Virgin Labfest and Cinemalaya on their 14th Year

• Main Author: Hilado, Arturo
• Format: text
• Published: Archīum Ateneo 2018
• Online Access: https://archium.ateneo.edu/paha/vol8/iss2/11; https://archium.ateneo.edu/context/paha/article/1287/viewcontent/PAHA_208.2_2011_20For_20the_20record_20__20Hilado.pdf
• Institution: Ateneo De Manila University

Excerpt: Two of the most significant initiatives in the Philippine performing arts landscape were launched in the same year in 2004: Virgin Labfest (VLF) for theater, and Cinemalaya for film. In the fourteen years since then, the two festivals have had storied careers, not devoid of wrong turns or even controversies (particularly in the case of Cinemalaya), and other initiatives have emerged to share the same landscapes. But there can be no question how seminal they have been in generating both artistic output and public enthusiasm for original Filipino cultural work. Cinemalaya virtually created a market for local indie films, while Virgin Labfest has been unparalleled in producing new plays for local theater. While their focuses have been somewhat differently directed (VLF toward playwrights, Cinemalaya toward film directors), they are both firmly critical features of the cultural calendar, eagerly looked forward to every year; and intriguingly enough their seasons fall within a month of each other (early July for VLF, early August for Cinemalaya): for many aficionados (present reporter included), the two jointly constitute an almost continuous highlight of the cultural year.