Newsletter

December 19, 2023

Welcome to Cinemata’s year-end newsletter! This month, we're thrilled to share two impactful events at the intersection of human rights, progressive filmmaking, and digital rights in the Asia-Pacific.

Commemorating the 75th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Cinemata partners with a Philippine student film festival, emphasising progressive and alternative filmmaking to stimulate conversations on social issues and human rights.

We also delve into the successful premiere of EngageMedia’s digital rights film collection produced by young filmmakers from Thailand and the Philippines. This newsletter also features a curated playlist of videos highlighting the digital rights work of various organisations plus a film on Philippine martial law and a poetic exploration of strength and love for the International Day for Persons with Disabilities.

Thank you for being a vital part of the Cinemata community. We hope to count on your continued support of our mission to amplify Asia-Pacific perspectives and connect social issue filmmakers in the region in 2024 and beyond.

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CINEMATA PARTNERSHIPS

Cinemata Visions Presents FEU Film Movements Festival

 

To mark the 75th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Cinemata is delighted to declare its renewed collaboration with the FEU Film Movements Festival, formerly the Likhang Mulat Film Movements Festival. This enhanced partnership with the Far Eastern University’s Department of Communication under Cinemata Visions reaffirms our shared commitment to fostering discussions on social issues and human rights through progressive and alternative filmmaking.

LEARN MORE ABOUT FEU FILM MOVEMENTS FESTIVAL

The online screening, exclusively on Cinemata from December 13 to 22, showcases the films of the finalists in this playlist, with select films featured on the Cinemata homepage.

Tech Tales Youth premiere

EngageMedia’s Tech Tales Youth, dedicated to supporting emerging filmmakers in the Philippines and Thailand, celebrated a successful premiere at the University of the Philippines Film Center on December 7. Seven films produced by young filmmakers delved into the complexities of human rights in the digital age: from digital labour, new money, historical revisionism, and internet access for marginalised groups in the Philippines, to stories of doxxing, data privacy, and platform accountability in Thailand.

The premiere featured a talkback session with filmmakers and messages from partners, including the Computer Professionals' Union, Foundation for Media Alternatives, and Prof. Diosa Labiste, Chairperson of the Congress of Teachers and Educators for Nationalism and Democracy (CONTEND). Publicity partners Altermidya and DZUP 1602 played a crucial role in amplifying the event's reach.

Following the premiere, a community screening was held on December 8 at Sitio San Roque, one of the Philippines’ largest informal settlement communities with a long history of resistance against eviction. Held in collaboration with KADAMAY and Mayday Multimedia, and featuring discussions with the Coalition of Union Courier and Shippers Services Philippines and KADAMAY Chairperson Inday Bagasbas, the screening was part of the Tech Tales Youth impact strategy of bringing advocacy films to communities for awareness and action.

Select Tech Tales Youth films were also featured at the 27th Thai Short Film and Video Festival on December 17, facilitating insightful conversations between the audience and filmmakers.

WATCH THE TECH TALES YOUTH PREVIEWS

FEATURED PLAYLISTS

Pretty Good Podcast Live at DRAPAC23

Pretty Good Podcast Live at DRAPAC23 is a special episode series of Pretty Good Podcast, recorded live at the Digital Rights Asia Pacific Assembly in Chiang Mai, Thailand, last May 22 to 26, 2023.

Together with hundreds of changemakers from a broad range of sectors who have come together to build knowledge, collaboration, and momentum on Digital Rights and the Asia-Pacific, this series features several DRAPAC23 participants working across pressing digital rights issues in the region.

Producer: EngageMedia

Region: International

WATCH THE PLAYLIST

Learn more about EngageMedia’s ‘Pretty Good Podcast’.

FEATURED FILMS

'Revise'

Reborn journalist Maura navigates haunting dreams about Philippine martial law. Her path intertwines with Fidel, a conflicted policeman, as their shared nightmares become a gateway to a disturbing past.

Revise won "Best Short Film" at the FEU Film Movements Festival 2023.

Content warning: shows images of blood and references to violence

Director: Earl Justimbaste

​​Country: Philippines

WATCH THE FILM

Cinemata is the official streaming partner of the FEU Film Movements Festival, formally known as Likhang Mulat.

'Flowing'

Words are flowing in their own ways.

A poet has the pen spun and follows the orbit of her emotion.

A mother believes that everyone but her daughter is writing in the wrong orientation.

In commemoration of the International Day of Persons with Disabilities, Le Nguyen's documentary, Flowing, is a poetic exploration of the human spirit's capacity to triumph over adversity, giving a reminder that love is the truest form of strength and that there is poetry to be found everywhere.

Director: Le Nguyen

​​Country: Vietnam

WATCH THE FILM

'PGP Live at DRAPAC23: Sinar Project'

In this episode, Sinar Project's Kelly Koh and Siti Nurliza Samsudin share about the mission to unveil censorship across 10 countries on various platforms, build a digital rights activist network, improve transparency, and offer capacity-building for local partners.

Producer: EngageMedia​​​​​

Region: International

WATCH THE VIDEO PODCAST

Read the accompanying blog post to learn more about the episode and Sinar Project.

'Myanmar's Citizen Journalists'

In the prevailing landscape of information obscurity and pervasive propaganda since the onset of the Myanmar military coup, citizen journalists champion the cause of press freedom. Who are these citizen journalists, and what hurdles do they face today?

Producer: Athan - Freedom of Expression Activist Organization and 1O1fps Production

Country: Myanmar

WATCH THE FILM