The SPOT.ph Guide to the 2nd CineFilipino Film Festival

(SPOT.ph) Manila's vibrant movie scene isn't limited to just regular cinema releases or the annual Metro Manila Film Festival. There are plenty of film festivals throughout the year that cater to all sorts of genres and give Filipino indie movies a much-needed platform. Take the CineFilipino Film Festival, for instance, which only launched in 2015.

This year, CineFilipino has expanded to more categories: Feature-Length (nine films), Documentaries (five films), TV Series (five films), and Shorts (17 films). The festival, which runs from March 16 to March 22, will be held at participating cinemas around the Metro.

Here are the nine feature-films you shouldn't miss at CineFilipino 2016.

A Lotto Like Love

Director: Carla Baful

Stars: Martin Escudero and Isabelle de Leon

Two complete strangers cross paths through a single winning lottery ticket. This kicks off a series of mishaps and adventures that bring them closer together.

Sakaling Hindi Makarating

Director: Ice Idanan

Stars: Alessandra de Rossi, Pepe Herrera, and JC Santos

Cielo (de Rossi) is a young woman who is left heartbroken after her boyfriend of 11 years breaks off their engagement just weeks before their wedding. She decides to live a life of isolation, that is, until she begins to receive a series of anonymous, hand-illustrated postcards from all over the Philippines. Cielo then embarks on a journey around the country in search of its mystery sender.

Ang Taba Ko Kasi 

Director: Jason Paul Laxamana

Stars: Cai Cortez, Mark Neumann, and Ryan Yllana

An overweight girl (Cortez) is torn between falling for her hot swimming instructor who is motivating her to lose wieght, or her equally overweight friend who just wants her to accept her appearance.

Star Na Si Van Damme Stallone

Director: Randolph Longjas

Stars: Candy Pangilinan, Paolo Pinggol, and Erlina Villalobos 

This film revolves around a single mother named Nadia (Pangilinan) and the struggles she faces raising Vanvan (Pinggol), her son with Down Syndrome. When Vanvan suddenly aspires to become an actor, Nadia vows to make ends meet to help him pursue his dream. The story spans over two decades and is told through the eyes of the people closest to Vanvan.

Ang Tulay ng San Sebastian

Director: Alvin Yapan

Cast: Joem Bascon and Sandino Martin

An ambulance driver named Bong (Bascon) and a nurse named Francis (Martin) are driving home to their home province on a Good Friday. To help the former stay awake, they agree to tell each other ghost stories. As they pass the bridge of San Sebastian, they witness their horrific stories come to life along the highway.

1st Sem

Director: Dexter Hemedez and Allan Ibanez

Stars: Lotlot de Leon and Darwin Yu

The strained relationship between a mother and son intensifies after the latter decides not to pursue his college education in Manila.

Buhay Habangbuhay

Director: Paolo Alessandro Herras

Stars: Iza Calzado, Meryll Soriano, and Jake Macapagal

The ghost of a loving and dutiful wife (Calzado) silently watches her husband (Macapagal) move on from her death and fall in love with a new woman (Soriano). Along the way, she discovers that there is more life in...well, the after-life.

Ned's Project

Director: Lemuel Lorca

Stars: Angeli Bayani, Max Eigenmann, and Lui Manansala

Ned (Bayani) is a lesbian tattoo artist who longs for motherhood, despite the protests of her long-time girlfriend. This comedy centers on Ned's desperate attempts to have a child, including joining a talent reality show with a cash prize that she can use to fund her artificial insemination procedure.

Straight to the Heart

Director: Dave Fabros

Stars: Carl Guevara, Gwen Zamora, and Vincent De Jesus

A happily gay hairdresser named Eric (Guevara) gets into a fight with his ex-boyfriend and ends up being injured. He wakes up from his coma as a straight man—or more accurately, an arrogant, sex-obsessed man who offends and hurts his close friends.

For ticket prices and screening schedules, visit CineFilipino Film Festival's Facebook page.