indieManila.com Archive
Showcasing the best the Philippines has to offer in music, film, fashion and art...
Tatang
Dir. Nico Hernandez
Tatang and Ester live in the streets of Manila. Tatang makes a living out of the easiest way he knows, stealing and pickpocketing and he lets Ester be his aide. One incident goes wrong and Tatang ends up getting beaten by a group of men. He takes out his misfortune on Ester and starts feeling useless. Ester, seeing her grandfather's condition, starts to take matters into her own hands and decides to be the one to work for them. She becomes better at stealing and her grandfather realizes that his grandaughter is slowly turning into quite a thief. One day, while at the market, Tatang hears a gunshot and hurriedly looks for where it came from, what he sees is something that will forever change the rest of his being.
The role of Tatang is played by veteran character actor, Pen Medina and alongside him as Ester is child actress Nikki Bagaporo. It was one of the finalist in the Cinemalaya Film Festival 2009 where it won Audience Choice (Shorts).
Angle Tagle
Avant-garde Designer
Angle Tagle, explores unusual silhouettes and uses monochromatic colors in his designs. His inspirations include cyber robots and warrior gods and goddesses, that is why he is into bold shoulders and wide hips. Structured and draped skirts, pointed sleeves and tight hugging garments are his signature designs. Though Tagle is into fashion forward designs, he always makes sure that his garments are wearable. He balances creativity and comfortability in his designs and thinks of his target market, which is women who are willing to experiment with their style but would not look odd when they wear Tagle’s pieces. His influences include John Galliano, Alexander McQueen, Olivier Theyskens and Nicolas Ghesquirre.
Before studying at Fashion Institute of the Philippines, Tagle, took up a Bachelor of Arts Major in Journalism since he never dreamt of becoming a fashion designer when he was young. He just remembers that when he was nine years old, he kept pictures of huge buildings and celebrity lofts and a particular one page article ripped out from an airline magazine about a designer who won in an international competition held in France.
He was 22 when he took up fashion merchandising, since then he said to himself that he wanted to be a part of the fashion industry for the rest of his life. He is encouraged to work hard and master all the basic, advanced and haute couture techniques and listen to his mentors including one of the most sought after designers in the country, who is also a graduate of FIP, John Herrera, and the Mega young designer champion and season 1 Project Runway winner, Aries Lagat.
Tagle has joined various fashion shows including film promotion fashion shows, fashion shows for a cause, shows sponsored by top schools in the country and is looking forward to joining this year’s Philippine Fashion week.
The Vince Noir Project
Psychedelic / Electro / Indie
The Vince Noir Project is a band out of the Philippines made up of four rocking guys and a gal. They met while playing music in the local indie band scene and became acquaintances, friends, and ultimately bandmates. With so many different musical influences it is hard for the VNP to pigeonhole their sound, they love makin music of all kinds; but when pressed for an answer regarding genre they use psychedelic/electro/indie rock to describe their music. However, they prefer to say their sound is more like one helluva party rather than genre specific! The band formed in May 2007 and are comprised of Aless Tinio (vox), Tani Santos (guitars), Rembrandt Vocalan (synths, guitar), Pete Ferrer (bass), and Wally Contento (drums). The VNP has just completed their first self titled studio album produced by Mr. Diego Mapa which has just come out under 12 Stone Records and is available in stores nationwide.
Kawayan De Guia
Artist
2009 CCP 13 Artists Awardee. The Thirteen Artists award is the most prestigious achievement any Filipino artist under the age of 40 can receive in the country.
Recipient Ateneo Art Awardee - the contemporary art prize given annually by the Ateneo Art Gallery to artists below the age of 36 that have made a significant contribution to the development of Philippine Contemporary Art.
2004 Juror's choice award-ASEAN Art Awards, one of the most prestigious ASEAN contemporary art competitions held recently in Bangkok, Thailand.
Death in the Land of the Encantos
Dir. Lav Diaz
Death in the Land of the Encantos is the English title of Lav Diaz’s Philippine independent film whose original Bicol-language title is Kagadanan sa Banwaan ning Mga Engkanto. A black-and-white film written and directed by Diaz, it is a 9 hour-long film about the experiences and feelings of an emotionally unstable Filipino expatriate upon returning to his hometown after it has been devastated by a typhoon. Conceptualized over a span of six weeks, it was filmed mainly in Bicol and partly in Pila, Laguna. It has been presented in a number of international film festivals, where it has received much critical acclaim.
The story centers on Benjamin Agusan (Gawad Urian nominee Roeder Camanag), a Filipino poet from Bicol, whose muse in his youth was the Mayon Volcano. As the film opens, Agusan has just come back to the Philippines after 7 years of living in Russia, where he had been teaching and writing. In those years, he fell in love, had a son who died, and almost went insane. In an apparently manic-depressive state, he returns to his hometown, which had just been ravaged by a typhoon. Going around his hometown, he is reunited with a number of his old friends and sweethearts and besieged by memories, all the while struggling with his love-hate relationship with his homeland and hometown.
