Whenever we come across great stories, we develop the eagerness to tell them.
With the Puregold CinePanalo Film Festival as their platform, eight young, diverse filmmakers from the Polytechnic University of the Philippines College of Communication (PUP COC) and Open University System (PUP OUS) broke the clichés and shifted their lenses toward the stories that are less talked about but should be tackled more often. Weaved from stories they encountered by living this thing called “life,” they each developed their “kwentong panalo,” showcasing stories of hope, love, acceptance, challenges, and self-discovery.
Cinema 1: Saan Ako Pinaglihi?
Should the concept of being gay be introduced to children with such tender minds and innocent souls? Of course!
“Saan Ako Pinaglihi?” revolves around an eight-year-old kid with lesbian parents discovering how she was conceived. Rafaela Abucejo from the Department of Journalism (DOJ) and SAP's very own creator, shared that this film encompasses the love, safety, and warmth of a queer family, and is not that different compared to a family with a man and a woman as parents.
“The main advocacy of the film is to teach children that people can have two mothers, two fathers, or two anyone in-betweens. As long as they are loved right, everything else shouldn’t matter,” Rafaela added.
As a member of the community who has long been deprived of positive stories, Rafaela wanted to take up space and free themselves of the common stereotypes and struggles they had to face.
We owe it to the next generation to help them understand the concepts of sexual orientation, gender identity and sex characteristics (SOGIESC) without making them too complicated. This film, which had been awarded as the people's choice, sparks hope that the LGBTQIA+ community's future is a safer and more inclusive one.
Cinema 2: Ka Benjie
Let’s face it: education has been a privilege for years. Filipinos have been deprived of this right due to its degrading quality and scarce accessibility over the years, and one of its victims is Ka Benjie.
“Ka Benjie” is a film about a fisherman who wants to study after years of not being able to. Department of Broadcast Communication (DBC) student Alexa Moneii Agaloos breathed this film to life to represent Filipinos who continuously dream and long for education.
“Ka Benjie also serves as a call for quality education especially in remote areas or islands, reminding us that education is a right [of] every Filipino,” Alexa emphasized.
Alexa also shared that “Ka Benjie” was made through their production team, 2Mindig’s collective love for filmmaking and storytelling.
“Masarap magtrabaho kung ang mga kasama mo ay passionate sa kanilang ginagawa,” she added.
Cinema 3: Lola, Lola, Paano Ba 'Yan?
Who run the world? Girls…
Well, not really. Iya Warde Dalluay from DBC metaphorically told the struggles of women in a patriarchal society through vase pottery.
Iya shared that “Lola, Lola, Paano Ba ‘Yan?” was inspired by the stories of every female who had shared and added their experiences with her as she was writing the script.
“Habang patagal nang patagal at padami nang padami ‘yung nalalaman ko tungkol sa paggawa ng vase, na-relate ko siya sa pagiging babae–na ang dami pala niyang dapat ganito, dapat gano’n, dapat hindi sobra, dapat hindi kulang, na dapat sakto lang sa lahat ng bagay,” she said.
The film was made in hopes of breaking the societal chains cuffed among women in a male-dominated society. Iya took the social responsibility to tell the world, especially men, about the shackles women had to live with since they were born.
“Siguro kung mas maraming lalaki ang makakaintindi, mas mapapadali ‘yung paglaban natin sa women’s issues. Kasi gustuhin man natin o hindi, nasa patriyarka tayo. Malungkot man pakinggan pero may say sila kaya mabuting mas ma-influence ang mga lalaki sa tama,” she told The Communicator.
Cinema 4: Kaibigan Ko Si Batman
Change, no matter how big or small, is scary. Especially when the one changing is yourself. Terrence Gale Fernandez, Broadcasting student from the PUP OUS wrote “Kaibigan Ko Si Batman” to teach its viewers how to understand themselves and the inevitable change that is bound to happen at some point in their lives.
Terrence also wanted his viewers to give importance to every person who comes in and out of our lives, for their presence, may it be long or not, surely contributed to our personal growth. Consequently, he persuades young filmmakers like him never to stop making films that are close to their hearts.
Maybe the greatest story is among our personal little endeavors each day!
Cinema 5: Paano Po Gumawa Ng College?
“The life I had is where my ideas are born from,” says Mark Terence Molave, a student from DBC and the writer and director of “Paano Po Gumawa Ng College?”
Creating a film that tackles the serious issues of education in the country is one of Molave’s memories and experiences that he had the chance to immortalize.
Snippets from his childhood are what made this film close to his heart. Mark also shared that since he was young, he has dreamt of sharing stories that could touch people’s minds and hearts. Upon the conclusion of the CinePanalo Film Festival, he finally achieved this dream.
Cinema 6: Layag sa Pangarap
We have all been given two choices and had a hard time choosing. For the film “Layag sa Pangarap,” Department of Communication Research’s (DCR) Andrea Ponce made a character that had to choose between their dream and the dream their father had for them.
No matter how mentally and emotionally exhausting this situation is, Andrea dedicates this story to those who have held back on their dreams because of the fear of disappointing their loved ones.
The young filmmaker wanted to share this story to inspire people and help them see life differently. In retrospect, Andrea wanted the viewers to pick up one message from her film: “Take chances or you might regret it later. Remember, it’s your life, so live it the way you want.”
Cinema 7: Abandoned Lullabies
Where do broken hearts go?
“Abandoned Lullabies” tells us that people handle grief differently. Some may cry their hearts out, and some may fill themselves with anger. But for Tyrone Taotao of DBC, the film taught them that grieving can be lighthearted and pleasant, especially when you have others to share your misery with.
“During the shoot, we had an inside joke about how we were all brought together by grief. The majority of the crew is dealing with loss, and the film brings us together to heal that sorrow,” shared Tyrone.
This certain bond created with the production crew is the exact message that he wants his audience to pick up: no matter where grief takes us, there will always be someone or something to keep us company.
Tyrone also noted that a great film can be about what anyone else is going through, for every moment of our lives is something valuable and worth telling.
Cinema 8: Last Shift
Love and success? In a third-world country? Why not!
The broadcasting department’s very own Ronjay Mendiola created “Last Shift” to adjust the spotlight on a story not often discussed. This film is a call to action for workers to have decent working conditions and the salary they deserve.
“Hindi maituturing na tagumpay o panalo sa buhay ang palaging pagsasakripisyo at pagkokompromiso ng pagmamahal natin sa tao o mga bagay na importante sa atin. Dahil ang totoong tagumpay, hindi ka niya inuubos o pinagsasamantalahan,” Ronjay emphasized.
“Last Shift” shattered every romanticized idea of success and love despite the everyday struggles Filipinos had to endure in this country. More so, Ronjay used the film festival as an opportunity to raise their calls and assert the rights of every Filipino worker.
Short Films of Advocacies
With just 20 minutes of total running time for each film, these young directors and writers did not waste any second in upholding their advocacies and sharing the stories of ordinary citizens. Who would have thought that in such a short time, perspectives can be changed and lessons can be learned?
Indeed, with great power comes great responsibility. And for these young filmmakers, carrying the plights of the masses and narrating their own struggles are the duties they need to fulfill. These young directors are determined to be an instrument of societal change, one film at a time.
Article: Maxine Jade Pangan
Graphics: Rhea Maca
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