A memory of Direk Francis

with Direk Francis during the GenSan Summer Film Camp, May 2013

   In his young and successful career as a Filmmaker, it was shocking to know that Francis Xavier Pasion passed away. 

   I first got acquainted with Direk Francis during the first GenSan Summer Film Camp organized by SalaMindanaw Asian Film Festival (formerly SalaMindanaw International Film Festival) in the summer of 2013. Like any other neophyte student of filmmaking, I immersed myself into it. The intense and hands on film workshop was overwhelming yet very enlightening. Along with other participants, we immersed ourselves in the world of cinema by learning, feeling and breathing films for five days. As what Gutierrez Mangansakan II, the Workshop Director, said: “In the end, we don’t want to be merely FILL MAKERS – we want you to become thinking FILMMAKERS. 

   As one of the mentors of the film workshop, Direk Francis shared his experiences in filmmaking. He told us how hard to make a film and also points out its rewarding part. He also shared some tips in story development, as he said, “In making films, the story should be base in the real world – that you have a connection with the story – a story that you are familiar with.” One thing I would never forget about his lesson was the word “bali”. This “bali” is important in developing or writing screenplay. This word aids me to be critical about my stories. 

   Even though we did not have a long one-on-one conversation, I cherish those moments where he taught us valuable lessons in filmmaking. His lessons as well as his filmography are consciously and subconsciously embedded in our minds. In his brief yet meaningful stay on Earth, I am thankful that I was his student and he was my teacher.

   Thank you Direk Francis. 

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Mindanao Screen Lab participants announced

   The twelve participants to the inaugural Mindanao Screen Lab have been announced.

   The 2015 participants are Joe Bacus (Cagayan de Oro), Theo Lozada (Davao), Sharon De Los Santos (Davao), Ryan Joseph Murcia (Zamboanga), Almojaimen Talib (Kidapawan), Najib Zacaria (Lanao), Orpheus Nery (Cagayan de Oro), Mohalidin Suga (Cotabato), Bhas Abdulsamad (Tawitawi), Jasmine Limas (Cagayan de Oro), Jean Kirvy Waga (Davao) and Julienne Ilagan (Cagayan de Oro).

   The Screen Lab is designed as an intensive learning program that provides emerging Mindanao filmmakers hands on training as well as project development sessions that will transform ideas into films. This year’s mentors include Filipino director John Torres (Todo Todo Teros, Lukas Nino), Mindanao’s own Teng Mangansakan (Limbunan, Qiyamah), Singapore’s Kan Lumé (Liberta, Naked DJ), Sherad Anthony Sanchez (Huling Balyan ng Buhi, Imburnal, Jungle Love) and other Asian filmmakers.

   Mindanao Screen Lab is co-presented by forumZFD, National Commission for Culture and the Arts and Mindanao State University General Santos City-Graduate School.

Originally posted in salamindanaw.org

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Third SalaMindanaw IFF unveils Asian competition line up

   The third edition of SalaMindanaw International Film Festival has announced the official competition line up of the Festival scheduled from November 18 to December 2, 2015 in the cities of General Santos and Cotabato.

   Six films will vie in the Asian full-length competition. These are Chasing Waves (Charliebebs Gohetia, Philippines), Under Construction (Rubaiyat Hossain, Bangladesh), Jalanan (Daniel Ziv, Indonesia), Snakeskin (Daniel Hui, Singapore), River of Exploding Durians (Edmund Yeo, Malaysia) and Mencari Hilal (Ismail Basbeth, Indonesia).

   Meanwhile, seven films will compete in the Asian short film section. These are Elegy (Yousef Kargar, Iran), When The Boats Come In (Khin Maung Kyaw, Myanmar), Man in The Cinema House (Bernard Jay Mercado, Philippines), The Cat and The Orange Seeds (Nguyen Le Hoang Viet, Vietnam), November (Shane Lim, Singapore), Following Diana (Kamila Andini, Indonesia) and The Young Man Who Came From The Chee River (Wichanon Somumjarn, Thailand).

