Comval town all set for big film fest

NABUNTURAN town is all-set to host this year’s Cinemarehiyon, one of the country’s largest film festivals which will screen various regional films from across the country this August 22-27.

“We are expecting 150 to 160 guests, official delegates to come. We think we are ready to host it.” Says Atty. Karen SantiagoMalaki festival director of the 9th Cinemarehiyon.

Malaki said Nabunturan’s three main hotels could accommodate up to 180 people.

“We are contacting local families also who are willing to host some of the participants.” Malaki said.

Cinemarehiyon a flagship project of the cinema committee of the National Commission for the Culture and the Arts (NCCA) features films made by filmmakers from across the regions of the country. Among those participating are filmmakers from Pampanga, Central Luzon, Negros, Cebu, Zamboanga and Davao.

Nabunturan the capital of Compostela Valley Province has an active regional filmmaking community in recent years; the town hosts the annual Nabunturan Independent Film Exhibition or Nabifilmex.

This is the third time, Cinemarehiyon was held in Mindanao. Davao City hosted the event in 2011 and Cagayan de Oro in 2014. The previous Cinemarehiyon was held in Dasmarinas, Cavite.

Malaki said that though the town has no cinema, they will be holding an open-air screening of the films as the town had been a recipient of an inflatable cinema screen granted to them by Open Air Cinema Foundation.

The Film Development Council of the Philippines though will be building a cinematheque in the town, which would be Nabunturan’s first cinema.

Malaki said that they will be promoting the various tourism potentials of the town and the province. The delegates and visitors will be taken to farm tours and the town’s famed hot springs.

Also included is a visit to Camp Manuel Yan, the headquarters of the army’s 10th Infantry Division and also an eco-tourism destination with forest trails, adventure zipline and caves. Also planned are visits to the waterfalls in nearby Maragusan town, the province’s summer capital.

The Guerrilla Filmathon, a 24-hour filmmaking competition which was previously held in the cities of Davao and Tagum will be held in Nabunturan as part of the festival activities. The filmmaking contest will have participating teams shoot their films within 24 hours within the town.