People, from inside and outside the Philippine movie industry, are saying that despite the influx of hundreds of local films, the industry is in doldrums.
There are many movies being produced every day, they argue, but the business is dull.
The country's film-making hub hasn't recouped its financing capital unlike the days of yore when Filipino movies were the perpetual sources of revenue not only for the government but for the workers in the creative industry.
Let us leave yet the profit consciousness of the productions for the moment and focus on the relevance of the many wonderful, world-class, stimulating and cutting-edge qualities of the products being screened.
Profit is also an important factor in film-making so that more films are produced that can also inspire the audience to go back to cinema to reinvigorate the blood and muscles of the industry.
We cannot ignore the fact that many movies have substantial contents for the enlightenment and liberation of the Filipinos from the chain of ignorance, inequality, subservience, apathy, complacency, exploitation, obscurantism, fanaticism and so many problems that beset Philippine society.
Let us bring back the orientation that film watching isn't only an entertainment but an inspiration and education to better the lives of the quotidian.
Thanks to Cinemalaya Philippine Independent Film Festival for the never-ending objectives of coming up with new projects that express artistic integrity and novel ideas that can change the lives of millions of Filipinos for the better.
If these majority of Filipinos would only troop to cinemas and watch Cinemalaya projects.
The 2025 Cinemalaya was and still is a testament of showing uplifting movies that not only show the resilience and dreams of the Filipinos to progress not only financially but mentally as well to achieve development.
There are many films lined up in the Cinemalaya 21 edition that capture the imagination of the people and study the factors that hinder the economic, cultural, philosophical, political, religious, metaphysical, social and other multifaceted areas of life.
"Cinemartyrs" by director Sari Dalena is one product that must be seen by Filipinos because it reminds us of our forgotten history.
History is an important factor in our lives to be able to advance in life because it teaches us not to repeat the same mistakes in the past.
"Habang Nilalamon ng Hydra ang Kasaysayan" by director Dustin Celestino is another screen exercise to look into by moviegoers.
It is a significant film on the horrors of Martial Law and the disadvantages of disinformation and misinformation, the two mechanisms that obstruct the people's democratic ideals and freedom to achieve headways for oneself, for family, for community.
"Republika ng Pipolipinas" by director Renei Dimla is an allegory of defiance and creation of an ideal society if one wants to forward the decent lives of Filipinos.
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