Diaz’s work has been mistakenly labeled a documentary, undoubtedly due to his footage depicting the actual destruction caused by super typhoon Reming (international name: Durian) which on November 30, 2006 ravaged the Bicol region where Diaz had filmed earlier works. He was horrified to see the very areas he had captured on film just weeks before now in ruins. He filmed the same sites again, eventually coming up with a story that drew a parallel between the anguish of the typhoon victims and the despair of Filipinos suffering from the corruption of their government. The film not only shows the destruction caused by the ravages of nature but presents the social and political deterioration of the Philippines. The protagonist’s own emotional and mental instability may be said to reflect the state of the Bicol Region and the Philippine government. In addition, the film deals with broader philosophical theme of the struggle to achieve love, beauty, redemption, and understanding.
Death in the land of the Encantos (IMDB)
Fashion Institute of the Philippines
New Wave
Fashion Institute of the Philippines was established in July 2003 and has since then produced quality graduates who are now big names in fashion, operating their own shops and boutiques or working here and abroad for various fashion and design companies.
Over the next few weeks indieManila will be featuring the new wave of fashion designers to come out of FIP.
Candyaudioline
Shoegaze / Indie Rock / Dreampop
Candyaudioline is a 5 piece unit that plays a mix of shoegaze inspired indierock and dreampop... Presently composed of Allan - also of Soft Pillow Kisses (Vocals/Guitars), Dennis (Guitars), Jeff (Drums), Maggot(Bass) and Celene (Vocals)... Candyaudioline has been around since 1997 always threatening to release an album or EP but always end up dissatisfied after each recording effort... Nevertheless, they are a very proud bunch and boast that they create some of the best unheard-of music there is this part of the globe. They still feel that someday the world will be their's for the shaking... As of the moment. they are busy with occassional late night practice sessions followed by a trip to the nearest food outlet in search of a good meal and... Lovely faces!!! Candyaudioline was supposed to be called "Jennyondioline", a Stereolab song but they did not like the name Jenny so they changed it to Candy instead... And from Candyondioline it became Candyaudioline...
Paolo Ruiz
Seven hours under the influence of design
Lola
Dir. Brillante Mendoza
Best film award at the 6th Dubai International Film Festival.
Two elderly women bear the consequences of a crime involving their respective grandsons. One is the victim, the other is the suspect. Both weak and poor, they laboriously solicit money in the midst of a storm, one for the victim's burial, the other for the suspect's bail bond.
Solamente Bianka
Haute Casual
The Bernadettes
Drunk Pop
Imagine a song exuding that sort of swagger, possibly more suited to a dank pub set in a city somewhere in the United Kingdom rather than in some hip hole-in-the-wall in Manila, its inebriated melody & prosaic lyrics coming straight at you, hitting you like anything with its raw candor. The Bernadettes gives you just that with their first single, “Let’s Make Babies,” released under Lilystars Records in May 2009.
Just sounding better with every swig, The Bernadettes’ music is honest-to-goodness “drunk pop” as the band composed of brothers Paolo & Poch Angeles & good friend Andre Salazar refer to it. With no refined guitar riffs, smooth bass lines nor clean percussions & vocals, just about anything these guys mete out is “dirty.” And where these elements seem to make a definite recipe for musical disaster, The Bernadettes succeed at the opposite by making it sound so good. They do Blur, The Who & Teenage Fanclub proud, citing them as their musical heroes.
Within a throng of musicians in a country brimming with talent, The Bernadettes emerges as a fine example of new blood in Manila’s soundscape. “Let’s Make Babies” is the sound of a notable band only just beginning & is proof that no similar act comes quite as close just yet. In the offing is a full-length album for release some time in 2009, ascertaining that drunk pop’s rise may very well be the next best thing since beer.
Waway Saway
Artist, Musician and Filmmaker
Waway Linsahay Saway (Christian name: Rodelio), is a byword among contemporary artists and indigenous communities in Mindanao. A teacher at the Talaandig School of Living Traditions in the highlands of Sungko, Lantapan, Bukidnon, Waway lives on his tribe's music and art.
Grounded in his indigenous origins yet with a contemporary artistry and outlook that has brought him to Europe, USA, and everywhere in the Philippines, Waway leads a pack of young Talaandig musicians and visual artists, who often gather around his bamboo home and the adjacent workshop area to make drums, flutes and rainsticks, paint, play music, and create earthcraft jewelry, stonecrafts, and other butingtings (knicknacks).
