Isda by Adolfo Alix Jr: One of the Films Screened in this year's Toronto Film Festival

It's a pity really that foreigners often get the first chance to see independent movies like Isda by Adolfo Alix Jr. The truth is the Cinemalaya Festival has still pretty limited reach and although I'm sure independent filmmakers like Alix would want a wider audience in his own country, the question of economics often hangs in the balance.

However, this movie should be interesting enough to be seen by a good majority of Filipinos. It's a fable after all!

Cuchera: One of the Filipino Films Screened at this year's Toronto Film Festival

The Toronto International Film Festival is an important springboard for most Oscar-bound films, so it's a great honor to have four Filipino films screened at this year's festival! One of them is Cuchera by Joseph Israel Laban. The movie delves into how Filipinos are being used as drug mules. Quite heavy material even for me!