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Carlo Francisco Manatad is a Filipino film director and editor based in Manila. He is a graduate of the University of the Philippines Film Institute. His short film, “Junilyn Has”, competed at the Festival del film Locarno and went on to screen at several international film festivals such as Clermont Ferrand, Uppsala, Winterthur and Busan to name a few. “Sandra and Fatima Marie Torres and the Invasion of Space Shuttle Pinas 25” has won awards in Russia, Romania and the USA, most notably winning the Best Comedy Short at the Aspenshorts Fest – an Oscar qualifying film festival. A Philippine and Singaporean co-production, “Jodilerks Dela Cruz, Employee of the Month”, his last short film was selected in competition at the 56th Semaine de la Critique at the 70th Cannes International Film Festival. One of the most prolific editors in the Philippines today, he has collaborated with numerous filmmakers for independent and mainstream scene.

We present the list of winners of the 5th Singkuwento International Film Festival that took place from February 19th until the 27th, in the city of Manila (Philippines).

Born in 2012 this festival´s objective is to unite both Filipino and foreign filmmakers in one place. It is an avenue for Filipinos both in the Philippines and abroad to share their voices, sentiments and thoughts via the films they created. It also give a channel for non-Filipinos to share their impressions of the Philippines and its people.

Local Category

Best Documentary

Naglalahong Pamana (Fading Heritage) by Lucy Lavirotte, Berna Sastrillo, David Levi and Jerrica Manongdo

Best Cultural Film

A Family Reunion by Sherbien Dacalanio

Most Gender Sensitive Film

Cups Ka Ba? by Juan Carlo Tarobal

Honorable Mentions

The truth as told in lies by Ira Giorgetti

Man in the Cinema House by Bernard Jay Mercado

Golden Philippine Eagle Festival Director’s...

Cannes Prix de la mise en scène winner Brilliante Mendoza is, arguably, today's most acclaimed Filipino director. I'm not a fan, but I already started to watch his movies. In some ways, he is like Lino Brocka, Ishmael Bernal and Mike de Leon in how he portray the lives and struggles of Filipinos, but others will certainly disagree with the comparison.While two of these filmmakers- Brocka and de Leon also went to Cannes to compete, it was Mendoza's Kinatay who got to receive an award - and a major one at that. - - -

- - - When it was announced that Brilliante (his name means brilliant in English) has won the Best Director, I felt a mixture of pride and despair - pride because it was a major recognition for a filmmaker coming from a third world country and despair because the three filmmakers I mentioned above...

Cannes Prix de la mise en scène winner Brilliante Mendoza is, arguably, today's most acclaimed Filipino director. I'm not a fan, but I already started to watch his movies. In some ways, he is like Lino Brocka, Ishmael Bernal and Mike de Leon in how he portray the lives and struggles of Filipinos, but others will certainly disagree with the comparison.While two of these filmmakers- Brocka and de Leon also went to Cannes to compete, it was Mendoza's Kinatay who got to receive an award - and a major one at that. - - -

- - - When it was announced that Brilliante (his name means brilliant in English) has won the Best Director, I felt a mixture of pride and despair - pride because it was a major recognition for a filmmaker coming from a third world country and despair because the three filmmakers I mentioned above...

Cannes Prix de la mise en scène winner Brilliante Mendoza is, arguably, today's most acclaimed Filipino director. I'm not a fan, but I already started to watch his movies. In some ways, he is like Lino Brocka, Ishmael Bernal and Mike de Leon in how he portray the lives and struggles of Filipinos, but others will certainly disagree with the comparison.While two of these filmmakers- Brocka and de Leon also went to Cannes to compete, it was Mendoza's Kinatay who got to receive an award - and a major one at that. - - -

- - - When it was announced that Brilliante (his name means brilliant in English) has won the Best Director, I felt a mixture of pride and despair - pride because it was a major recognition for a filmmaker coming from a third world country and despair because the three filmmakers I mentioned above...

Cannes Prix de la mise en scène winner Brilliante Mendoza is, arguably, today's most acclaimed Filipino director. I'm not a fan, but I already started to watch his movies. In some ways, he is like Lino Brocka, Ishmael Bernal and Mike de Leon in how he portray the lives and struggles of Filipinos, but others will certainly disagree with the comparison.While two of these filmmakers- Brocka and de Leon also went to Cannes to compete, it was Mendoza's Kinatay who got to receive an award - and a major one at that. - - -

- - - When it was announced that Brilliante (his name means brilliant in English) has won the Best Director, I felt a mixture of pride and despair - pride because it was a major recognition for a filmmaker coming from a third world country and despair because the three filmmakers I mentioned above...

Cannes Prix de la mise en scène winner Brilliante Mendoza is, arguably, today's most acclaimed Filipino director. I'm not a fan, but I already started to watch his movies. In some ways, he is like Lino Brocka, Ishmael Bernal and Mike de Leon in how he portray the lives and struggles of Filipinos, but others will certainly disagree with the comparison.While two of these filmmakers- Brocka and de Leon also went to Cannes to compete, it was Mendoza's Kinatay who got to receive an award - and a major one at that. - - -

- - - When it was announced that Brilliante (his name means brilliant in English) has won the Best Director, I felt a mixture of pride and despair - pride because it was a major recognition for a filmmaker coming from a third world country and despair because the three filmmakers I mentioned above...

hhmmmm… no?

Picking apart “best movie” lists made by anyone, methinks, is as futile as trying to ask someone why he married his wife. We all have our different reasons for loving films (or the opposite), and every human being has multiple holes in his or her body, one of which is called “opinions.” What’s fun about lists, though, is that they speak about the people who made them more than a photo and identikit, a list of the cars they own and how much they pay in taxes would. What happens, then, when a sacred cow (not of film criticism, mind you) like CNN picks the best Asian films of all time? More than any indication of quality, I find it peculiar in a way that goes beyond appreciation for film. It sounds a bit like a sort of Eurovision Song contest of filmmaking, being politically correct and...