Manila
Dir. Adolf Alix Jr
Shot on 16mm black-and-white film before being transferred to 35mm, Manila is divided into a Day episode (which is loosely based on Bernal's 1980 film Manila By Night) and a Night episode (inspired by Brocka's 1979 film Jaguar). The script is co-written by Adolf Alix, Jr. and Ramon Sarmiento and co-directed by Raya Martin and Adolf Alix, Jr.
For the Day segment, Piolo Pascual portrays William, a drug addict who tries to rebuild his sense of self and reconnect with the people around him. Piolo's character is named William in honor of William Martinez who played the lead role in Manila By Night. The Day segment also stars Angelica Panganiban and Rosanna Roces.
For the Night segment, Piolo portrays Philip, a bodyguard for a mayor's son who mistakenly believes that his boss considers him as part of the family. Piolo's character is named Philip in honor of Phillip Salvador who played the lead role in Jaguar. The Night segment also stars Alessandra de Rossi, Jay Manalo, Jiro Manio, and Anita Linda.
Mich Dulce
Designer and Milliner
Mich Dulce has a distinct aesthetic, a sense of the sublime coupled generously with exuberant experimentation. Having studied extensively at some of the world's best fashion schools like Central Saint Martins, London College of Fashion, and the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York, as well as interning with Marjan Pejoski, Jessica Ogden and Susan Cianciolo, she launched her eponymous label in 2001 and has since evolved from her voluminous, textured and hand treated garments to a more mature sensibility without losing her trademark quirks and offbeat draping. Her experience in fashion is not limited to design, as she had dabbled into styling, production, and with the opening of Store For All Seasons, her first boutique in 2004, she is also experienced in terms of fashion buying, merchandising, merchandise planning, and more.
Her inimitable style and innovative couture has earned her a steady and influential presence in the Philippine fashion industry. In 2002, Mich was a finalist for the Paris Young Designer's Competition and 1st runner up in the MEGA Young Designer's Competition. In 2004 she was nominated for Revolutionary Designer of the Year at the MTV Style Awards and in 2007 she won the Fashion Designer Of the Year Award for Streetwear at the MEGA Fashion Awards.
Since studying the art of hat making in 2005, she has unleashed a flurry of delightful headpieces onto Manila’s runways, as well as for theater and various individuals – eccentric or not. Each of her hats are handmade, exquisitely molded, and always with a whimsical touch that makes it distinctly her own, whether it’s her geometric experimentation, her unusually sculpted fabric, or her unconventional use of materials.
Turbo Goth
Indie / Electro / Pop
Not too long ago, what began as a fledgling project band began showing signs of possibly becoming electro pop music’s next darlings. Now habitues in the indie music scene, Turbo Goth in their element has gotten simultaneously delighting and shocking their audience down to an almost exact science. This unlikely union of a seemingly reserved and coquettish vocalist and her brilliant and frenzied melody-maker apparently make for quite a show.
As much pleasure to the eyes as they are to the ears, the entrancing singing/songwriting due of Sarah Gaugler and Paolo Peralta suddenly burst into the indie scene with an arsenal of original songs characterized by simple and easy-going prose and catchy melodies, plain to hear in their first single, “Morning Swim,” released in May 2009 under Lilystars Records.
Taking inspiration from such acts like Madonna, Go Sailor, Ashby and Daft Punk, the way Turbo Goth writes and performs in a manner all their own is noteworthy. Unafraid to experiment with their music, they do not fail to impress as they continue to write and sing about supposedly commonplace events set to well-thought music. Expect more when they release their debut album first quarter of 2010. With talent and drive such as theirs, the future can’t look any rosier for these bright, young things.
INKSURGE
Brewed in Manila, Philippines 2002.
A design studio concoted by digital baristas and authentic coffee junkies Jois (she takes it with milk) and Rex (he takes it with sugar).
A visual stimulant. A creative brewery. An excuse for waking up late. An excuse for staying up later.
Steeped in a rich passion for visual arts both as a communication and a public contribution, the INKSURGE trademark extends from a collective idea generation to project development to creative execution. An immersive design culture between their various clients and project collaborators - a design culture that has gained recognition from the local and international web design, print, and interactive scene, making the INKSURGE blend rich in concoction.
Caffeine overdrive, a restless imagination and a burn for creation make a genius brew, after all.
Tribu
Dir. Jim Libiran
In the darker side of Manila-by-night, tribes of youthful gangsters roam the streets in search of quick fixes and precarious thrills.
World-weary Tondo throbs to the beat of hiphop and freestyle gangsta rap, and to the scents and sensations of drugs, sex and violence. We witness this crepus-cular underworld through the eyes of ten-year-old Ebet. We follow him as he witnesses the deadly lives of teen age gang members in Tondo and the events that lead to their explosive confrontation.
Hailed as a gritty portrayal of Manilas notoriously violent streets of Tondo, Jim Libirans Tribu is an ultra-realist depiction of youth corrupted by violence, death and decay, told documentary-style and punctuated by the poetically-charged street poetry of the cast. Realist Cinema with a social project. The filmmaker employed real-life gang members as lead actors in this film. These gangs from rival clans worked together to finish this difficult project, triggering a wave of unification and peace in a large part of Tondo's ghettos.
