A few issues ago, Funfare reported that Ang Masahista (The Masseur), Centerstage’s initial presentation directed by newcomer Brillante Mendoza with Coco Martin in the title role, is the country’s official entry to the 2005 Locarno International Film Festival. That’s good for the local movie industry which can’t seem to spring out of a lingering slump. 

Here’s another piece of good news: Yam Laranas’ Sigaw (by Regal Films, scripted by Roy Iglesias) has been selected to have a North American premiere at the Screamfest Horror Film Festival (the biggest genre filmfest in Hollywood) slated for Oct. 14 to 23 at the Loews Cinemas at the Universal City Walk in Los Angeles. It’s the same filmfest where The Grudge (by Japanese director Takashi Shimizu) and A Tale of Two Sisters (by Korean director Ji-woon Kim) also had their North American premiere. 

The formal invitation was relayed to Yam by Rachel Belofsky, founder/director of the Screamfest. 

"It’s exciting because the Screamfest is the showcase of the best new horror films made not only by Hollywood but also by directors from Asian countries," Yam told Funfare. "I think it’s the first time the Philippines will be represented in the festival. Sigaw’s international title is Echo." 

How did Sigaw get Belofsky’s attention? 

"She read in Variety magazine a story by Tessa Jazmines who wrote about the Metro Manila Film Festival and the horror film entries," said Yam. 

Part of Tessa’s story read: Regal Films’ Sigaw is about a haunted apartment building where the residents are as trapped by their own human frailty as they are by the confined space, and the ghosts that haunt the place. "I want the audience to bring home their fear," Laranas says, "to be afraid of being left alone in their house or in their room, to feel a chill when they walk in empty dark corridors."

What happened next, said Yam, "is that I got an email from Belofsky. Then, I sent her a DVD copy of Sigaw. It took a while before she wrote back, saying she liked the film." 

Congrats, Yam and Mother Lily (of Regal). Here’s hoping that Sigaw will help call the attention of the the world’s movie-powers-that-be to other worthwhile Filipino films.