Sine Sinta paints colors of love with a romance-filled film festival

By Diane Sarmiento

The Film Development Council of the Philippines (FDCP) assembles a selection of romantic Filipino movies through ‘Sine Sinta: Pag-ibig at Pelikula’, a free film-viewing event held in the Rizal Open Air Auditorium, Trinoma 3, and other Cinematheque Centers nationwide.

In one cinematic exhibition, Sine Sinta painted different phases of love. The program welcomed the month of love with the goal to inspire moviegoers to return to the theaters and savor the social experience of romantic Filipino films that span decades and continue to captivate audiences today.

Among the movies shown was “The Hows of Us,” starring box office royalty Kathryn Bernardo and Daniel Padilla. Hailed as the second highest-grossing movie in the Philippines, “The Hows of Us” displays the ugly consequences of choosing love despite its toxicity.

Joel Lamangan’s “Rainbow’s Sunset”, rendered a spectrum of colors for the month of love. Starring Tony Mabesa and the late Eddie Garcia, headlined the film viewing while touching on topics of homosexuality and embracing the uncertainty of their future together.

Sagip Pelikula, the ABS-CBN Film Restoration Project also presented classics during the screening. "A Very Special Love," starring Sarah Geronimo and John Lloyd Cruz, kicking off the line-up, along with "Hihintayin Kita sa Langit," starring Richard Gomez and Dawn Zulueta, and "Got 2 Believe," starring the legendary love team of Claudine Barretto and Rico Yan.

Also included is the 1998 film “Labs Kita...Okey Ka Lang” starring Jolina Magdangal and Marvin Agustin. The movie centered around Bujoy and Ned, best friends who must deal with their unique affections for one another.

The National Parks Development Committee (NPDC), the Department of Tourism (DOT), ABS-CBN, ABS-CBN Sagip Pelikula, Trinoma, JuanFlix: The FDCP Channel, and Cinematheque Centers was hand in hand with FDCP in organizing Sine Sinta: Pag-ibig at Pelikula.