MANILA – The 2023 edition of the Cinemalaya may just have ended recently but the foundation is already at work for its milestone 20th year celebration in 2024.

In fact, Cinemalaya and the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) has already named the 10 finalists for the main competition’s full-length category in next year’s independent film festival.

The 10 works will battle it out for the Best Film prize in the 20th year of Cinemalaya, which has continued to uphold its vision to develop and support the production of cinematic works of Filipino independent filmmakers that boldly articulate and freely interpret the Filipino experience with fresh insight and artistic integrity.

The finalists were selected from the 20 semi-finalists who have undergone the Cinemalaya Film Lab, a three-month-long film-laboratory mentorship program to train the finalists in the different aspects of filmmaking such as scriptwriting, directing, cinematography, performance, editing, production design, sound, music, production management, and promotion strategies, among others.

• 'Iti Mapukpukaw' tops Cinemalaya 2023 with 3 wins including Best Film

Last week, "Iti Mapukpukaw" topped the Cinemalaya 2023 awards with three wins, including Best Film.

"Iti Mapukpukaw" also took the Best Supporting Actress trophy for Dolly de Leon's performance and the NETPAC Award.

Here are the 10 competing movies for the Main Competition’s Full-Length Category:

'Alipato' by JL Burgos

The brother of missing activist Jonas Burgos bares in this documentary the untold stories behind the confidential leads, damning evidence, and why the disappearance of his brother remains a relevant case today.

'Ang Tumandok' (The Inhabitants) by Kat Sumagaysay and Richard Salvadico

Based on real-life trials of the Atis, the indigenous people of Central Panay, and starred by the Atis themselves, "Ang Tumandok" features a 16-year-old chieftain's daughter as she fights tooth and nail with her people for their ancestral land. The gripping tale takes us deep into the heart of their fight, highlighting their unwavering spirit and their unbreakable bond with the land they call home.

'Aripuen' (The Servant) by Christopher Gozum

Stranded for 21 years in a remote mountain village in a Middle Eastern country, 63-year-old Filipina shepherdess Divina Sabangan endures isolation, threats of imprisonment and deportation, homesickness, unpaid salaries, and insanity while clinging to her faith in God and love for her family. But when seven mysterious visitors arrive, they bring challenges and opportunities to finally help her return home to the Philippines.

'Balota' by Kip Oebanda

A land-grabbing tycoon and a former sexy male actor are locked in a tight race for mayor in a small town. When violence erupts, Emmy, a teacher, runs into the wilderness with a ballot box, the last copy of the election results. Emmy and the community try to outsmart and outmaneuver the goons who want the elections to fail.

'Gulay Lang Manong' by BC Amparado

Pilo is a struggling, old vegetable farmer in Benguet. His stoner brother, Ricky, is part of the prominent Benguet marijuana cartel and is being trained by his best friend, Razer, a cunning midget and a well-known personality in the underground ganja community. Amids the all-out drug war, Ricky falls into the hands of a promising patrolman, Ariel, who is in pursuit of the organization. In a desperate attempt to uncover the cartel, Ariel tasks Pilo to fetch Razer in exchange for Ricky's head. Unable to fulfill the terms in his attempt, Pilo now pledges his alliance with Ariel, and together they try and catch Razer to expose the cartel and its members learning shocking secrets as they burrow deep into the world of this so-called "drug."

'Kantil' (Trench) by Joshua Caesar Medroso

While facing threats of demolition, a coastal community of informal settlers in Purok 12, Tibungco, Davao City discovers a strange, unearthly shell by the sea. This makes them more vulnerable to menacing powers set out to destroy their homes and their humanity.

'Kono Basho' (This Place) by Jaime Pacena II

An introspective journey of a Filipino son attending the funeral of his estranged OFW father in a city in Japan that is rebuilding from the aftermath of the March 2011 tsunami.

'Love Child' by Jonathan Jurilla

Young, unmarried couple, Aila and Pao must agree on certain terms on how to properly raise their son, who is diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder, if they wish to keep their relationship afloat. Or would they rather heed the call of their unfulfilled dreams?

'The Errand' by Sarge Lacuesta

A driver is sent on a simple errand: to pick up a designer t-shirt and a tin of Viagra for his boss, who is shacked up in a hotel with his lover. Simple as it sounds, the road trip crisscrosses the chasms of time, class, and character.

'The Wedding Dance' by Julius Lumiqued

In 1942, a Kalinga woman is personally invited by her husband, a warrior of their tribe, to his new wedding dance.

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