Heima Store
Cubao Expo
Heima means both "at home" and “homeland” in Icelandic is a lifestyle and home design store located at the quaint little place known as Cubao X.
A home design store which feature items created by Heim Interior Design as well as other lifestyle products. Formed by partners Bong Rojales and Rossy Anne Yabut, Heima is located at the quaint little area in Quezon City known as Cubao Expo (or Cubao X as it is more popularly known) a haven for artist and art lovers alike.
Heima is also the title of the documentary & music DVD by the Icelandic band Sigur Ros.
G/F Shop 33 Cubao Expo , General Romulo Street. Araneta Center, Cubao, Philippines 1109
Tuesdays to Saturdays, 3:00 - 9:00 pm
Your Imaginary Friends
Pop / Indie / Noise
When fate and fine intentions cross paths, something wonderful must be on hand... and whoever said that good things are worth the wait must have envisioned Your Imaginary Friends lingering in the wings. Four years in the making before arriving at their current lineup, Tanya Singh (bass) joined brothers Ahmad and Ed Tanji (vox/guitars and guitars respectively) and Eric Po (drummer) in April 2009 with a resolve to do their bit in the name of pop music. They have since been conquering varied audiences with their arresting brand of refreshing pop.
Taking cues from the Pixies, The Smiths and Death Cab For Cutie, those who come to experience the band live wait with curiosity until the first line drops to reveal an eargasmic mash-up of the band’s influences—whether it’s their rendition of "Where Is My Mind” by Pixies or their original material, this quartet does not disappoint.
With the lofty aspiration to save the world one pop song a day, it is not at all astonishing that Your Imaginary Friends is answering the call. Pop fans welcome the four-piece and their music with more than open arms and ears, putting them on the fast track to their purpose of resuscitating an industry already overwhelmed by insipid repetition. Due in 2009 is a two-song release in collaboration with Lilystars Records. Anticipating this is in the horizon, there is nothing to fear for the future of pop music.
Andres Barrioquinto
The New Dark Man of Philippine Art
Artist's Statement
My work is likely to be more sharply individualized than the realist, therefore more dramatically my own, sometimes to the point of eccentricity,
their individuality becomes more natural when I'm interested in probing my own soul rather than reflecting the world of ideas, and in explaining a
moody or inner world than revealing a basic harmony in the one around us, I paint images so exaggerated or distorted that they take us away from the
familiar world into one of emotion and feeling, at least that is my interest. In extremes, these expressions may even become hysterical or nightmarish.
I also try new means of expression, seeking new direction, exploring new mediums and methods of working.
This is an excellent time in my development as an artist to experiment, to meet and enjoy the challenges of various materials. Keep alert for the inevitable accidents that appear, as I work I often take Advantage of them. In painting for instance, color sometimes Bleed together or overlap to create an admirable but unplanned effect, Pencil marks or under-painting may unintentionally show through enhancing my work. Surprises can crop up in any materials I use, often sparking new ideas.
Brillante Mendoza
Best Director 62nd Cannes Film Festival
Mendoza studied advertising at the University of Santo Tomas. He never took a film course but he claims that his background in fine arts helped make him conscious of color in making his films.
Under the name Dante Mendoza, he began working on films as a production designer. In this capacity, Mendoza was awarded for his work on his first two films. He was also highly regarded as a production designer for commercials and music videos. With the financial backing of a friend, he was able to make his first movie, Masahista (The Masseur), at the age of 45. This was followed by Foster Child , Tirador (Slingshot), and Serbis, which were all entered in the Cannes Film Festivals.
In 2009, Mendoza was chosen to participate the Hong Kong Asian Film Financing Forum along with twenty-seven Asian directors. On March 23 to April 13, he competed with directors from Australia, China, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Japan, South Korea, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand, and Vietnam in the Hong Kong International Film Festival. In the same year, Mendoza received the Best Director award at the 62nd Cannes film fest for his film Kinatay (The Execution of P). He won the award over distinguished filmmakers such as Quentin Tarantino (Inglorious Basterds) and Ang Lee (Taking Woodstock). Like Serbis, the said film also received mixed reviews from various film critics who described him as the "love-him-or-hate-him" director.
Kinatay (The Execution of P)
Kinatay (The Execution of P)is a Filipino independent film directed by Brillante "Dante" Mendoza and written by Armando "Bing" Lao. The film premiered at the 62nd Cannes International Film Festival on 13 to 24 May 2009, as a finalist for the Best Film (Palme d'Or) and Best Director categories. It is the second of Mendoza's films to make it to Cannes, the first one having been Serbis in 2008.
