This February 2018, the Mu Sigma Phi Fraternity of the UP College of Medicine brings you the 3rd Quisumbing-Escandor Film Festival (QEFF) for Health.
Driving from the success of QEFF 1, which highlighted Filipino health beliefs, and QEFF 2, which tackled issues on maternal health, this year’s QEFF will focus on a subject that has long remained in the shadows of our consciousness – mental health. With the theme Tagu-taguan Maliwana gang Buwan, QEFF 3 aims to feature documentaries and short films that highlight the humanity of mental illness through its social, cultural, and personal dimensions.
“Here in the Philippines, mental health is still something that people take for granted,” says Ted Campo, the head of this year’s film festival. “The goal of QEFF 3 is to use film to highlight and articulate the issues on a larger scale, so as to enlighten people, initiate collective action, and eventually, reduce the stigma.”
This year, QEFF3 is proud to have 73 inspiring and thought-provoking entries from over 20 provinces from Luzon to Mindanao. The event will be co-presented by the Department of Health (DOH) and University of the Philippines Manila, in partnership with the Film Development Council of the Philippines (FDCP), Pharmaceutical and Healthcare Association of the Philippines (PHAP), PHAP Cares Foundation, Philippine Association of Communication Educators (PACE), MentalHealthPH, UBER, and the Mu Sigma Phi Foundation. It will feature an exhibit of entries from Imahe, a photo contest showcasing different perspectives on mental health. Lastly, to further catapult mental health awareness into the communities, the film festival will be followed by the QEFF Film Caravan wherein the films will be screened in schools, organizations, and barangays across the country.
The 3rd Quisumbing-Escandor Film Festival will be held on February 3-5, 2018 at the Cinematheque Center, Kalaw Ave., Ermita, Manila. Registration starts at 9:00 AM. Everyone is invited, admission is FREE.
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About QEFF
The Quisumbing – Escandor Film Festival for Health (QEFF) is a nationwide film-making competition and film caravan which aims to promote awareness about the different pressing health issues in the country through film. The film festival aims to establish a network of active advocates for health and also, to create a video library of films for health advocacy and education, which will be shown to various schools and communities for the film caravan. QEFF 1: “Malayo sa bituka,” focused on the different Social Determinants of Health. QEFF 2: “Sa ngalan ng Ama, ng Anak, at ng Ina…” examined the importance and promotion of Maternal and Child Health.
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About Imahe
              Imahe is a QEFF3 photo exhibit that aims to showcase the diverse perspectives of mental health through the lens of different individuals. Through these images, we can see snapshots of the dynamic interaction between the different factors that play a role in mental health in everyday life.
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About Mu Sigma Phi
The Mu Sigma Phi Fraternity of the UP College of Medicine is the first medical fraternity in the Philippines and in Asia. It is the recipient of the 2008 Ten Accomplished Youth Organizations (TAYO) award and is a 14-time winner of the Most Outstanding Student Organization in UP Manila.