   With the exception of Bangladesh and Iran, all films in the line up are from Southeast Asia.

   “On our third year, the Festival’s programming is closer the vision of SalaMindanaw, which is to make the Festival a platform for Southeast Asian cinema,” festival director Teng Mangansakan revealed.

   “2015 marks the goal of ASEAN Integration. SalaMindanaw seeks to determine common images, icons and issues that form part of the Southeast Asian film iconography and discourse,” Mangansakan noted.

   SalaMindanaw is the first and only international film festival in Mindanao. It is organized by the Mindanao Center for the Cinematographic Arts.

Originally posted in salamindanaw.org 

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Salamindanaw calls for submissions

The call for submissions is now open for the third edition of SalaMindanaw International film Festival. Competition is open in the following sections: Asian full length, Asian shorts, and Mindanao shorts. Narrative, documentary and experimental films are welcome. Films must be produced after January 1, 2014.

Deadline of entries for the Asian section is on September 15, 2015, while the Mindanao short entries must be submitted before October 15, 2015. All films must be presented as Mindanao premiere except for Mindanao shorts which must be presented as world premiere.

Online screeners are encouraged, but should you wish to send a DVD screener, please contact us at festival.salamindanaw@gmail.com. Entry form here.

The third edition of SalaMindanaw International Film Festival will take place from November 18 to December 2, 2015.

Please check SalaMindanaw Facebook page and salamindanaw.org for more info. 

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Call for the application to the Mindanao Screen Lab 2015

CALL FOR APPLICATION TO THE MINDANAO SCREEN LAB

SalaMindanaw International Film Festival is now accepting application to the first Mindanao Screen Lab to be held in General Santos City and its environs in November 2015.

The Screen Lab is designed as an intensive learning program that provides emerging Mindanao filmmakers hands on training as well as project development sessions that will transform ideas into films. Only 12 participants will be selected for the workshop.

QUALIFICATIONS

To qualify, applicants must (1) be 21 to 35 years old, (2) should be born or raised and established residency of a minimum of 3 years in any parts of Mindanao, and (3) must have written, produced, directed, edited, shot, art or sound designed a short film in the past.

REQUIREMENTS

Applicants must submit (1) duly accomplished application form which can be found on the Facebook page or click here, (2) an application essay, and (3) link to an online screener of short film(s).

Only applicants who go through the complete application process will be considered for the workshop. The chosen participants must be present for the full duration of the week-long workshop.

All participants are entitled to free accommodation and meals, workshop kits and transportation from the Festival Office in General Santos to the workshop venues and back. Land or air transportation from cities of origin to General Santos shall be at the expense of the participants.

The deadline for submission is 30 August 2015.

For the application form, download here: https://www.scribd.com/…/27…/Mindanao-Screen-Lab-Application

For more details, please go to http://salamindanaw.tumblr.com/…/salamindanaw-international…

To facilitate an open, creative and interactive learning atmosphere, the faculty of the Workshop includes director John Torres (Todo Todo Teros, Lukas Nino), Mindanao’s own Teng Mangansakan (Limbunan, Qiyamah), Singapore’s Kan Lumé (Liberta, Naked DJ) and other Asian filmmakers.

For inquiries and to submit application, please email screenlab.salamindanaw@gmail.com. For more news about SalaMindanaw, follow our Facebook page http://facebook.com/salamindanaw

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Winners of SalaMindanaw IFF bared

A scene from End of War by Joe Bacus 

General Santos City, PH - A film about IDPs (internally displaced peoples) won the Golden Durian Prize for best Mindanao short film at the recently concluded second Salamindanaw International Film Festival.

The End of War, directed by Cagayan de Oro filmmaker Joe Bacus, is a story of a family in Maguindanao province caught in the crossfire of a war between Philippine military and Moro rebel forces in 2008.

