Cinematheque Center Davao reopens for Cinema Rehiyon 14

DAVAO CITY, March 8 (PIA)- The newly renovated and upgraded Cinematheque Center Davao reopened for the satellite screenings of Cinema Rehiyon 14.

The P3-million renovation was undertaken at the height of the pandemic, when public movie screenings were not allowed.

“Matagal na talaga naming gusting gawin ang renovation kasi medyo matagal na rin mga cinematheques natin (We long wanted to do the renovation since our cinematheques are getting old) and We really want to make sure we are giving the best experience to the cinemagoers, ” Liza Diño Seguerra, chairperson of the Film Development Council of the Philippines said.

“The pandemic happened, it compelled us with a stronger reason to upgrade our cinemas,” Diño-Seguerra said.

The renovation involves the installation of an iconic cinema marquee aimed at providing that cinema experience to moviegoers, a more spacious lobby and offices for the staff, new cinema seats, renovated comfort rooms, new projectors and a new lighting system.

The seven-foot Lino Brocka statue sculpted by Jonas Roces which once stood outside the cinematheque was temporarily transferred inside the cinema.

The 116-seater cinematheque was built in 2012 under a joint usufruct agreement entered between the City Government of Davao which owned the lot and the Film Development Council of the Philippines which provided funds for the construction of the small movie theater that would showcase critically acclaimed Filipino and international films alongside cinematic works from the different regions in the country.

The Cinematheque Center Davao located along Palma Gil Street is adjacent to the Peoples Park and the soon to be completed Davao branch of the National Museum.

In 2018, the FDCP opened a cinematheque in Nabunturan, Davao de Oro, making it the second government-owned cinematheque in Davao Region. Other cinematheques in the country include those in Manila, Zamboanga City, Bacolod City and Iloilo City. These facilities were renovated as well.

The FDCP chair said the goal is to make the cinematheques, a venue not just for screenings but of a multi-use facility where filmmakers and artists can meet or where workshops can be conducted.

FDCP chairperson Liza Diño-Seguerra

Cinema Rehiyon 14

Cinema Rehiyon is a flagship program of the Cinema Committee- National Commission for the Culture and the Arts. It showcases the different films created by regional filmmakers depicting the varied stories and culture of the particular region.

This year’s Cinema Rehiyon 14 held from February 25 to March 31 carries the theme “Katilingban. Kalibotan. Kabag-ohan.” (Society. World. Change.) The festival positions cinema as a tool for social change that ripples from local communities to the entire world. 

According to Cinema Rehiyon 14 Festival Director Angely Chi, the event will be super hybrid as it will have physical screenings, online showings and also television screenings.

“This is the first time we will be doing a super-hybrid cinema rehiyon  last year it was a fully-online cinema rehiyon, this year we are utilizing free TV, cinematheques thanks to FDCP, and online. For the first time we are sort of decentralizing and giving more access to our audiences to the regions,” Chi said.

The March 5 screening at the Cinematheque Center Davao, which is also the facility’s reopening is a retrospective showing of old Mindanao short films curated by film critic Jay Rosas. (PIA/RG Alama)