Philippine film foundation flipped the script for a 'dead' industry

Cinemalaya Foundation wins Nikkei Asia Prize for fostering young artists

20190423 Cinemalaya Foundation) Laurice Guillen) Nikkei Asian Prizes)

Laurice Guillen helped establish the Cinemalaya Foundation to support young filmmakers in the Philippines. (Photo by Jun Endo)

JUN ENDO, Nikkei staff writer

April 29, 2019 02:10 JST

MANILA -- Nearly two decades ago, the Philippine film industry was widely considered "dead." Now it is regarded as one of the brightest lights in Asian cinema, with the Cinemalaya Foundation leading a revival of independent movies.

The nonprofit organization, the winner of this year's Nikkei Asia Prize for culture and community, supports young filmmakers and introduces their best works to the world through the annual Cinemalaya Philippine Independent Film Festival.