The jury, composed of film writer Jay Rosas and producer Liryc dela Cruz, cited the film for it “exhibits a clear vision that is matched by the courage and skill of its director. There is power to its silences and chaos, giving us an immersive and compelling experience. Despite its familiar subject matter, it doesn't descend into a mere attempt at relevance. Rather, it reminds us of the fragility of our lives and the difficulty of our quest toward a lasting peace.”

Abakada ni Nanay (Nanay's Aphabet), a documentary about a 78-year-old grandmother who returns to elementary school by Ipil, Zamboanga Sibugay native Joni Sarina Mejico, won the jury prize.

Meanwhile, a Singapore, Taiwan and France co-production bagged the Golden Durian Prize for best Asian short film. Jow Zhi Wei’s After The Winter bested ten other films “for its deliberate, subtle, and clearly cinematic exploration of stark and sublime generational and geographical gaps that separate families in modern Taiwan, which is also representative of a prevalent conflict that is evident in fastly Westernizing and modernizing Asian territories.”

Filipino film critic Francis Cruz, filmmaker John Torres and South Korean film programmer Ji-hoon Jo composed the Asian short film jury.

A special mention was awarded to the Indonesian film Sepatu Baru (On Stopping The Rain) by Aditya Ahmad. The jury lauded the film “that charmed us with its voice and humor that is so flavorfully rooted in its community. For combining a more alive Southeast Asian storytelling with enough energy so as not to feel too deliberate and safe. For blending poetry in motion with just the right hint of its politics that rings loudly where it is set.” Ahmad's film won a Special Mention earlier this year at Berlinale. 

Carl Joseph Papa became the first recipient of PH Next Cinema Filmmaker of the Future Prize for his brave and inventive approach to cinematic storytelling in his film Ang 'Di Paglimot Sa Mga Alaala (The Unforgetting).

A press release from SIFF 

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8 Things About Salamindanaw

The second edition of SalaMindanaw International Film Festival starts tomorrow, November 27. Here are eight things you need to know about the Festival.

1. The redesigned Festival logo features the durian –an enduring cultural symbol in Southeast Asia— with eleven protruding spikes representing the countries of the region. SalaMindanaw envisions to be an important platform in the development of regional cinema in Southeast Asia.

2. For its sophomore edition, the Festival theme shall be ‘Deconstructing Cinematic Space.’ As it continues to celebrate the development of regional cinemas across Southeast Asia, the Festival attempts to veer away from the traditional space of film screening, that is the movie house, and explore alternative and non-traditional screening venues like buses, parks, markets, and barangay centers to bring films closer to the people. The Festival’s main screening venue is in a university because SalaMindanaw recognizes the educational and cultural value of cinema. 

3. The Festival will launch a film magazine, The New Durian Cinema, which is devoted to the discussion of regional cinema in Southeast Asia. It is not enough that we show films, cinema must also become part of a critical consciousness. The magazine hopes to help in the formation of such consciousness.

4. The Festival boasts of the quality and integrity of its film programming. This year, more than 30 films of various lengths, genres and genres will be presented in the Festival. Films will vie for the Golden Durian Award in the Asian shorts and Mindanao shorts category. A Festival prize shall be bestowed to the breakthrough film in the new Philippine Next Cinema section. 

During its inaugural run, the Singaporean film Sayang Disayang (dir. Sanif Olek) had its world premiere in the Festival. It won the jury prize in the Festival. The film is Singapore’s official entry to the Oscars in 2015. Other notable films in the Festival last year include By The River (dir. Nontawat Numbenchapol) which won a special mention at Locarno, Liberta (dir. Kan Lumé) which bagged a special mention in CINDI (Seoul) while War is a Tender Thing (dir. Adjani Arumpac) took home a special mention from Yamagata.

5. Relying on its vision and integrity, the second edition of SalaMindanaw is crowdfunded which means that much of its funding is in the form of donations from its supporters all over the world. 

