MULAT Docu Academy kicks off its 11th season

‘How far can you go for what is right?'

Aspiring documentarians from the College of Communication (COC) gathered at the COC Audio-Visual Room (AVR) as the MULAT Documentary Guild officially launched Season 11 of its Docu Academy last Monday, April 27.

Led by the MULAT Documentary Guild, this year’s Docu Academy carries the theme “DOCURESIST: Stories that Stand, Truth that Speaks,” highlighting the role of documentary filmmaking not just as a craft, but as a platform for amplifying voices and confronting social realities.

Now in its 11th season, the annual initiative continues to provide a foundation for aspiring COCian filmmakers, equipping them with the skills and perspective needed to produce socially relevant and impactful documentaries.

Due to unexpected circumstances, Filipino news anchor and television host Mariz Umali was unable to attend as a guest speaker. This was due to her urgent deployment regarding fugitive Zaldy Co's legal situation in the Czech Republic. 

Fortunately, guest speaker and documentary filmmaker Baby Ruth "Bebot" Villarama affirmed that documentarists play a vital role in uncovering the truth. She believes the documentaries are not just captured for documentation but also as an active stand against silence.

Villarama presented a few of her recognized films, showcasing a career defined by years of excellence. Teasers of Jazz in Love (2013), Sunday Beauty Queen (2016), and Food Delivery (2025) shed light on COCians into the award-winning techniques that reached national and international film festivals.

"Documentaries exist in a vacuum. They are shaped by power, media, politics, and silence," said Villarama.

In her more than 10 years as a producer and documentary film director, Villarama shared that she wanted to be a filmmaker to embrace the ‘real’ life, and not solely for romanticizing. She imparted that the key to meaningful storytelling is to listen to the people, to build relationships, and to immerse oneself in the community's daily life. 

She challenged the quote, "Giving voice to the unheard," arguing that the marginalized people already have voices. "The real question is, does the 'power' around them listen?" she added.

“After all, the media is business,” she claimed. “‘In the service of the Filipino people,' are we really serving the Filipino people?" she added, casting doubt on the industry's dedication as she asserted that most of the time, individuals who deliver the narrative earn the most emphasis.

Villarama made it clear that the invisible individuals behind the production should still be recognized. Her goal is to let the people shine on their own without a set narrative. 

The session explored the application of constructive journalism, showing how angling of creative perspective can add depth to a film. It served as a reminder that even stories of the silenced and missing can be impactful.

The discussion also touched on the documentary creation of ‘balance of information and sensation.' Aimed at shaping perception and empathy by educating with facts and engaging the audience through emotional responses. 

Moreover, a study from 2021 revealed that features or documentaries received the highest engagement for news-like content. Following television web, web news, and news-like materials remain popular among YouTube subscribers in the Philippines. Proving that the audience prefers the in-depth level of information that filmmakers present.

In addition, Villarama noted that documentaries will never be neutral. It can challenge dominant narratives, and if persisted enough, the impossible can be possible.

She amplified that despite the risks involved in exposing marginalized stories and confronting truths, the perseverance of filmmakers is driven by truth and loyalty to the community.

Villarama reminded the students that while there is no story worth dying for, many are still worth fighting for. 

"There will always be an audience in documentary if we do it right," she expressed. 

Ultimately, Villarama concluded that documentaries are not an end, but the beginning for social advocacy centered on ordinary people. To move the audience from awareness to action upon watching documentaries.

Article: Charish Kate Pey

Graphics: Janelle Vinluan