FDCP to screen “Aftersun,” “Close,” “Corsage,” and “Return to Seoul” in Ayala Cinemas

Wazzup Pilipinas!?

The Film Development Council of the Philippines (FDCP) licensed the rights to four new titles from Belgium, Austria, France, and the United Kingdom earlier this year which are now set for commercial release, in partnership with Ayala Cinemas, from August 23 to 29, 2023.

The FDCP’s Audience Development Program and Ayala Cinemas’ The A-List Series aim to bring acclaimed films more accessible to movie lovers through the “A-List Series Presents: A Curation of World Cinema.”

With this partnership, the FDCP and the Ayala Cinemas will bring world cinema titles to the Filipino audience with its initial offering of films that have won multiple recognitions in reputable film festivals and award-giving bodies.

Cannes-winning titles “Aftersun” directed by Charlotte Wells, “Close” directed by Lukas Dhont, “Corsage” directed by Marie Kreutzer, and “Return to Seou3l” directed by Davy Chou will be screened in Ayala Cinemas in Manila Bay, TriNoma, Greenbelt 3, UP Town Center, and Capitol Central in Bacolod and Central Bloc in Cebu. More Ayala Cinemas will be announced soon.

In a statement, FDCP Chairman and CEO Tirso Cruz III said that the national film council is proud to showcase these award-winning films from all over the world and assured viewers that they will have a memorable experience watching these films.

“May these powerful films be an effective avenue of inspiration and deepen your love of profound film artistry,” Cruz ended.

More than its aim to encourage audiences to return to the cinemas, this program aims to further expose moviegoers to titles that would help them expand their horizons.

For more updates on these films, follow FDCP on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

PUP FilAC braces for more events as part of FDCP’s Academic Film Society

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The Film Aficionados Circle (FilAC), the official student film organization of the Polytechnic University of the Philippines College of Communication, is gearing up for more film-related activities after recently concluding “Sineminuto: Buhayin at Lakbayin, Pelikulang Atin!” with the theme “Lakbay.”

“As the only film organization in PUP, we really want to give a platform to aspiring filmmakers on campus. Sineminuto is like a bridge for the mentees of the Film Aficionados Circle into the basics of film production,” Adelbert Abrigonda, FilAC President, shared.

“Bakit Maingay ang EDSA?” which was directed by Rafael Nuyad of Carousel Productions bagged the Sineminuto Best Film award. The short film about two homeless siblings wandering around the highway also won Best Male Performance for Ralph Capinig, who played Anthony, Best Screenplay, Best Sound Design, and Best Concept. It placed second in terms of direction, cinematography, and editing.

“The Portrait of a Man” from Nilay Productions got Best Direction for Ronalyn Antonio, Best Production Design, and Best Editing. It ranked second overall in film, screenplay, and sound design categories.

Meanwhile, “meet me halfway” from After Hours Production finished third and received Best Female Performance for Frances Danielle Tan as Emma and Best Cinematography, as well as second in production design.

“En Route” from Loop Productions brought home the second best concept among those which were realized into films for Sineminuto. The only horror film entry in the competition tells the story of a student who gets trapped in an infinite loop on a hallway in campus, preventing her from attending her class.

“Balikat” by ACDK Pictures, “Kaya Kaya” by Aninuno Productions, “Pihit” by 2RDS Productions, “Urong Sulong” by Yapak Productions, and “Yapak” by Amping Productions completed the Sineminuto entries.

Director and screenwriter Rod Marmol, filmmaker/photographer Arjanmar Rebeta, producer and writer Seymour Sanchez, PUP scriptwriting and TV production professor George Gamayo, and FilAC alumnus Edrian Pabona made up the jury for Sineminuto, FilAC’s flagship event for student filmmakers.

FilAC also recently became a member of the Academic Film Society of the Film Development Council of the Philippines. The organization plans to hold more events to promote and teach the art of filmmaking to students who share their passion for cinema.

Through the AFS, the FDCP provides support and makes resources more accessible in the academic setting. As part of its initiative, the FDCP co-presented Sineminuto with FilAC together with IDP Philippines, Motivo PH, Urban Chick, M' Finesse PH, and Cinemata, Sineminuto’s official media partner.

Abrigonda was elated that Sineminuto mentees were able to showcase their craft through their films and apply “what they have learned from the PelikuLearn sessions” that FilAC spearheaded this year with National Artist for Film and Broadcast Arts Ricky Lee and director Jules Katanyag among their mentors.