The story revolves around a young criminology graduate who wants to earn money so he can marry his girlfriend. Someone invites him to try a job that will earn him $2,000. The young man decides to accept, before he realizes that the job involves killing a woman and chopping her to pieces.
Originally, the movie was to be titled "Chop-Chop." Mendoza has said of the film that "The narrative perspective is sociological. It reinforces the power of the super structure, albeit the structure is operating on the other side of the law. Characterization is behavioral and spontaneous. The characters react instinctively and in real time."
Brillante Mendoza (IMDB) / Kinatay (IMDB)
Team Manila
Graphic Designed Lifestyle draws inspiration from the urban lifestyle, culture and imagery of the city of Manila.
From graphic interpretations of national icons to silhouettes of odds and ends from everyday life on the street, Graphic Designed Lifestyles incorporates anything and everything that exemplifies life in Manila. The shirts, totes, pouches, zip bags, laptop protectors and limited edition prints intend to stand as stylish reminders of the truly unique qualities of what many consider mundane and everyday, elevating all-too familiar lamp posts, jeepneys and road signs beyond iconic status.
indieManila 2010
Looking forward to another year
2010 promises to bring a whole host of new and exciting ventures.
We plan to launch a new online radio show playing all our favourite indie artists, we will be primarily focusing on filipino artists and bands but we'll also throw in the odd song from a foreign act too! We also plan to launch our own merchandise, which will include t-shirts, hoodies, caps, badges, stickers and much more.
Netlabel
The indieManila netlabel will be bringing you more music from filipino artists. We plan to release our artists music through all your favourite online stores including napster, i-tunes, amazon etc. Also expect to see our releases in your local record store very soon and watch out for free downloads!
Charity
As you know charity is a big part of indieManila and we plan to do a lot more of it in 2010. Last year saw us raise much needed funds for the victims of Typhoon Ondoy. This year we plan to work with more Philippine charities including The Philippine Community Fund and The Philippine Outreach Centre. If you want to get involved in anyway or have a worthwhile charity that you think we shoud be involved with, please message us!
Happy New Year everyone! and here's looking to an awesome 2010!
Battle City (2005-2009)
"In battle city, the difference between the dead and the living is believing."
indieManila managed to put this band on last year before they split up. It's a real shame these guys parted ways. Here is a little bit about the now defunct band.
Battle City existed as a concept, much like a theatrical stage where the boys’ imaginations met musical influences of Orchestral film scores, punk, new wave, Britpop and jazz and tell tales of love, war and everything in between.
Battle City started as a semi-acoustic duo in 2005 by Angelo Estrella and Jason Barleta. The early songs were stripped down, troubadour pop songs intended for drinking sessions. Noticing that the songs were taking lives of their own, the two decided to make it an official band. They were quickly joined by Al Barleta, Jake Lapuz, and Percy Santos. Their patchwork sound interweaved tuneful pop sensibilities with haunting compositions that had a penchant for moody atmosphere.
BAHAG-Richard De Guzman
Photographer and Film maker
Born in 1974 in Zambales, Philippines, self-taught photographer and filmmaker Richard Atrero De Guzman, otherwise known as Bahaghari, graduated with a bachelor's degree in Visual Communication from the University of the Philippines, Diliman in 1999.
He immediately started shooting for various publications under the Summit Publishing Group in 2000 and balanced the range of his art from editorial shoots to socio-civic advocacies such as Childhope Asia and Bantay Usok. He has also worked with international organizations like the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations and the Drik Picture Library in Bangladesh.
Mondomanila
Dir. Khavn De La Cruz
Director's statement
I have always wanted to explore Manila and its humanity. Not just its people, majority of whom are mired in poverty, but the whole rationale behind the irrational lives these people experience everyday.
There is the kind of human drama that extends beyond tragedy and plants its feet firmly in the territories of madness. In my film "Mondomanila," I strived to present the truth as gleaned from the cracks in the celluloid curtain. But the “truth,” it is not "out there," as pundits from the outer realm put it, but in one’s own backyard.
And backyards can shock, specially if one doesn't go out much. I believe that "Mondomanila" offers one of the most horrifying backyards in the tradition of films made by one of the foremost Filipino directors, the late Lino Brocka. If Brocka's films a decade ago talked about the wounds of Manila, I would like to believe that "Mondomanila" belongs to new breed of storytelling that makes one feel as if one has actually touched that wound, a close-up view of all that gangrene and pus.
"Mondomanila" takes place in the slums and is inhabited by the denizens of the underworld (the crippled pimp, the lonely housewife, the neighborhood gay and his macho father, the prostitutes, the smalltime politician, the Yankee pedophile). "Mondomanila," however, is not about a celebration of self-destruction. Far from it. Decadence, after all, is the language of the privileged. Decadence is that which escapes from the clutches of bourgeois order. But what if there is no order at all? In "Mondomanila," there are no happy endings and Death awaits in ambush at every corner. However, in my film, Tragedy lies not at the end but is a given situation. It is, I believe, not the usual "story that needs to be told" but is, in all accounts, simply a backyard full of lovable fuckers.