6. The Festival is a cultural investment for the development of the people of Gensan and the region. The aim is expose more people to diverse cinema as well as educate and provide them the opportunity to better understand the world they inhabit. For this reason, all screenings and parallel activities are free to the public.

7. It is helmed by one of the most important filmmakers in Southeast Asia – Teng Mangansakan. The Festival’s respectability and integrity partly come from who is running it. The vision of the Festival is built upon clear goals and objectives borne out of the Festival Director's instinct, experience and foresight, and the trust and confidence of the Festival Team.

8. The Festival is advised by some of the most distinguished personalities and brilliant minds in world cinema such as Philip Cheah, vice president of NETPAC (Network for the Promotion of Asian Cinema) and past consultant of the Dubai International Film Festival and Directors Fortnight at Cannes; Paolo Bertolin, Venice International Film Festival delegate for Southeast Asia and consultant of the Doha Film Institute; and Sherad Anthony Sanchez, creative consultant of Cinema One Originals.

This blog post is originally posted in Morofilm by Teng Mangansakan 

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Pepe Diokno visits GenSan

   The GenSan Tourism Council in partnership with the Local Government of General Santos and the Department of Education (DepEd) conducted a filmmaking lesson last November 25, 2014 to the aspiring filmmakers in the city. The tourism council invited Pepe Diokno, an award winning film Director, to share his knowledge and experience in making films. 

   The said activity is part of Visit GenSan, Learn in GenSan campaign of the Tourism Council. It is a Mayor’s Lecture series that aims to enhance the knowledge and skills of the ‘Generals’. “The series of lessons that we have conducted is part of ‘Learn in GenSan’ activities,” said Phillip Pabelic, the Vice President of GenSan Tourism Council. “GenSan aims to be the learning hub of Region XII.”

   “This lesson helps cultivate the talents and skills of the ‘Generals’,” Mayor Ronnel Rivera said. “It helps to discover new talents or artists from GenSan. This will able to produce great filmmakers in GenSan.”

   Most of the participants of the said activity are students who want to learn more about filmmaking. 

   During the lesson, Pepe Diokno shared about his latest film ‘Above the clouds’ to the young aspiring filmmakers of GenSan. He also talked about his first film ‘Engkwentro'and his experience in Venice Film Festival. “It’s not about the budget or the equipment,” said Diokno. “It’s the story that matters.”

   Most of the Filipino audiences today have this notion that Filipino movies are “baduy” or “not good” in their taste, that’s why they are not watching and patronizing it. “Is Philippine Cinema dead?” as he asked the participants. The film industry is struggling due to lack of support of the Filipino audience. 

   In the past years, there’s a significant decline of Filipino films being produced in the country. As Diokno explained, its primary reason is more on the economic side of making films. “Before, our government charged 30% amusement tax for movies plus 12% VAT, so the remaining 58% will be divided between the Producer and the Theater owner(s). Fortunately, in 2009, our government lowered it into 10%. In the following years, it slowly gained the confidence of the Filipino Producers and Filmmakers to make films.”

   Pepe Diokno compared the film industry of South Korea to the Philippines. “South Korea invests on their film industry. Their government created Korean Film Council because they know that film is an important cultural and economic resource of their country,” Diokno explained. “They use films to sell their country.” 

   He also emphasized the bad effects of patronizing foreign films. “If you watch too much foreign films, it's slowly changing our sense of identity.” He pointed out that if we watch too much foreign films, we tend to forget who we are as Filipinos. For example, we desire to be white because that’s standard of beauty based on what we see in the movies (or in the media in general). 

   He also talked about the Golden Age of Philippine Cinema. He also shared that the Philippine film industry is considered one of the oldest in the world. “Films are not only for entertainment. It’s a record of our history. It’s a record on who we are,” Diokno asserted. 

   “Please watch Filipino films. Please make Filipino films. Please tell Filipino stories,” as he pleaded. It is important to support our own filmmakers because they are the cultural worker of our country. 

   “Read, Travel and Get Hurt,” as he advised. “The best way to learn how to make film is to make a film.” 

