“We don’t dance for nothing” by Stefanos Tai, and “Delikado” by Karl Malakunas will be the Closing Films of the 18th Cinemalaya Philippine Independent Film Festival, which will take place from August 5 until October 31, 2022.

We Don’t Dance for Nothing is a photo-montage love letter to the Filipina domestic workers of Hong Kong. Stefanos Tai’s film follows a young domestic worker who wants to break free and follow her dreams of independence, love and motherhood. Captured on Super 16 during the Hong Kong protests of2019, the film’s imagery is a blend of stills and live-action footage. Tai touches upon LGBTQ+ themes, issues of workers’ rights, and Hong Kong’s changing political landscape, capturing moments of joy amidst struggle. By vividly expressing the entrapment felt by Filipina domestic workers and the freedom they find in dance, Tai’s film moves beyond media (mis)representations of their community and shows them as people full of talent, joy and grace. (DOXA Doc Film Festival 2022)

Trailer:

A tourist destination and home to one of the world’s most diverse rainforests, the island of Palawan is a dangerous place for land defenders. Bobby Chan, a local environmental lawyer, leads a group of renegade land protectors who confiscate the chainsaws of illegal loggers. Up for re-election, local Mayor Nieves Rosento is the focus of a dirty campaign supported by land developers and President Rodrigo Duterte. Along with ex-illegal logger Tata, they confront murder and betrayal in their efforts to preserve this precious environment. (SydneyFF 2022)

Trailer:

For more information please visit: https://cinemalaya.org/