Zamboanga, Ozamis films big winners in 15th MFF
Zamboanga, Ozamis films
DAVAO CITY Dec. 13 (PIA)- Films from the cities of Zamboanga and Ozamis won major awards in the 15th Mindanao Film Festival held here in Davao City.
The Zamboanga City film “Si Astri Maka si Tambullah” received several big awards in the 2017 staging of the annual film festival. The short film about a transwoman Sama and her lover won Best Cinematography for Arbi Barbarona and Best Production Design for Aedrian Araojo.
“Si Astri Maka si Tambullah” copped the biggest prize as it won Best Film during the awards night held last Monday evening (Dec. 11) at the Gaisano Mall Cinema 4. Another film from Zamboanga City “Out of the Paper” an animated short made by students from Ateneo de Zamboanga was given Best Technical Achievement for Animation.
Several major awards were given to “Redempsyon” a short film from Ozamis City where it got the awards for Best Actor (for actor Edmund Telmo) and Best Actress (for actress Chriscel Ann Maribojoc). It also won the Best Screenplay award.
Other films from the different regions in Mindanao also got several film awards. Best Sound prize went to “Ikaduhang Pagbalik.” a short film from Cagayan de Oro, Best Editing award went to TFTA, a short film from Tagum City who also won Best Student Film.. Best Documentary Award went to “God Bliss Our Home.” Made by Cagayan de Oro filmmaker Nawruz Paguidopon.
“God Bliss Our Home” also won the award for Best Musical Score.
Dabawenyo filmmakers also received several awards. Best Director went to Job Nierras for his film “Kaloy-I, it also won as Best Guerrilla Filmmaking Workshop Film. Best Guerrilla Filmathon Film went to “Mama.” Best Original Song went to “Tama Na” of the film “Tagay” created by the filmmakers of Colegio de San Ignacio. Best Animated Film went to “Unos” created by the Davao-based Puppeteer Studios.
The jurors for the film festival is composed of indie filmmaker and visual effects artist Earl Bontuyan, indie filmmaker Benjie Garcia and film critic Jay Rosas.
The 15th Mindanao Film Festival this year which is supported by the Film Development Council of the Philippines (FDCP) screened about 100 full-length and short films the highest number since its inception in 2003 as the Guerrilla Filmmaking Festival.
“We had several film festivals and filmmaking activities in the region and also across Mindanao which contributed to the large number of films. In Davao we had two Guerrilla Filmathons which gave us 20 films, we had Guerrilla Filmmaking Workshops and also the Ngilngig workshop came up with many films," said Rudolph Alama, the Mindanao Film Festival director.
The 15th Mindanao Film Festival held from December 6 to December 12 at Gaisano Mall Cinema 6, carried the theme “Nourishing Seeds, Expanding Horizons.”