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The Official Trailer of SalaMindanaw International Film Festival 2014

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SalaMindanaw IFF to commemorate Maguindanao Massacre

   General Santos City, PH –The second edition of SalaMindanaw International Film Festival shall present a special section called Cinema and Remembrance to commemorate the fifth anniversary of the Maguindanao Massacre.

   The films to be presented in this section are Lav Diaz's 'Mula Sa Kung Ano Ang Noon' (From What is Before), set in a village during the time leading up to the declaration of Martial Law by President Marcos, Rob Jara's 'Maliw' (Soliloquies) about three stories that feature love, idealism, and the politics of memories and melancholia, and how fragments of these are lost and found, Zig Dulay's 'Missing' which recounts the story of Makuy who is one of the increasing numbers of victims of enforced disappearances (desaparecidos) in the country and Herwin Cabasal's 'Pieta' about the lament and struggle of a mother whose son is one of the disappeared.

   The films will be shown on November 28 at 9 in the morning at the Mindanao State University – Graduate School AVR. A forum follows the screening to discuss the role of art and media in the ongoing conversations on the issues of impunity, authoritarianism and democratic rights and principles.

   “We need to confront and reflect on the democratic rights that we are enjoying right now. Rights that are constantly endangered from the ambition of powers that be. Rights that we enjoy because people have sacrificed their lives so that we may have them,” festival director Teng Mangansakan noted. SalaMindanaw is anchored on a vision that includes engaging the public in both popular and critical discourse on art, media and cinema and their transformative power to shape ideas about society.

   On the morning of November 23, 2009, in the town of Ampatuan in Maguindanao province, a convoy was on its way to file a certificate of candidacy for Esmael Mangudadatu, vice mayor of Buluan town, when they were stopped at a checkpoint, kidnapped and brutally killed. Mangudadatu was challenging Datu Unsay mayor Andal Ampatuan, Jr., son of the incumbent Maguindanao governor Andal Ampatuan, Sr. and member of one of Mindanao's leading Muslim political clans, in the 2010 gubernatorial election. The people killed included Mangudadatu's wife, his two sisters, journalists, lawyers, aides, and motorists who were witnesses or were mistakenly identified as part of the convoy.

   The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) has called the Maguindanao massacre the single deadliest event for journalists in history. At least 34 journalists are known to have died in the massacre.

   One of the chilling effects of the Massacre was the signing of Proclamation No. 1959 on December 4, 2009, by President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo which officially placed Maguindanao province under a state of Martial Law, thereby suspending the privilege of the writ of habeas corpus and other rights.

   “We are in a generation that has a very flimsy idea about Martial Law, its atrocities, its effects on people. This should be be part of a continuing discussion that even young people need to be part of,” Mangansakan said.

   SalaMindanaw International Film Festival shall take place from November 26 to 29 in General Santos City.

Contact

Teng Mangansakan 

Festival Director

SalaMindanaw IFF

0917 7620396

SIFF Facebook Page

SIFF website 

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Mindanao Shorts of the 2014 Salamindanaw International Film Festival

These are the SIFF official entries for Mindanao shorts category

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APASOL by Ryanne Murcia (Zamboanga) 

An afternoon of love and farewell as Mark and El, a gay couple, spend their last afternoon together wishing on a tree and waiting to fade with the sun.

KENA (Dream) by Anjeilee Pacuin (Gensan)

A T'boli girl in Lake Sebu sells vegetable to earn her keep. Everyday she only dreams of one thing. To get an education.

END OF WAR by Joe Bacus (Cagayan de Oro)

Set in 2008 at the height of armed conflict between Philippine military and Moro rebel forces, The End of War is a story of a family in Maguindanao caught in the crossfire of a war they never wanted to be a part of.

SAP'NG (Covering) by Rahil Maningcara (Gensan)

This is a story about a Shyree, a Maranao girl who only does what she loves to do to the extent of breaking the laws of Islam. Will she be able to realize her wrongdoings?