The Junkie Shop
Super Indie Store
The Junkie Shop, Unit 4b, Cubao Expo
Gen Romulo Avenue
Cubao, Philippines
Techy Romantics - Touch Album
Indie / Pop / Electronica
Techy Romantics started out as an idea by Dondi Virrey in April 2008. And, this idea was realized when Ryan Villena and Camyl Besinga jammed with him in one "lazy sunday afternoon" in June 2008. From that solitary idea, Techy Romantics has come a long way and is now set to release their first album, Touch this December 15th 2009 on Party Bear Records.
Electrolychee
Marcushiro & Bru
Electrolychee are a local studio in the Philippines that merge illustration with design. Their works play within the realms of slick, computer-generated vector art and organic, hand-drawn imagery. They are also full-time visual artists who frequently showcase their pop-inspired artworks in the metro’s alternative galleries. Besides painting, participating in design conferences and collaborating with both local and foreign artists, their studio also produces Electrolychee-branded Strange Creations merchandise. It’s a do-it-yourself endeavor that’s part of their long-term goal of being a design studio and a lifestyle store in one.
Independencia
Dir. Raya Martin
Official Selection, Un Certain Regard, Cannes Film Festival 2009
The sounds of war signal the arrival of the Americans. An aging mother and her son flee to the mountains, hoping for a quiet life. One day, the son discovers a wounded woman in the middle of the forest, and decides to bring her home. Years pass. The man, the rescued woman and their child live in total isolation from the growing chaos all over the country. But a coming storm soon threatens their existence, and American troops draw nearer...
I LOVE YOU x FUTURE
Fashion will save the world
I LOVE YOU is a collective of individuals working for social change. Industrialists with revolutionary ideals & an idealistic mission to save the world & the environment through art, design & events.
Location: Cubao X, General Romulo Street, Cubao, Philippines.
Sunshine Machine
Experimental / Ambient / Electronica
WeeWillDoodle
In love with the power of the doodle.
This artist collective believes in, respects, and harnesses the raw power of spontaneous ideas to capture them on different media. On paper, plastic, walls, your bare buttocks -- you name 'em and they'll draw on it.
Himpapawid (Manila Skies)
Dir. Raymond Red
Inspired by a true event, Himpapawid (Manila Skies) tackles the astounding story of a lone deranged hijacker who is pushed to the edge as he struggles with the oppression of surviving in modern Philippine society. The film dwells on the common story of a desperate simple man from the countryside searching for a decent means of living in the big city, Manila. He keeps stumbling as he moves from one “station of the cross” to another. In dire straits, he later joins an amateur gang plotting a heist to get even with a corrupt employer. This ultimately goes wayward and ends in devastation. Further hounded by guilt that his father is helplessly ill in the province, he draws his last straw and plots the insane hijacking of a plane to finally take him to his ultimate destination – home or hell.
Himpapawid (Manila Skies) is Raymond Red’s first major film in nine years since winning the Cannes Palme D’Or in 2000 for his short film Anino (Shadows).
Baka
Cow inspired Fashion
Love in Athens
Shoegaze / Indie / Electroacoustic
CNN Hero of the Year 2009
Our planet is filled with heroes, young and old, rich and poor, man, woman of different colors, shapes and sizes. We are one great tapestry. Each person has a hidden hero within, you just have to look inside you and search it in your heart, and be the hero to the next one in need.
Efren Penaflorida.
SLITZ Magazine
Keb Darge Interview
Download your free copy here: www.slitzmag.com
The Reich Arrest
Rock / Alternative / Ambient
Emerging from the seemingly self-effacing town of Antipolo, The Reich Arrest try to barge into the country’s largely appreciated (not to mention lulzy in a good way) realm of music. Like others, Reich Arrest draws inspiration from the global or foreign scene as well as the local. The quartet came to existence circa 08. Since then Anton, Bench, Paolo, and Kevin have invested to make their relationship as a band preponderate over professional matters in order to create the subjective idea of a new genre, in other words, their own music.
Faiye Del Rosario
Graphic Designer / Artist
Graphic Designer / Artist
indieManila Supports...
The Philippine Community Fund
The Philippine Community Fund helps keep family units strong by rescuing children from their tortuous existence who live and work on the rubbish tips and squatter camps in the Philippines. It runs its own schools, feeding and health care programs and delivers innovative services to the highest standard by working with the community and the community leaders.
Philippine Outreach Centre Ministries
POCM helps children who have been abused, abandoned, neglected and incarcerated with parents in jail, by providing a loving home. A Special Care Division helps children with special needs and a baby unit is home to 10 babies and toddlers who have been rescued. Philippine Outreach Centre Academy is POC's school which provides a free education to over 150 students.
