Cinemanila festival director Amable “Tikoy” Aguiluz is thankful that Taguig Mayor Freddie Tinga did not suggest changing the name of the festival as a condition for its transfer to the city.

“That was my biggest apprehension when we were mulling making Taguig our home,” Aguiluz told Manila Bulletin Online and other members of the press at the launch of the 11th Cinemanila International Film Festival on Aug. 4. “And if mayor did suggest it, he would have had a point.”

“But he did not. Mayor Tinga understands that ‘Manila’ in the festival name is homage to a culture [of a group of cities in Metro Manila]. Now I am sure that we made the right choice in coming to Taguig.”

Aguiluz said that he sent the proposal to Mayor Tinga reluctantly “kasi I don’t know him personally at wala kaming padrino.”

Ironically, Mayor Tinga jumped at the idea as soon as he got wind of it.      

“I immediately had my secretary call up Tikoy to verify if he is serious with the proposal because it’s exactly what we need at this point,” said Tinga.

The mayor believes Cinemanila’s presence will further fortify Taguig’s reputation as one of the fastest developing cities in the country.

“It’s not enough that the World Bank named Taguig the most business friendly city in the country,” said Tinga. “Kahit anong lungsod, pag walang kultura at panay negosyo lang, patay yon.”

Mayor Tinga recalls a time when Taguig City residents felt inferior to those from nearby cities.

“Dati, tumitiklop ang mga taga-Taguig kapag natatabi sa mga taga-Makati o Quezon City. Pag sinabing taga-Taguig, walang nakakakilala n’yan. Times have changed,” he said.

The films selected for Cinemanila this year will be shown in theatres inside Market! Market! and Serendra Mall. The awards night for the festival will be held at NBC Tent at The Fort on October 23, 2009.         

This year’s Cinemalaya once again boasts of an impressive line-up of 100 international and local films - from the current toasts of the local indie scene to the award-winners and favourites at prestigious festivals such as Cannes, Berlin, Rotterdam, Sundance, and Pusan.

Running from October 15-25, the festival will also present Sine Baranggay that feature workshops, seminars and master classes.

Cannes Palme d’Or Best Director Brillante Mendoza heads Cinemanila’s Main Competition Jury. Cinemanila was one of the very first to recognize Mendoza’s genius when it awarded him the Lino Brocka Award for his film, “Manoro.” Mendoza was also Cinemanila’s Director in Focus in 2008.

Mexican actor Diego Luna (“Y Tu Tambien,” “Amores Perros”) and renowned screenwriter-director Paul Schrader (“Taxi Driver,” The Last Temptation of Christ”) have confirmed their attendance to the 11th Cinemanila International Film Festival.

This year, the Cinemanila International Film Festival gives recognition to machinima with the launch of the Cinemanila Machinima Film Festival – the first event of its kind in the country.

A portmanteau of “machine cinema”, machinima is real time animation that relies on in-game artificial intelligence and digital puppetry.

In line with its efforts of fostering international cinematic excellence, the Cinemanila International Film Festival will also train the spotlight on the World Cinema Fund (WCF). An off-shoot of the Berlin International Film Festival, the WCF has been instrumental in launching critically acclaimed and competitively viable films since its inception in 2004. This has included “Independencia” by the Philippines’ very own, Raya Martin.

Wouter Barendrecht, the late co-chairman of Fortissimo Films and a stalwart supporter of Asian Cinema, will be honored in this year’s festival.

Cinemanila is currently accepting entry applications. Interested parties may submit their entries to any of the following categories: Main Competition (international features), Southeast Competition (features and shorts), Digital Lokal (Philippine full-length digital films), Young Cinema (Philippine short films), Documentary (international) and its newest section, Machinima (international). All other films not selected for Competition are still eligible for exhibition.

Entries for the Digital Lokal Competition must be received by September 4. Deadline for other categories is on August 14. For further queries, email cinemanila.entries@gmail.com and cinemanila@gmail.com or go to www.cinemanila.org.ph.

The 2009 Cinemanila is presented in cooperation with Cinema One, Goethe Institut, World Cinema Fund, Easy Rock, NU 107, 99.5RT and Sprout Magazine.