MGA PATAY NGA BITOON (Dead Stars) by Amaya Han (Gensan) 

A radio interview starts, welcoming the renowned actress Ash back in Cebu for their latest promotional tour. A question triggers her to recall her former lover, a French college student named Adrian, during her stay in the city years ago.

INUKBAN by Jamir Mallari (Davao)

A story of a man who covered his dreams because of the misfortunes in his life and how he opened it up again and succeeded.

JAMIR by Genory Vanz Alfasain (Alabel, Sarangani) 

A boy is torn between his familial obligation and his dream of having an education. What will he choose?

CRISELDA by Art Orillanida (Gensan)

A documentary that investigates the mythical story of Princess Criselda Simbara Ybarra of Spain, also known as the white lady of Lagao, General Santos City. Despite historians’ attempt to uncover the truth, there had been no solid leads until a woman named Jenny Lopez surfaced claiming to be possessed by the royal spirit. 

ABAKADA NI NANAY (Nanay's Alphabet) 

by Joni Sarina Mejico (Ipil, Zamboanga Sibugay) 

A 78-year old lady enrolls herself to school to learn how to read and write.

GOOD MORNING, JOEY by Monalyn Labado (Davao) 

19-year old college girl Joey mirrors the dilemma of most college students. To survive the life away from family and the everyday challenges to get through college.

Source: Salamindanaw International Film Festival Facebook Page 

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'Jamir' teaser pt1

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SalaMindanaw unveils 2014 line up, shifts focus on SEA regional cinema

   SalaMindanaw International Film Festival has announced the official line up of their second edition from November 26 to 29, 2014 in General Santos City.

   The Festival will open with The Sermon of the Contemplative Sinner, a dance film produced by SalaMindanaw in collaboration with Teatro Ambahanon.

   Eleven films will vie in the Asian shorts competition. The films are After The Winter (Jow Zhi Wei, (Singapore-Taiwan-France), Auntie Ma’am Has Never Had a Passport (Sorayos Prapapan, Thailand), Chicken Curry (Lwin Ko Ko Oo, Myanmar), Cita (Andi Burhamzah, Indonesia), Dindo (Martika Escobar Ramirez, Philippines), Geography Lessons (Petersen Vargas, Philippines), Qafas (Prateek Srivastava, India), Somewhere Only We Know (Wichanon Somumjarn, Thailand), Stopping The Rain (Aditya Ahmad, Indonesia), Talking To My Best Friend (Le Nguyen, Vietnam) and Wan An (Yandy Laurens, Indonesia). With the exception of India, all films in the line up are from Southeast Asia.

   “Our programming this year reflects the vision of SalaMindanaw, which is to make the Festival a platform for Southeast Asian cinema,” festival director Teng Mangansakan revealed. SalaMindanaw is the first and only international film festival in Mindanao, the southernmost region of the Philippines closest to Malaysia, East Timor, Brunei, and east Indonesia.

   Mangansakan added that Southeast Asian cinema is particularly thrilling now because of the development of film movements outside of the capital. Indonesia is represented in the Festival by three films made in the Sulawesi city of Makassar east of Jakarta while one of the Filipino entries is a film from the northern province of Pampanga. “It is an exciting time to be Southeast Asian and a regional filmmaker at the same time,” Mangansakan noted.

   Meanwhile, the Mindanao shorts competition line up comprise of Abakada ni Nanay (Joni Mejico, Ipil in Zamboanga Sibugay), Apasol (Ryanne Murcia, Zamboanga), Cresilda (Art Orillanida, Gensan), Dead Stars (Amaya Han, Gensan), End of War (Joe Bacus, Cagayan de Oro), Good Morning, Joey (Monalyn Labado, Davao), Inukban (Lew Avila, Davao), Jamir (Genory Vanz Alfasain, Sarangani), K’na (Anjeilee Pacuin, Gensan) and Sap’ng (Rahil Maningcara, Gensan).