Engkwentro
The Debut Film by Pepe Diokno
Winner of the Lion of The Future - Luigi Laurentiis Award for Debut Film and Orizzonti Award for Best Film at the 66th Venice Film Festival 2009.
Inspired by true events, "Engkwentro" tells the story of Richard and Raymond, two teenage brothers on opposite sides of a gang war. Richard is the leader of his gang, "Bagong Buwan" ("New Moon") while Raymond is just being inducted into "Batang Dilim" ("Children of the Night"), a rival gang led by charming solvent boy, Tomas. Complications arise at a deadly midnight "engkwentro" (clash), when Tomas gives Raymond the task of killing his older brother. All this happens while the City Death Squad lurks the streets. This real-life vigilante group is allegedly backed by the omnipresent Mayor Danilo Dularte Suarez, and is responsible for many unsolved murders of teen gangsters. Today, they are hunting down Richard. Will they take the younger brother, too?
Anak Ng Kwek Kwek
Wearable Junk
Anak ng Kwek Kwek! Wearable Junk leads a pro-earth movement through reusing everyday materials and turning these into novel accessories and junk art that you can wear. There are three main AKK! Collections: Happy Beads, Isaw Wire and Junk Kwek. AKK! is the result of excessive brain farts emitted from the minds of Charisse 'Chung' Padilla and Paula Reyes. Chung is a poet and a spoken word artist who is currently earning scented moolah as an art director. She enjoys taking long baths with her rubber duckies. Pau is an artist whose principles are often influenced by her activist ideals. She would love to have a life-size babushka doll someday.
Keb Darge - Exclusive!
The legendary Deep Funk DJ talks to indieManila about his future plans in the Philippines.
"In the next month I got this compilation with Paul Weller coming out, a compilation with Lucinda Slim and next year I got one with Andy Smith, my partner at Jo Jo‘s. Me and Kenny Dope run a label called Kay-Dee Records and we’re putting out Kay-Dee Volume 3 soon. I am moving to the Philippines in a year and a half. I want to set-up there, like here I’m very settled. I do my Friday and Saturday in London now but I used to be able to choose where to DJ in Europe. Five years ago I was getting five offers every weekend and I could choose anywhere. I would like to get the same thing in South East Asia where I can be settled there and skittle around. It took about 5 years to crack Europe and get them into it, it will take me 5 years to crack South East Asia. The first victims were always the Hip-Hop crowd because they could relate to the samples. I have also written an album for Lucinda Slim, it’s a mix of 60’s Soul, Funk and 50’s Jump Blues. She has done a couple demos out in New York with The Dap Kings and Sony Music have contacted her with interest."
image. Keb Darge & Cut Chemist.
Original interview by Chris, indieManila.
The Distinktive Sounds of Pasta Groove
Hip-Hop / Soul / Jazz
There's a quiet revolution brewing in a small personal recording studio in Quezon City. Behind the revolution is Paolo Garcia... What Paolo does is to get a hold of old tunes and then give these musical pieces a new touch - reconstructing their groove and styling -through modern technology, in a way that makes it palatable to today’s youth. Paolo Garcia, vinyl junkie/beat producer, is a practitioner of the art of sample-based music. The music is a blend of hip hop/soul/jazz which incorporates sounds from the 60’s and 70’s.
indieManila Netlabel Launched
We have recently just launched our netlabel. We accept all genres of music so please send in your tracks and we'll get back to you as soon as possible. Thank you.
Ones to Watch - Twin Lobster
Indie / Rock / 90's
Twin lobster is a three-piece band from the Philippines that produce a unique style of music that tends to stray away from the usual trendy "indie" sound. With influences from 90's rock, electronica and metal, they believe in making music that follows the strict practice of DIY, (Do-It-Yourself) in which they've independently produced 2 full-length albums.
Aaron Mendoza
Film / TVC Director
Aaron 'Papins' Mendoza has over a decade of advertising and film experience, helping create and develop bright ideas that generate achievements. His short film 'Birthday' was recently winner of the First Day film contest. Expect more to come from this talented director.
Aaron 'Papins' Mendoza @ Filmaka
Lynyrd Arwyn Paras
Artist
Lynyrd’s works are simultaneously linguistic and visual, surrounding images with words. The phrases embedded in the compositions are words of comfort perhaps for himself, a loved one, and the viewer - It’s All Good, Life is Beautiful. Together with the figures in the foreground and background, they create a montage from the artist’s memories, from his past. In some cases letters or numbers become images themselves. They were randomly selected creating a playful imagery which for some can be jumbled to create some sensible words; for others just nonsensical utterances...
