This year’s tagline is “I Am Original!” and there are nine films to be shown: “A Short History of a Few Bad Things” by Director Keith Deligero (Cinema One 2016 best director for “Lily). This is a noir procedural with socio-political underpinnings. Treated more as a comedy, this stars Victor Neri as a detective in Cebu who is tasked to investigate a series of heinous murders but several forces seem to prevent him from knowing the truth behind the killings. Also starring Jay Gonzaga.
“Asuang” by Raynier Brizuela, a fantasy-comedy treated as a mockumentary about a different kind of superhero, a god in Bicol who finds a new purpose in life when a group of fortunetellers ask his help to help save mankind by stopping an impending apocalypse, starring Alwyn Uytingco and with Chai Fonacier.
“Bagyong Bheverlyn” by Charliebebs Gohetia (of “I Love You, Thank You”) - a comedy starring Rufa Mae Quinto and Edgar Allan Guzman. Rufa Mae As Bheverlynn is crushed when her relationship with her boyfriend of four years ends in a break up. It turns out that she’s a woman with an alter ego that’s like a super typhoon and her heartbreak will create a hurricane that will wipe out everything in its path. Only moving on and finding happiness anew can stop the calamity. But how can she manage to do that? Well, she will embark on a journey of discovering her self worth and will realize that loving one’s self remains to be the greatest love of all. 
“Hospicio” by Bobby Bonifacio (of “Numbalik Diwa”) - a horror flick starring Loisa Andalio as a drug addict who is taken to a hospicio which turns out to be haunted. Also starring Anna Abad Santos, Manny Castaneda, Mary Joy Apostol and Elle Ramirez.
“Mamu and a Mother Too” by Rod Singh, a comedy about a middle-aged transgender who becomes a surrogate mother to her transgender niece that should be warmly welcomed by the LGBT community. Starring Iyah Mina as Mamu, EJ Jallorina as the niece Bona, Arron Villaflor, Petite, Jovani Manansala, Renzie Aguilar and Markus Paterson as Kiko.
“Pang-MMK” - The directorial debut of comedian “Sweet” Lapuz about Janus (actually, Sweet’s alter ego), a gay young man who organizes the funeral of his estranged father, with unexpected results, starring Neil Coleta as the Janus and Nikki Valdez as his cantankerous sister who makes a scene during the wake.
“Paglisan” by Carl Joseph Papa (who directed the Cinema One best picture winner, the animated film “Manang Biring” in 2015). Another animated film, “Paglisan” is a musical-dramedy film about a couple, Dolores and Crisanto (with voices by Eula Valdes and Ian Veneracion), who make an effort to keep their marriage together while one of them suffers from early onset Alzheimer’s disease.“Fisting, Never Tear Us Apart” by Whammy Alcazaren. This is a movie that is described as one that combines 3rd World Espionage with old country folklore. But it’s actually an attempt at a portrait of a modern family about an aging spy who discovers that his wife was impregnated by a monster called The Shadow. This stars Ricky Davao, Meryll Soriano and Jasmine Curtis Smith.
Festival director Ronald Arguelles says that aside from the main competition, this year’s Cinema One Originals Film Festival will feature short films, restored classics like “Minsan Isang Gamo Gamo” (1976 film starring Nora Aunor) and “Omeng Satanasia” (which won for the late Dolphy a FAMAS best actor award), and also guest foreign films meant to elevate and heighten the moviegoing experience of the Filipino movie audience even more. The opening film will be the latest remake of “A Star is Born” starring Bradley Cooper and Lady Gaga in her first starring role.
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