive film selection of TINGIN this year includes Yasmine
(Brunei), A Copy of My Mind (Indonesia), Vientiane In Love (Lao PDR), The Monk (Myanmar), hUSh
(Singapore), The Road to Mandalay (ASEAN x Taiwan), Homogenous, Empty Time (Thailand), and
Big Father, Small Father and Other Stories (Vietnam).
Thus says NCCA Commissioner Teddy Co: “This festival will once again encourage meaningful
discussions and collaborations with our colleagues and friends in Southeast Asia. In this Post-Truth
era where fake news is threatening to become the norm, the stories we tell each other (through film)
may be perhaps our best and most effective line of defense.”
Maya Quirino, TINGIN festival head, tells us more of what we can look forward to this year: “We are
excited about showing two foundational films (Perfumed Nightmare, and Who Invented the Yoyo?
Who Invented the Buggy?) by our own National Artist for Film, the inimitable Kidlat Tahimik, to a
whole new generation. Yield, Victor Tarago’s quietly powerful documentary, shall surely hold
audiences enthrall with its stark portrayal of child labor and pervasive poverty in the Philippines.”
In addition to these screenings, special sessions have been arranged for the audiences to better
appreciate the creative processes of our film directors, namely:
- Masterclass by Victor Tagaro, Director (Yield, Philippines) on November 27 at 5:00 PM in Cinema
6 will immediately follow the screening, at 3:15 PM;
- Lecture: The Art of Kidlat Tahimik on November 28 at 2:40 PM in Cinema 6, set between the
screenings of his short films, Perfumed Nightmare (1:00 PM) and Who Invented the Yoyo? Who
Invented the Buggy? (3:40 PM)
In line with NCCA’s goal to help build strong ties with our ASEAN neighbours through culture and the
arts, TINGIN promises to be a celebration of our multifaceted region’s many cinematic treasures.
This will also encourage Filipino audiences to gain a deeper appreciation of our Southeast Asian
peers.

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