The inaugural Filipino Indie Film Festival begins Monday at the University of Hawai'i-Manoa. The series, presented by the UH-Manoa Filipino and Philippine Literature Program, also features lectures by University of the Philippines film scholar and professor Nicanor Tiongson.

Admission to the lectures and films is free. 956-5901, 956-6970 956-3550.

All films have English subtitles. The schedule:

MONDAY

3 p.m., Hemenway Theatre: Tiongson lectures on "Philippine Cinema: History, State and Prospects."

6 p.m. screening of "Mansyon" : A housemaid and her gardener husband, in charge of a house while its owners are on a long vacation, find their lives changed after a small accident.

7 p.m. screening of "Ang Pagdadalaga ni Maximo Oliveros (The Blooming of Maximo Oliveros)": In the slums of Manila, young, gay Maxi waits hand and foot on his family of small-time criminals — that is, until he meets the idealistic, handsome policeman Victor.

TUESDAY

3 p.m., Hemenway Theatre: Tiongson lectures on "The Imitation and Indigenization of Hollywood in Philippine Cinema"

6 p.m. screening of "Kultado": In a small province, a young vegetable vendor is fed up with the bullying of a meat vendor and trains for the fight of his life.

7 p.m. screening of "Pepot Artista": Musical comedy focuses on a 10-year-old boy's dream of becoming a movie star.

WEDNESDAY

6 p.m., UH Art Auditorium, screening of "Babae": A mix of comedy, drama, musical and fantasy, this is a coming-of-age tale of two women, best friends who grew up in city slums.

7 p.m. screening of "Big Time": Danny and Jonas, small-time crooks, get in over their heads when a kidnapping goes awry.

THURSDAY

6 p.m., Hemenway Theatre, screening of "Sarong Banggi": The events of a single night begin as teenage boys seek to fulfill their carnal desires; one boy, however, develops a deeper relationship with an older woman.

7 p.m. screening of "Astig": Bien, who has astigmatism, is assigned the task of terminating his underworld colleagues.

APRIL 21

6 p.m., Hemenway Theatre, screening of of "Santa Santita": Teenager Malen, who inherits her mother's job of praying for other people, seems to be able to create miracles.

7:30 p.m. screening of "Crying Ladies": Three women — street smart Stella Mate, long-ago B-movie star Doray and naive Choleng — are professional mourners.