FIFTH WALL FEST, the Philippines' first international platform for dance on camera, continues to connect with creatives, artists, movers and shakers to explore the wonders of dance on film. On its 2nd edition, the competition focuses on the rawness and vulnerability built from isolation—the profound elements unraveled in the sensorial gesticulations of captured motion.

Festival Director Madge Reyes (ACC 2018) shares, “the festival not only offers a space for visibility and education, but also opens a dialogue for movement beyond the screen.”

Commencing this year’s festival edition is the short documentary "Am I Being Selfish?" by Patrick Alcedo (ACC multi grantee) that probes into the harsh realities of pursuing a passion in a setting that does not reward it. Other films in the festival program include the trilogy “Mr. O’s Book of the Dead” (1973), “Mandala of Mr. O” (1971) and “A Portrait of Mr. O” (1969) directed by Chiaki Nagano; “The Last Resort” by Jessica Wright and Morgann Runacre-Temple; “And Then We Danced” by Levan Akin; “Host,” “Macho Dancer,” and “Death of the Pole Dancer” performed by Eisa Jocson; “Dive” by Oscar Sansom; “Bari-Bari” by Chino Neri and Ea Torrado (ACC 2016); “Amadeus (A Cyberpunk Dream)” by the Hong Kong Ballet and the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra; “Beyond” by Simone Wierød; and “Navel and A-Bomb” by Eikoh Hosoe and Tatsumi Hijikata.

Jury members for the 2021 Fifth Wall Fest are Kelly Hargraves, Dance Filmmaker and Curator (USA); Choi Sin-Yi Emilie (Hong Kong), Independent researcher, writer, and programmer; Sumedha Bhattacharyya, Interdisciplinary dance artist-scholar, educator, and dance filmmaker (India); Nonoy Froilan, Choreographer, filmmaker, actor, and photographer; and Sari Dalena (ACC 2002-2004), Filmmaker and Professor (Philippines).