The DistantPlay Project

Mental health is a subject that is still misunderstood in certain communities and cultures. While some countries are still behind in establishing guidelines or trainings in public services to accomodate people with mental health conditions. Filmmakers play an important role in these situations by making people understand and grasp the realities being experienced by persons with mental health issues. And making films about this certain topic also requires not just filmmaking skills but more importantly, a deep understanding and mindfulness of the characters. As October is depression and mental health awareness month, Cinego Shorts continues its advocacy of showcasing films that presents mental health responsibly.  Here are some of the films that you can watch for free at Cinego's YouTube channel from October 9 to October 10, 2021. You can also subscribe to this link so you won't miss Cinego online film screenings. ( https://m.youtube.com/channel/UCsY6FnHoj64atXNi6oHWYVg )  REFU...

      Despite the pandemic's impact on Southeast Asian theatres, great films have been coming out from the region and garnering success in international festivals. Here are debut films from Southeast Asian directors that we are looking forward to see real soon. 1. MANTA RAY (Dir. Phuttiphong Aroonpheng) Logline: A Thai fisherman finds an injured Rohingya man who doesn't speak a word. But when the fisherman suddenly disappears, the stranger slowly takes over his life.        It is said that the film contains political symbolism that points to the condition of Rohingya refugees. Rohingyas are considered the most persecuted minorities in the world and its people are currently displaced in 17 regions. Manta Ray's trailer is an artistic display of hypnotic scenes with a character well-crafted to evolve on the themes of identity and displacement, the very same issues Rohingya people are facing.       Manta Ray premiered at the 75th Venice Inte...

     MUD Studios, a subsidiary company of Clayshop Inc., launched its website on July 2021. www.mud-studios.net serves as an alternative content platform that offers independent movies, festival entries and original content. MUD Studios is also set to open their Three Shots Film Festival that aims to showcase the creativity of Filipino student filmmakers. Among the titles in the website that are readily available after signing up for free includes these short films from Filipino women: 1. Digma (Dir. Elai Eleria, Janella Tan, and Aira Dimaano)      Digma reveals the lives of three women of varying ages prior and during their imprisonment. This experimental documentary is based on actual accounts gathered from women inmates in one of the most congested jails in the Philippines. Aside from the dire conditions and failure to rehabilitate, Digma also tells of the wrongdoings in law enforcement.      Digma takes viewers into intimate reenacted in...

         On The Job: The Missing 8 by Filipino director Erik Matti premiered at the 78th Venice International Film Festival on September 10, 2021. But this is not the only win for Philippine cinema. In the closing ceremony, John Arcilla was awarded the Volpi Cup for Best Actor. Arcilla played the role of a corrupt newspaper reporter who was forced to conduct his own investigation after his colleagues went missing. Arcilla is the first Filipino to win best actor at the Venice International Film Festival. After its world premiere, On The Job: The Missing 8 will be available as a mini-series on HBO GO starting September 12, 2021.        Meanwhile in the Orrizonti Competition, Piseth Chhun won best actor for his performance in the Cambodian film White Building. In the film directed by Kavich Neang, Chhun played the role of Samnang, a 20-year old boy who dreams of performing in TV dance contests with his friends while facing eviction from White Bu...

             Gandhara Independent Film Festival (GIFF) has recently announced their call for entries for their next virtual festival edition. GIFF 2021 is expecting to receive a volume of film submissions where unique stories from around the world will be chosen as official selections.        GIFF, a non-profit platform that aims to create a dynamic community for independent filmmakers in Pakistan and around the globe, has started showcasing selections of quality short films in 2020.         Also an advocate of mental health, GIFF has been regularly programming to spread awareness on this topic through their website www.gandharafilmfestival.com . Early this year, GIFF Founder Kamran Naseem, curated a mental health-themed program that includes "Munnu" by Shayhaq Balouch from Pakistan; "New Moon" by Neeraj Joshi from India; "Flamework" by Zoltán Krasznay from Hungary; "Muted" by David Nguyen from Canada; "Refu...