Original article - The Images and Texts of Lynyrd Paras
By Victoria T. Herrera
ProcopioKillsAll
Graffiti Artist & Musician
Imagine your childhood nightmare is filled with an array of colors that contradicts the gorish presence. That explains ProcopioKillsAll, XXYXE, 6iX, QZRG. All of these names he uses on walls, stickers and posters. Procopio's main inpiration are monsters and aliens, he has always drawn them in his books and notebooks since he was a child... "I was really fascinated how ugly they are but the colors are really vibrant."
ProcopioKillsAll is also on the We Almost Lost Manila E.P for Typhoon Ondoy relief. Donate to the Red Cross through our justgiving.com page to recieve free downloads of Volume One + We Almost Lost Manila E.P
Midnight Masquerade
Custom handmade masks by visual artist Katrina Pallon
All masks are hand-crafted of papier-mache and hand-painted meticulously by the artist. Note that no two masks are alike and each mask design is unique because all mask creations are custom-made especially for the client and for the occasion she/he shall be using it. Midnight Masquerade offers a range of masks including half-masks, full-faced masks, and the recently included gatto masks (cat masks). And whether your choice is a simple one with minimal rhinestones and hand-painted details or an elaborate one lavishly adorned with jewels, feathers, plumes, and flowers, Midnight Masquerade guarantees sheer elegance and that all of its masks are made from quality materials, may it be for masquerade-themed parties/balls or for decorative wall displays.
Ones to Watch - Encounters With A Yeti
Alternative / Experimental / Acousmatic / Tape music
Conceived in 1998 but never finalized until 2005, Encounters With a Yeti is a group of chronically bashful and reclusive people who focus on creating expansive tonal poems. Members occasionally form several divisions underneath Encounters With a Yeti as well, foremost of which are The Archers of Mons, Orbital Vehicle Challenger and Anilao Technical Department divisions. Admitted members of majority of the world's population that ultimately fear public speaking over death, Encounters With a Yeti is a fully functioning democracy and best taken with beer and fresh greens.
We Love PopJunkLove
Celebrating the DIY Spirit
PopJunkLove was created by Maan and Roma Agsalud, two bickering (but craft-loving) sisters who are obsessed with pop culture, vintage finds, ukay-ukays, DVD marathons and siomai.
PopJunkLove started out as a small business project involving handmade tee-embellishments and shirt-pins. With that, their love of crafting developed and began to take on a life of its own. As a result, the line up of their creations extends to making scrabble pillows, shape monsters and plushies among other things.
Experimenting with Sound
Echos in Vapor and BoyGuerrilla
Guilty Pleasures - Kevin Movido
'You and Me' E.P - Deeper Manila Records
Kevin Movido is one of those guilty pleasures that you must indulge in. Young, soulful pop music that leaves you with a smile on your face. His debut two track E.P entitled 'You and Me' out soon on Deeper Manila Records is a classic that is sure to leave all the ladies swooning for more. Track two will be a remix provided by label owner Justin De Guzman. Another track for his to look out for is his house cover of D'Sounds 'Tatooed on my Mind', a sure to be club hit. I have no doubt we'll be hearing more of Kevin Movido, on the dancefloor and off it.
Vote for The Butchercons @ MTV Emerge
Garage / Rock / Indie
Butchercons are also on indieManila Volume One for Typhoon Ondoy relief. Donate to the Red Cross through our justgiving.com page to recieve free downloads of Volume One + We Almost Lost Manila E.P
Spazzkid's Blank Stares E.P Out Now!
Electronica / Experimental / Pop
Thank You - indieManila's Typhoon Ondoy Appeal
Just want to say thank you to all the people who have helped raise much needed money for typhoon Ondoy relief. Indie Manila would like to thank Val Rehab, Satoko and The Roxy for our first fundraising night. We would also like to thank Peter Parker's Rock 'N' Roll Club, Echos in Vapor, Terror Tots, Brontosaurus Chorus, Colin Toms, Little Edith for the indieManila Charity night. Thanks to Keb Darge, Little Edith, Trickster, Hep Kat Kaz and Zen Sai for our last fundraising night. A special mention to Filmefilms and Philippine Generations for helping advertise our events. Finally thanks to everyone who made it down and donated.
Lots of love & God bless.
Chris, indieManila.
indieManila's Typhoon Ondoy Appeal
On September 26, 2009,
Typhoon Ondoy brought a month's worth of rainfall to Metro Manila and nearby areas in just a few hours, causing severe flooding which resulted in the loss of many lives and the displacement of hundreds of thousands of people. Eight days later, Typhoon Pepeng struck the northern regions causing more damage. Please donate. Once you donation is confirmed we will send you your unique username and password to download the "indieManila Volume One" compilation and the "We Almost Lost Manila" E.P. Make sure that when you donate through our justgiving.com page that you give your correct email address so that we can contact you. Thank you.
Useful Typhoon Ondoy Links: Telephone Numbers | Places To Donate Goods | Monetary Donations