Clermont-Ferrand director, Malaysian critic head .MOV jury

Malaysian writer, anti-war activist, and academic Gaik Cheng Khoo chairs the jury for the full-length feature competition while Clermont-Ferrand Short Film Festival organizer Roger Gonin heads the jury for the selection of the best Philippine and Southeast Asian short film (Silvershorts) and documentary of the second .MOV International Digital Film Festival held at SM City Cebu from March 2 to 8.

Khoo, a postdoctoral fellow at the Asia Research Institute in Singapore , is currently doing her research on the independent filmmaking movement in Malaysia . She organized a New SEAsian Cinemas conference in Singapore last May and is currently editing a book of essays from it. Come July, Gaik will be teaching gender studies at the Australian National University in Canberra . She previously taught at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver , Canada . Joining Khoo in the selection of the best feature are multi-Gawad CCP awardee Roxlee, considered the father of experimental/underground cinema in the Philippines , and Ruel Dahis Antipuesto, a Cebuano filmmaker who won the Gawad CCP for best regional entry and first runner-up in the best animation short feature last year for his work "Snake's Pit."

Roxlee has directed six short super 8 films, six short films in 16mm, one short 35mm film, a full-length 35mm feature based on his popular comic strip "Cesar Asar," and a new documentary on his brother, old rocker Romeo Lee. Aside from drawing cult classic strips, he is also one of the founding members of animation group "Animagination." Antipuesto, a topnotch civil engineer-turned-cinematographer, is presently a mentor at the International Academy of Film and Television. He also conducts touring workshops in camera work, lighting design, photography, and digital cinematography. Meanwhile, internationally acclaimed filmmaker Lav Diaz and Cinemanila head of publicity and promotions Seymour Barros Sanchez serve as Gonin's co-jury members. Gonin is one of the founding members and leading programmers of the Clermont-Ferrand festival, arguably the most prestigious annual event devoted to short films. Now on its 27th year, the festival is also known as the " Cannes of short film" and has become the world's largest and most renowned short film festival and market.

Diaz, who recently directed the 10-hour film "Ebolusyon ng Isang Pamilyang Pilipino," won the Network for the Promotion of Asian Cinema (NETPAC) Jury Award at the 2001 Cinemanila International Film Festival, the Best Film award at the 2002 Singapore International Film Festival, the Best Picture award at the Brussels International Film Festival, and the Best Picture and Best Director trophies at the 2002 Gawad Urian for his previous work "Batang West Side." Sanchez, who also served as assistant programmer for Cinemanila's local desk, currently facilitates classes on film appreciation, writing, and broadcasting at the Center for Performing and Digital Arts at the University of Makati . A former editor in chief of UP's Philippine Collegian, he contributed film reviews to different publications. He will be releasing a book on international award-winning Filipino filmmakers this year.