Tingin Southeast Asian Film Festival

2017–2025 · Curator-programmer · National Commission for Culture and the Arts

Tingin, a Filipino word meaning “look,” “view,” or “perspective,” brings Southeast Asian films and filmmakers into conversation with Philippine audiences. Its various editions have explored themes of fragile worlds, love, neighborliness, and indigenous stories, offering different ways of seeing and understanding the region.

Enchantments for a Fragile World · 2024 — Enchantments for a Fragile World · 17–18 August 2024

Swipe Right: Southeast Asia in Love · 2023 — Swipe Right: Southeast Asia in Love · 22–24 September 2023; online 29 September–1 October 2023

Imaginaries of Neighborliness · 2022 — Imaginaries of Neighborliness · 2–4 December 2022

Remedies for Dis-ease · 2021 — Remedies for Dis-ease · 24–26 September 2021

In Focus: Indigenous Stories · 2019 — In Focus: Indigenous Stories · 26–29 September 2019

Editions

2025 — Women’s Ways of Seeing

Moral (1982) · Marilou Diaz-Abaya; Don’t Cry, Butterfly (2024) · Dương Diệu Linh; WAShhh (2024) · Mickey Lai; My Wonderful Life (2024) · Calleen Koh; My Therapist Said, I Am Full of Sadness (2024) · Monica Vanesa Tedja; The Blanket (2021) · Mitpasa Sitthihukpanya; Mycelium Memory (2024) · Felicia Luna King; Akademi (2020) · Siti Kamaluddin; Until the Orchids Bloom (2024) · Polen Ly; MA – Cry of Silence (2024) · The Maw Naing.

2024 — Enchantments for a Fragile World

The Long Walk (2019) · Mattie Do; In My Mother’s Skin (2023) · Kenneth Dagatan; Dreaming and Dying (2023) · Nelson Yeo; Once Upon a Time There Was a Mom (2023) · Lin Htet Aung; Memoryland (2021) · Bùi Kim Quy; Snow in Midsummer (2023) · Chong Keat Aun; Golden Dragon (2023) · Boren Chhith; Worship (2021) · Uruphong Raksasad; Of Other Tomorrows Never Known (2023) · Natasha Tontey; Part of Me (2022) · Hazrul Aizan.

The closing conversation featured Kenneth Dagatan, Bianca Balbuena, and Bradley Liew.

2023 — Swipe Right: Southeast Asia in Love

Gameboys: The Movie (2021) · Ivan Andrew Payawal; Yuni (2021) · Kamila Andini; Here Is Not There (2019) · Nelson Yeo; Touch (2020) · Phạm Linh; Sunrise in My Mind (2020) · Danech San; Bangkok Department (2020) · Nuttawat Attasawat; Perhaps That Elephant Is Still Asleep (2022) · Yoeng Kuok Hong; Evening Clouds (2022) · Aung Phyoe; Atrophy (2022) · Adib Emran; Tuktuk of the Fifth Kind (2020) · Anysay Keola.

A post-screening conversation featured Ivan Andrew Payawal.

2022 — Imaginaries of Neighborliness

The Headhunter’s Daughter (2022) · Don Josephus Raphael Eblahan; Here I Am (2020) · Putri Purnama Sugua; Lashio Ambulance (2020) · Mann Pye Phyo Aung; Homebound (2022) · Ismail Fahmi Lubis; partitions (2021) · Vishal Daryanomel; Further and Further Away (2022) · Polen Ly; The Threshold 1969 (2019) · Twatpong Tangsajjapoj, Kraisit Bhokasawat, Chanon Treenet, and Punya Pasukkovitsiri; The Graduation of Edison (2019) · Pham Hoang Minh Thy; A Long Way Home (2017) · Xaisongkham Induangchanthy; Cloud Jacket (2022) · Abdul Zainidi.

2021 — Remedies for Dis-ease

Adam (2019) · Shoki Lin; Binh (2020) · Ostin Fam; Ethereal Creature (2017) · Tinshine Mont; Hilang (Disappear) (2012) · Harlif Haji Mohamad and Farid Azlan Ghani; Lost Wonders (2015) · Loeloe Hendra; Melody of Change (2019) · Ka Xiong and Cyril Eberle; New Land, Broken Road (2018) · Kavich Neang; Passing Moments (2020) · Nyi Zaw Htwe; Peon (2019) · Shaiful Yahya, June Wong, and Syaz Zainal; The Imminent Immanent (2018) · Carlo Francisco Manatad.

The screenings were accompanied by three evenings of online conversations with filmmakers Carlo Francisco Manata, Kavich Neang, June Wong, Shoki Lin, Ostin Fam, and Nyi Zaw Htwe.

2019 — In Focus: Indigenous Stories

Graves Without a Name (2018) · Rithy Panh; Anggur in Pockland (2017) · Abdul Zainidi; The River Flows (2016) · Makoto Kumazawa; Sokola Rimba (2013) · Riri Riza; In Exile (2016) · Tin Win Naing; Baboy Halas (Wailings in the Forest) (2016) · Bagane Fiola; Thy Womb (2012) · Brillante Mendoza; Sayang Disayang (2013) · Sanif Olek; By the River (2013) · Nontawat Numbenchapol; Love Man, Love Woman (2007) · Nguyễn Trinh Thi; Aqerat (2017) · Edmund Yeo.

Related talks and masterclasses featured Edmund Yeo, Nontawat Numbenchapol, Bagane Fiola, Teddy Co, and Miks Padilla.

2018 — Second Tingin ASEAN Film Festival

Yasmine (2014) · Siti Kamaluddin; The Last Reel (2014) · Kulikar Sotho; A Copy of My Mind (2015) · Joko Anwar; Vientiane in Love (2015) · Anysay Keola, Phanumad Disattha, Vannaphone Sitthirath, and Xaisongkham Induangchanthy; Dukun (2018) · Dain Said; The Monk (2014) · The Maw Naing; Yield (2018) · Victor Delotavo Tagaro and Toshihiko Uriu; hUSh (2016) · Djenar Maesa Ayu and Kan Lume; Homogenous, Empty Time (2017) · Thunska Pansittivorakul and Harit Srikhao; Big Father, Small Father and Other Stories (2015) · Phan Dang Di; The Road to Mandalay (2016) · Midi Z.

Special screenings featured Perfumed Nightmare (1977) and Who Invented the Yoyo? Who Invented the Moon Buggy? (1982), both by Kidlat Tahimik. Related events included masterclasses by Kulikar Sotho and Victor Tagaro, and a lecture on The Art of Kidlat Tahimik.

2017 — Inaugural Tingin ASEAN Film Festival

Wayang (2008) · Hatta Azad Khan; Jagat (2015) · Shanjhey Kumar Perumal; Victim · Cheang Chhordapheak; Golden Slumbers (2011) · Davy Chou; Khuan Nang (2014) · Somphong Phondy; Dearest Sister (2016) · Mattie Do; Kayan Beauties (2012) · Aung Ko Latt; Yellow Flowers on the Green Grass (2015) · Victor Vũ; Waris (2016) · Haji Sapami Abdullah; Ang Damgo ni Eleuteria (2010) · Remton Siega Zuasola; Solo, Solitude (2016) · Yosep Anggi Noen; Ilo Ilo (2013) · Anthony Chen; A Yellow Bird (2016) · K. Rajagopal; The Island Funeral (2015) · Pimpaka Towira.