Program

1. Film Exhibition
   
   This year’s films focus on the theme of the festival, “Claiming Spaces for Women’s Voices”. The films to be screened are by women filmmakers that express women’s consciousness, their struggles, their triumphs, and their road toward empowerment. The films will explore how the cinema space is claimed by women for the articulation of their narratives and herstories.

2. Women’s Film Congress
   
   The congress seeks to build more discourse on and about women as well as aims to examine the cinematic space where women’s stories happen and women as characters become agents of change instead of being treated as mere subjects. The congress will also look at the social construction of certain issues like class, race, power, politics, governance, religion and others.
   
   Participants to the congress will be students and teachers from various schools and universities; members of various women’s groups; representatives from NGOs; representatives from government agencies; representatives from the legislative and judicial sector who may have an interest in women and gender studies; and representatives from the private sector. Participants to the congress will be given a Certificate of Attendance and Participation at the end of the 3-day festival.  The congress will be held in the morning and afternoon. Film screenings will follow after the congress. The films to be screened per day will have thematic echoes from the topics discussed in the forum.

3. Diwata Awards for Women in Film
   
   The Diwata Award recognizes and honors women and bestows this award to women who have successfully contributed original text to the growing materials and narratives on women sensibilities that aim to empower women who have been marginalized in the traditional film text. It also pays tribute to their outstanding contributions to their field of cinema.  The Diwata in Philippine folklore is likened to the muse that inspires artists in crystallizing ideas, concepts, and conversations as they interact with their materials.  Two distinguished women will be honored with the DIWATA AWARD for this year.
   
   The following are the distinguished women who were awarded the DIWATA AWARD:
• Ms. Charo Santos-Concio, a Filipino television executive, host, actress and film producer.  She is now the newly appointed 5th President of ABS-CBN Broadcasting Corporation making her the first woman President of the biggest television network and media conglomerate in the country, and wields a powerful role in television and film production in the Philippines. A critically acclaimed and award-winning actress early in her career, she was Asia’s Best Actress at the 1977 Asian Film Festival for her performance in the film in Mike de Leon’s Itim. 
• Ms. Vilma Santos, is the Philippines' most awarded and critically acclaimed actress and longest reigning box office queen. One of the original Philippine movie queens, she rose up to become the versatile actress that has been given the fitting title of "Star for All Seasons" and more recently “Woman for all Seasons” because of her capacity to adapt to the changing mores and values of the Filipino woman, giving a face to their plight and struggles.  She is currently in politics as the Governor of Batangas province, Philippines. She was also formerly Mayor of Lipa City, Batangas.
• Ms. Lily Monteverde, movie producer who has tirelessly supported filmmaking even in times when other producers have abandoned the industry, producing critically acclaimed productions and experimenting in non-formula films that gave rise to new directors and fresher ways of telling stories contributing to the discourse of gender issues and the struggle of women with intercultural issues.
• Ms. Lualhati Bautista, one of the foremost Filipino female novelists in the history of contemporary Philippine Literature and an outstanding and multi-awarded scriptwriter of stories that became blueprints of the best in Philippine Cinema. She is also the only Filipino included in a book on foremost International Women Writers published in Japan, 1991.
• Ms. Laurice Guillen, multi-awarded and internationally known Filipino film director and actress in film, television, and the stage.
• Ms. Marilou Diaz-Abaya, multi-awarded Filipino film director locally and internationally who has directed landmark films on women (Brutal, Moral and Karnal) that are now considered classics of Philippine Cinema.
• Ms. Bella Flores, who was recognized for her legacy as The Contravida (the villainess) of Philippine movies has over 100 movies to her credit starting at the age of 16 in the early 1950’s.  No other actor has ever come close.

4. The Festival Opening Film
   
   The 19th IWFF is pleased to welcome the participation of South Africa. A critically acclaimed film from South Africa will be the opening film for the festival, entitled COURTING JUSTICE (Documentary, South Africa, 2007, Director: Jane Lipman) on March 9, 2010 at 7:00 p.m. at the Cine Adarna. The producer of the film, Ms. Pickering will be flying in and shall participate in the festival.

5. A Forum/Brown Bag Session with Ms. Bridget Pickering, Producer of COURTING JUSTICE
   
   A Forum with South African Film producer, Ms. Bridget Pickering (of HOTEL RWANDA fame) has been scheduled on March 9, 2010 at 2:30pm at the Videotheque of the UP Film Institute.
   
   The forum will be attended by film and media students, film and media teachers, independent filmmakers, invited guests from the mainstream film industry and film aficionados.

Date:
March 9 to 11, 2010
(Tuesday to Thursday)

Venue:

Cine Adarna
UP Film Institute
Quezon City

Contact:
Nonoy Lauzon: 926-3640
Dr. Armi Santiago: 920-6863