Writing for film still remains alive and well during these challenging times as events featuring award-winning screenwriter Ricky Lee are among the main attractions of this year’s Cinemalaya Philippine Independent Film Festival.
On August 8, there will be a reunion of the students from workshops that Lee has personally conducted through the years, and on August 9 and 15, Lee will hold masterclasses on storytelling. These activities will be done via online platforms.
Cinemalaya will be hosting a special virtual reunion for those who have taken Ricky Lee’s scriptwriting workshop from the years 1982 until the present. Former workshoppers, as well as the public, are invited to join this unique celebration to revisit the acclaimed workshop’s history and help chart future plans. Those who have taken Ricky Lee’s workshop include directors Mac Alejandre, Michael Tuviera, Dwein Baltazar, Antonette Jadaone, Dan Villegas, and Sari Dalena; actresses Iza Calzado, Agot Isidro, Cherie Gil, Chynna Ortaleza, and Bea Alonzo; actor Xian Lim; documentary filmmaker Babyruth Villarama; producer Bianca Balbuena; TV executive Richard Reynante; book publisher Jun Matias; musician Kean Cipriano; entertainment journalist Mell Navarro, and many more topnotch film and TV artists and media personalities. Many of them are set to join the August 8 virtual reunion. Director Paolo Villaluna and comedian John “Sweet” Lapus will be the emcees of this happy and historic occasion.
The masterclass series entitled “Mga Tao at Mga Tauhan” will be held on August 9 and August 15. Ricky Lee’s 11-story steps will be disclosed to the participants to help them unearth cinematic stories and discover their unique voices. The course description expounds, “Participants will understand the value of thinking inside and outside the box and how to write during the pandemic by harnessing the magic of convergence and serendipity.”
Handouts and certificates will be given to enrollees; fee is only Php 300.
