The Kapampangan local cinema celebrates another feat!
‘GULIS’, written and directed by Kapampangan filmmaker Kyle Jumayne Francisco, is a nominee at the Shanghai Queer Film Festival – Asian Short Film Competition. The Kapampangan short film premiered internationally on December 12, and is competing against entries from Japan, South Korea, China, Taiwan, Singapore, and Israel.
Shanghai Queer Film Festival (SHQFF) is the first independent LGBTQ-themed film festival in Shanghai. With BOUNDLESS as this year’s theme, SHQFF invited filmmakers across Asia to erase boundaries, and embrace diversity through their extraordinary stories.
GULIS follows the story of a dysfunctional father and son—one still coping from a loss, the other with a highly-stigmatized illness—who are compelled to talk to one another to make ends meet and heal the wounds of their relationship. It was first shown as an official entry at the CineSpectra short film festival in 2019, where it was recognized as the Critics Choice. Gulis also made it to this year’s Cinemalaya’s Curated Section.
“I want to contribute to make the voices of persons living with HIV louder, with emphasis on those who reside in the provinces like Pampanga, who have been muted by the silence in their battle against stigma and discrimination rooted deeply in a culture of “e tane pisasabyan (let’s not talk about it),” says Francisco.
He believes regional cinema is the future of the Philippine cinema. GULIS taking on the international stage gives regional films the opportunity to expand viewership. And this is very important, especially for an industry that strives to gain more support and recognition.
For Francisco, Pampanga isn’t just a training ground for filmmakers like him.
“The Kapampangan cinema scene is not just a platform or foundation for young filmmakers who aspire to make it big on the national scene someday. It is part of our identities as filmmakers, it is our truth, and it is what will propel us further,” he says.
Francisco grew up in Tarlac City, and is now residing in Angeles City. His Kapampangan approach to filmmaking is evident with the projects he’s been a part of. Also a production designer, he received acclaim for his work in the Kapampangan-period film ‘Aria’ by Carlo Enciso Catu.
Watch Gulis’ trailer here:
