Student filmmakers featured in 15th Mindanao Film Festival

WITH a record number of films in the 15th Mindanao Film Festival which had 97 in competition films and three showcase films, many of the films featured were made by students from across Mindanao.

Ateneo de Zamboanga entered 14 animated films created by students from their Bachelor of Science in New Media and Computer Animation course.

In Davao, St. Mary’s College of Tagum City, the University of Mindanao and Colegio de San Ignacio in Davao City joined the Film Development Council of the Philippine (FDCP) Interschool Film Competition.

The different filmmaking teams endorsed by their respective schools into producing films will vie for whoever is named to represent the region in the national interschool competition organized by the FDCP.

Several student filmmakers from schools such as Ateneo de Davao (Junior High School, Senior High School and College), Philippine Women’s College, Davao City National High School, Davao Merchant Marine Academy and the University of Mindanao.

Ivan Tadena assistant film festival director of the 15th Mindanao Film Festival says that the active collaboration between the schools the FDCP, the National Commission for the Culture and the Arts (NCCA) and the Mindanao Film and TV Development Foundation Inc. contributed to the huge turn-out school-based films.

“There were many activities such as the Guerrilla Filmmaking Workshop for schools and also our regular Guerrilla Filmmaking Workshops were well-attended by student filmmakers.” Tadena said.

He said this goes to show that there is huge untapped pool of creative talent in the schools.

“With the Mindanao Film Festival this will serve as a platform where we will inspire these potential filmmakers to come out and make their films,” Tadena said.

Now on its 15th staging, the Mindanao Film Festival screens films made in Mindanao or by Mindanaoan filmmakers in a one-week theatrical run at the Gaisanao Mall cinema in Davao City.

These filmmakers will also compete for awards as the films are deliberated by a jury selected from the movie industry.

The current jury is film critic Jay Rosas, film director Benjie Garcia and film/TV director and visual effects artist Earl Bontuyan.

The 15th Mindanao Film Festival runs from December 6 to December 12 at the Cinema 6 of Gaisano Mall of Davao. PIA/ RG Alama

MILO BRIOSO/SS-BAGUIO UB CANTATA. The University of Baguio brings to life one of its Christmas traditions, the Christmas Cantata with elementary and high school students portraying the birth of Jesus Christ while rendering timeless Christmas carols.