   A new section called Philippine Next Cinema seeks to introduce new voices and visions in the host country’s cinema. The line up is composed of Bastes, May Anne M (Bebe Go), Magdalena (Anna Isabelle Estein), Sonata Maria (Bagane Fiola) and The Unforgetting (Carl Joseph Papa). A fifth title shall be announced in the coming days.

   The Gensan Screen Lab, an intensive workshop intended to develop and cultivate new filmmakers in Mindanao, will culminate with the screening of six short films.

   In commemoration of the fifth anniversary of the Maguindanao Massacre and the little know Martial Law that followed, the Festival will present a special non-competitive section Cinema and Remembrance. The films include Maliw (Rob Jara), Missing (Zig Dulay), Pieta (Herwin Benedictos Cabasal) and the recipient of this year’s Golden Leopard at Locarno Mula Sa Kung Ano Ang Noon (Lav Diaz).

   The four-day Festival will close with Little Azkals, a documentary by Babyruth Villarama-Gutierrez whose film Jazz in Love won the NETPAC Prize for Best Asian Film in the inaugural edition of SalaMindanaw.

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The Official Entries of the 2014 SalaMindanaw International Film Festival

These are the official entries in the 2nd SalaMindanaw International Film Festival 

There is a special section to commemorate the fifth anniversary of the Maguindanao Massacre and the little known Martial Law that followed.

For more updates check the Facebook Page of SalaMindanaw IFF & its website 

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13 participants attend film workshop in GenSan

   The Mindanao Center for Moving Image (MCMI) with the support of GenSan Tourism Council conducted a two day film workshop to the 13 aspiring filmmakers last October 18-19 at Veranza Conference Room. The said workshop aims to teach the fundamentals of feature/narrative filmmaking as well as to raise the consciousness of the people of its importance for cultural regeneration.

    “Film is about feeling it,” as Teng Mangansakan, the workshop director said. “There are lots of individuals who can make a video or short film because of the democratization of technology today. You can watch and upload videos in Youtube and other video related sites. What will make you set apart is how you tell your story.” 

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SalaMindanaw IFF 2014 to be held in two cities

The second edition of SalaMindanaw International Film Festival (SIFF) will be held simultaneously in the cities of General Santos and Cotabato.

“SalaMindanaw is expanding this year to cater to more artists, peace advocates and film lovers in the region,” Festival Director Teng Mangansakan announced.

The opening and closing ceremonies will be held in General Santos and Cotabato respectively, in recognition of the importance of the two cities in the educational and commercial development of SOCCSKSARGEN region. 

“For its sophomore edition, the Festival theme shall be ‘Deconstructing Cinematic Space.’ As we continue to celebrate the development of regional cinemas across Asia, we also attempt to veer away from the traditional space of film screening, that is the movie house, and explore alternative and non-traditional screening venues like buses, parks, markets, and barangay centers to bring films closer to the people,” Mangansakan added. 

SIFF features competitive sections for Asian full-length films, Asian short films, and Mindanao short films, as well as exhibition sections that present the richness and diversity of form and expression in Asian cinema. Submission of entries is open to narrative, documentary and experimental films made in the last two years. Deadline of entries is on October 25.

As the first and only international film festival in Mindanao, SIFF remains strongly committed on its mission to raise awareness and promote international cinema with emphasis on strengthening the cultural ties between Mindanao and its Southeast Asian neighbors, to support the nascent film movement in SOCSKSARGEN and its neighboring regions, and to engage the public in both popular and critical discourse on art and cinema and their transformative power to shape ideas about society, thus encouraging cultural diversity and the plurality of creative expressions.

The second SalaMindanaw International Film Festival will take place from November 26 to 29, 2014. 

