In celebration of the organization’s 19th year of establishment, Film Aficionados Circle (FILAC), the official film organization of PUP College of Communication, proudly presents Kuwentongbayan: Masa sa Lente ng Pelikula (A Filmmaking Webinar), which will be held on September 11, 2020 from 1:00 to 4:10 PM via livestream at FILAC’s Facebook page.
In pursuit of creating emancipatory films, Kuwentongbayan is geared to empower the youth, to ignite participation in political conversations, and to promote responsible filmmaking. There will be Q&A portions, raffles, and freebies for registered attendees.
To introduce the ideological tenents in the process of filmmaking, the event will be featuring six notable, award-winning filmmakers:
Regin De Guzman
She is an aspiring youth influencer and film enthusiast who desires to achieve a bigger media platform for her films and advocacies in order to reach a wider range of audience and to bring impact. She loves joining different contests and festivals, and has already achieved awards, such as CineMandirigma Best Film and Best Director Year 2018; CineMandirigma Best Director Year 2019; Metro Manila Film Festival Best Short Film 2019; and many more. Some of her notable works include Ang Pamana ni Lola, and Pipe Sa Almasen.Â
Joanna Vasquez Arong
She is a director, producer, and the founder of Old Fool Films, which focused on film and video projects around Asia. She is also the founder, fundraiser and coordinator of Eskwela Haiyan (EH), an initiative to help young typhoon victims return to school in Tacloban and Guiuans. One of her notable works is Ang Pagpakalma sa Unos (international title: To Calm the Pig Inside), which garnered the Grand Jury Prize at the Slamdance Film Festival last January 2020, and received NCCA grant for distribution.Â
Lester Valle
He is a filmmaker and cultural worker based in Bontoc, Mountain Province. As founding member of film and media groups Pelicula Union and Habi Collective Media, he is a dedicated mentor to budding grassroots filmmakers, not only imparting technical know-how, but also driving the importance of ethical filmmaking: anchored on social justice, cultural sensitivity, multi-sector research, and gender-fairness. He is best known as the director and cinematographer of the documentary Walang Rape sa Bontok (international title: Bontok, Rapeless) which won the Gawad Urian award for Best Documentary in the year 2015.Â
Carla Ocampo
She is a filmmaker and cultural worker currently residing in the Philippines’ Mountain Province. She is a co-founder of associations that are purveyors of alternative cinema culture in the Philippine North: Habi Collective Media, and Pelicula Union. She is best known for her filmography centering on the culture and lore of the indigenous Bontok Igorot people. She is writer, researcher, and editor for the seminal documentary Walang Rape sa Bontok (international title: Bontok, Rapeless), and is the editor, writer and director of the short film Tokwifi (translated title: Star) which won the Special Jury Prize at the 7th QCinema International Film Festival in 2019, and the NETPAC Jury Award and Best Film honors at the 16th Cinemalaya Film Festival in 2020.
Celina Mae Medina
She is a filmmaker born and raised in Manila, Philippines. She has a degree in Bachelor of Fine Arts in Digital Cinema from Mapua University. She has won multiple awards from her short film Ophelia which was also a part of the 2019 Festival de Cannes Short Film Corner. She is now a part-time professor at the School of Media Studies in her alma mater, Mapua University.
Sonny Calvento
He is a director, writer and producer from the Philippines. He was a fellow of the Bucheon International Fantastic Film School and the Hanoi International Film Festival Directing and Producing Studio where he was awarded Best Talent in Directing and Producing. He is a recipient of the 2017 Philippine Daily Inquirer Indie Bravo Awards and the Harvest of Honor (Ani Ng Dangal) Award from the National Commission of Culture and the Arts of the Philippines. Some of his notable works include John Denver Trending, and Excuse Me, Miss, Miss, Miss.Â
Let us explore and discover the truth in every story. The event is free, and is open for everyone. You can pre-register at https://forms.gle/gYjTzc63eVV6wGg4AÂ
Like and follow www.facebook.com/filmaficionadoscircle and @FILACofficial on Twitter and Instagram for more updates.
This event is sponsored by Crafts n’ Design, Tanglaw Clothing, Cliqque, and Aninag PH, brought to you by ADPROS, Viva Voce, PUP-COC Student Council, Mulat Documentary Guild, DZMC Young Communicators’ Guild, QUADRO Photoclub, Active Vista, and Sinepanghalina, and special thanks to PUP Communication Society, BroadCircle, Journalism Guild, and Umalohokan Inc.Â
About FILM AFICIONADOS CIRCLE (FILAC)
Established in 2001, Film Aficionados Circle (FILAC) is a non-profit, college-wide film organization based in the Polytechnic University of the Philippines (PUP) – College of Communication. Since then, FILAC has served as a home for aspiring filmmakers and film enthusiasts of the college. With the goal of immortalizing stories relevant to Philippines’ adversities, triumphs, and realities, the organization upholds its purpose – to awaken patriotism within Filipinos through filmmaking.
For the past years, FILAC has organized events and programs out and within the college, which aimed to enhance their members’ skills, and their fellow PUPians’ sense of social awareness and participation. Some activities include workshops, seminars, film competitions, and film screenings that showcased their own productions. FILAC has also joined and succeeded in various film competitions, such as EPSON Ecovision, Unioil: Doing Our Part, UE Sinemandirigma, CineMAPUA, UP POV, and Emirates International Short Film Festival.
