A scene from “Chengdu, Wo Ai Ni,” Hong Kong’s entry to the Main Competition of the 11th Cinemanila.

Mexican actor Diego Luna won’t make it to this year’s Cinemanila but a dozen foreign film artists and other proponents will nonetheless grace the 11th edition of the annual international film festival when it runs from Oct. 15 to 25 in Taguig City.

American writer-director Paul Schrader, whose participation in the event was earlier publicized along with the supposed attendance of Luna, will proceed with his Master Class on Oct. 20 at the Cinema 7 of Market! Market! prior to the screening of his latest opus, “Adam Resurrected..”

Indonesian film critic Eric Sasano will judge the International Competition together with recent Cannes winner Brilliante Mendoza.

Sonja Heinen of the Berlin (Germany) International Film Festival and the World Cinema Fund will be present at the Digital Lokal competition along with Un-Seong Yoo of the Jeonju (Korea) International Film Festival and  Filipino director Sherad Anthony Sanchez.

Joel Shepard, adjudged Best Film Programmer for his work as film and video curator of the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts, share jury duties for the SEA Film Competition with Tan Bee Thiam of the Asian Film Archive and this year’s Urian Best Actor, Ronnie Lazaro      

Malaysian director Tan Chui Mui, Thai film critic Kong Rithdee and homegrown filmmaker John Torres will select the best in the Young Cinema Competition.     

Organizers of the 11th Cinemanila also told Manila Bulletin Entertainment Online that Taiwanese-born actress Anya Wu will represent Fruit Chan’s “Chengdu, Wo Ai Ni,” Hong Kong’s entry to the Main Competition of the festival.

Singaporean actor Francis Bosco, HK actress Maggie Lee and Fil-Am animator Arvin Bautista are likewise expected to attend the 10-day event.

Diego Luna’s fans may find solace in the festival’s Three From Mexico section featuring the movies “J.C. Chavez,” “Lake Tahoe” and “Los Bartardos” or even in “Mammoth,” a film by Swedish director Lukas Moodysson that stars Luna’s amigo, Gael Garcia Bernal.

Then again, there are numerous cinematic choices in Cinemanila that moviegoers will enjoy regardless if they are unfamiliar with Luna or any of the foreign guests.