The sixth annual edition of this showcase of independent cinema from the Philippines is, in part, a response to the current political climate.

In the past year, president Rodrigo Duterte has been working to consolidate power, and reports of flagrant human rights abuses and strict social controls have skyrocketed. These films provide a broad look at social and political life in the Philippines today, from an in-person presentation about the war on drugs with photojournalist Raffy Lerma, to a film about transforming Filipina domestic workers into beauty queens, to an eight-hour marathon mourning the current state of the nation and a defiant cry of hope for the future.

Though not as widely known as it deserves to be, independent cinema in the Philippines is remarkably vibrant and creative. Mirroring the country itself—which is made up of thousands of little islands, each with its own culture, dialect, and people—this showcase provides a snapshot of a huge range of artistic achievement.

Co-curated by Philbert Dy and YBCA Film/Video Curator Joel Shepard.
All films are shown digitally, in their original languages with English subtitles.

Official sponsor: SOMA Pilipinas
Program partners: FACINE—Filipino Arts & Cinema, International, Filipino American Arts Exposition, and Kularts

New Filipino Cinema is supported in part by the National Endowment for the Arts.

YBCA programs in 17–18 are made possible in part by the James Irvine Foundation.

Additional funding for YBCA programs 17–18: National Endowment for the Arts, Abundance Foundation, Grosvenor, and members of Yerba Buena Center for the Arts.