MINDANAO FILM FESTIVAL GOES TO TAGUM

After the recent success of the Guerrilla Film-A-Thon, a 24-hour filmmaking competition which was set in Tagum City, another film event is coming soon to the City of Palms.

The Mindanao Film Festival will be holding its roadshow in Tagum City where it would be bringing in selected short films and feature-length movies made by independent filmmakers here in Mindanao.

“This is part of our ongoing initiatives to promote Mindanawan filmmakers and develop an audience for Mindanaoan films,” said Dax Cañedo, president of the Mindanao Film and Television Development Foundation Inc. (MFTDFDI), which is organizing the event in partnership with the National Commission for the Culture and the Arts (NCCA) and the Film Development Council of the Philippines (FDCP).

The cinema roadshow will be held on February 22 to 24 at the Cinema 2 Gaisano Mall of Tagum City. Regular cinema ticket prices are sold for P135 each and the proceeds will go to the filmmakers of the films shown during the roadshow.

The films shown were those screened in the 12th Mindanao Film Festival held last year in Davao City.

Among the films were those shot in Tagum City during the Guerrilla Film-a-thon and films from the Nabunturan Independent Film Exhibition (Nabifilmex) in Nabunturan.

“Hopefully the audience will be aware that there are filmmakers in their area particularly in Nabunturan and we hope they (Tagumenyos) will be inspired in making films also,” Dax said.

One of the supportive partners in our recent film events was the Provincial Government of Davao del Norte under Governor Anthony del Rosario. One of their thrusts is promoting film tourism where films can be a showcase of what the province has to offer in terms of tourism potentials.

It started with their 2015 short film produced by personnel of the Provincial Information Office, the Talikud Island shot “Pagsalig” which won the Sulyap Kultura Award of the NCCA.

Then the Guerrilla Film-a-thon was held in Tagum City, in partnership with the Provincial Government of Davao del Norte. About eight short films were produced in that contest.

This year’s Cinema Rehiyon, a national film festival organized by the NCCA which will be held in Nabunturan, is hoped to spill over Tagum City and Davao del Norte, thus, inspiring a new breed of filmmakers.

Apart from the short films, the Marilog-shot full-length film “Baboy Halas” by Bagane Fiola will also be shown during the roadshow. The film was part of the 2017 International Film Festival Rotterdam where it held its global premiere in the Dutch city.

The 2015 Busan International Film Festival Mecenat awardee (best documentary) “Crescent Rising” by Sheron Dayoc will also be shown.

This gives Tagumenyos and Dabaonons a chance to see world-class films from Mindanaoan filmmakers.

See you in Tagum City for the MFF Roadshow.