“I'm also happy to see the enthusiasm of the student filmmakers and their desire to develop their passions into something meaningful through their work. This is something to be proud of and I'm really looking forward to seeing how the organization will grow more in the future. Especially now since there are many students in the campus who are very eager to explore the world of filmmaking,” he concluded.

Don’t take the bait: how to avoid getting phished and other kinds of digital fraud

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With the prevalence of digital fraud in the Philippines, simple proactive measures can help keep you and your financial information safe

As more transactions are made without the use of cash, the use of credit cards continues to climb[1]. However, the increase in credit card usage also comes with an increase in credit card scams and other forms of digital fraud that look to prey on unsuspecting members of the population.

Digital Fraud in The Philippines

In a consumer survey commissioned by global credit agency TransUnion last year, findings from the Philippines showed that 71% of respondents were targeted by digital fraud attempts via email, phone calls, text messaging and other online channels within a three-month period beginning from September 2022. Among those targeted, 11% of respondents fell victim to some form of digital fraud within the same timeframe.

While the local financial sector is collectively beefing up measures against cybercriminals[2], the methods in which fraudsters aim to scam victims are also growing more sophisticated in style and scale. As the digital fraud rate in the country still stands at a level higher than the global average[3], here are practical ways to help protect yourself or your business from falling victim to digital fraud.

 

Guard your online information

Avoid entering financial information on public computers or when using public wi-fi. These computers could contain software that captures passwords or other details upon entry. When browsing the internet, look for an “https:” at the start of a web link especially when banking or ordering things online.

Monitor your accounts

It is recommended to regularly monitor your financial accounts to keep an eye on your balances and your account activity. As most banks and financial institutions now offer personal banking apps for added convenience, some apps have transaction alerts to update users of any transactions made. The use of such features can help ensure that any unauthorized transactions are quickly caught.

Enable multi-factor authentication

Multi-factor authentication is a means of online identity verification that requires users to show multiple means to verify one’s identity when logging into a website or using a service. These factors can be something you know (your password), something you have (a verification code sent to your mobile number), or something inherent to you such as your face or your fingerprint. Having multi-factor authentication activated can help keep fraudsters from successfully carrying out some attacks.

Think twice about sharing information

As phishing scams are usually carried out through email, be cautious of emails that request information. One way to prevent falling victim to phishing scams is to check the content of the email. Was it sent from a public email domain? Is the domain name or message misspelled? Is it poorly written? These are telltale signs of phishing. Being able to identify these signs is a big help in keeping you and your financials safe.

Check your credit report

Credit reports contain information about your credit history. They also help you understand and improve your credit status. To catch any potentially fraudulent activity from going under your radar, review your credit report for any suspicious details such as accounts you did not open. You can request for a credit report from TransUnion Philippines here.

Implement fraud detection tools

For business owners, having fraud detection tools at your disposal can help you catch fraud before it affects your bottom line. Aside from credit reports, TransUnion Philippines also offers TruValidate™ - a host of solutions that work by using data and analytics to stop fraud as it happens. Solutions include identity proofing to validate consumers with confidence, risk-based authentication to verify consumers with ease, and fraud prevention to identify risky transactions and fraudulent devices in real-time.

Report suspicious activity

If you think you may have fallen victim of any form of financial fraud, contact your bank as soon as possible. The sooner your bank is made aware of what has transpired, the better your chances of your hard-earned funds being recovered.



About TransUnion Philippines (NYSE:TRU)

TransUnion is a global information and insights company that makes trust possible in the modern economy. We do this by providing an actionable picture of each person so they can be reliably represented in the marketplace. As a result, businesses and consumers can transact with confidence and achieve great things. We call this Information for Good®. TransUnion provides solutions that help create economic opportunity, great experiences and personal empowerment for hundreds of millions of people in more than 30 countries.

In the Philippines, we were the first comprehensive private credit reference agency (CRA) and we have helped Filipinos to better understand and manage their personal finances for more than a decade. We serve a range of clients across multiple sectors, including international, national and rural financial services providers, telecommunications, utilities, FinTech and retail organizations.



[1] Philippines: card payment transaction value 2022 | Statista


[2] https://www.bsp.gov.ph/Media_And_Research/Primers%20Faqs/Digital%20Payments%20Transformation%20Roadmap%20Report.pdf


[3] https://newsroom.transunion.ph/transunion-report-finds-digital-fraud-attempts-fall-18-in-the-philippines-but-rise-80-globally-from-pre-pandemic-levels/