For updates, go to the Festival’s Facebook page http://facebook.com/salamindanaw

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SanSwê: The Challenge of Encroaching Culture

A scene in the film SanSwê

Sarangani Province is rich in stories that are worth sharing. These stories reflect the daily lives of the people inhabiting in it. Aside from the beautiful sceneries, abundant natural resources and the rich and diverse culture of Sarangani, the stories found in this Province are interesting, enigmatic, entertaining and you can learn a lot from it. 

A good friend of mine and a fellow SOCCSKSARGEN Bloggers, Ariel Lalisan, shares one of the stories of Sarangani in the SalaMindanaw International Film Festival (SIFF) last November 2013. His film SanSwê (it pronounces as Sanswa – meaning Betrothal) depicts the culture of B’laan where parents arrange the marriage of their children. It also presents the challenges face by the B’laan culture from the influence of the outsiders. His film will be showcased in the 6th Cinema Rehiyon this coming February 19-22, 2014 to be held in Cagayan de Oro City. 

In an interview, he said that SanSwê is his first film. Short film for him is very challenging because he is accustomed to direct music videos (in support for local artists). I know from the very start that Ariel has potential for filmmaking. That’s why I persuaded him to join the SIFF. 

“It’s basically learning by doing”, Ariel said. “We wanted to show an actual wedding ceremony of the B’laan but we did not have enough resources to rent traditional (B’laan) attire and the time to organize such an act. I had also a hard time inserting the filmmaking process in my schedule. We did not have the proper equipment like lighting, and we are all first timer. Because of constraints we are not able to follow the script in its entirety”, he added. Despite the challenges he encountered in filming his short film, he enjoyed making it. Supposed to be, I should be his Production Manager & Designer for Sanswe, but our schedule did not meet and I also help Ronald Tamfalan for the film Bé. So we shoot our own films and survive its challenges. 

“Watching my film in the cinema was unbelievable for me”, Ariel said. “I never thought that one day my work would be seen by other people in the big screen. I was very nervous because I’m not confident of my output. The reaction of the people was flattering. At least there were expressions of kilig, laughter, surprise and somehow provoke their thoughts.” 

The character of Mimi in the film is worth remembering. Her character epitomize the young generation of B’laans who get educated in the city and tend to forget their culture. As Ariel explained, “it is easy for them (the young B’laans) to turn their back on their traditions. Mimi embodies the challenges face by the young B’laans in modern times”. He pointed out that showcasing their stories through films may help for the preservation of the B’laan culture. It is important to document this kind of story to educate the younger generation of the importance of culture and tradition against modernization. 

Ariel also shares his dream film project. He said that he wanted to make a collection of films showcasing the rich culture of the different tribes in Sarangani. He wanted to present their plight and sentiments. To make them proud of their identity and to empowered them, as well as to educate the viewers. Moreover, he wanted to tell stories that never heard before or realities that most people tend to ignore.

“If you want to create a great film, you want to harness the talent of the right people to help you carry out your vision,” as Ariel realized. “Film is a very good medium to communicate your ideologies. Sometimes a story may seem simple or complex but if you look at the symbolism and the language use in a film you will realize its richness, depending on the viewer’s interpretation”.

I really admire Ariel for sharing the stories of the B’laan tribe. It is important to showcase their stories for enlightenment. I hope the majority of the Filipino viewers will appreciate this kind of story. Enough with the teleseye type of story because too much “entertainment” will drown us to delusion. As Ariel suggests, “Look around you; immerse yourself in the community. Listen to their stories. Listen to what your heart tells you. Take everything as an opportunity to learn and to grow. Never tire to learn new things.” Ariel's advice may sound cliché but it is still worth a try.

Synopsis 

Ariel Lalisan’s SanSwê (Betrothal) follows Mimi who returns to her family in remote Sitio Atnayan. Being the first in her sitio to have finished high school, Mimi’s homecoming is surely the family’s proudest moment. But not until the stark difference between the new set of norms she has acquired— after several years of living in the town—and the old traditions her B’laan family enshrines begins to turn the reunion into a mishmash of awkward realizations and heated confrontations.

Originally posted in Yadu Karu's Blog

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