Indie Bravo! Night of renegades, game changers and amazing grace
Shunning talk of politics, Sen. Grace Poe-Llamanzares stuck to the theme of the celebration: the independent spirit of Filipino filmmakers.
It has become imperative for her to attend the Inquirer’s annual Indie Bravo! tribute, she said Thursday night in her speech as guest of honor, because of what it stands for.
As part of its 29th anniversary celebration, the ceremony honored 29 filmmakers (19 directors, 10 actors) who won in international film festivals in the past year.
“It makes sense that it is the Inquirer doing this, supporting independent filmmakers,” she said, “because the paper, like indie films, presents thought-provoking and realistic stories about the country.”
(Independent films are those made outside the major studio production system.)
Poe had attended the yearend event every year since 2010, when she was chair of the Movie and Television Review and Classification Board (MTRCB). This year, she said, she had felt more strongly than usual about attending the Inquirer tribute because it was the 10th death anniversary (Dec. 14) of her father, local movies’ late Action King Fernando Poe Jr.
Her father, the senator pointed out, was a pioneering indie producer, director and actor.
True game changer
“His films were about injustice and corruption, but also about the redemption brought about by the courage and aspirations of the common man—stories that remain relevant to this day,” she explained. “The Inquirer and the indie community have the same goals: to capture public interest, present reality and tell the truth, and encourage people to take a stand and speak out.”
She lauded the paper for helping spread the word about indie filmmakers, helping them become “a force to reckon with” here and abroad.
Thus, Poe stressed, the Inquirer’s coverage of the indies is a true game changer.
Biggest stakeholder
In her welcome address, Inquirer president and chief executive officer Alexandra Prieto-Romualdez expressed her wish for the indies: “That you continue to get support from industry leaders, relevant government agencies, and its most important stakeholder, the viewing public. We are overflowing with so much talent that should not go untapped.”
Romualdez cited “these Filipino talents now recognized here and abroad for providing alternative, challenging, profound, sometimes amusing stories for the public—via themes otherwise not offered in commercial media.”
Leveling up
Poe observed that Indie Bravo! Awards had grown big enough for three major networks (ABS-CBN, TV5 and GMA 7) to send crews to cover the event.
True enough, the tribute attracted its biggest number of guests so far, filling to capacity the multipurpose hall of the Inquirer Makati office.
“We’ve leveled up,” Romualdez agreed, noting that the gathering also served as “the culmination of the Indie Bravo! Film Festival,” now in its second year. The monthlong exhibition that concluded on Friday was held at U-View in Fully Booked, Bonifacio High Street.
The first one, held in Greenbelt MyCinema, ran for four days and featured 17 shorts and documentaries, plus one feature film. Screened this year were close to 40 feature films, documentaries and shorts.
In her introduction for the proceedings, Emmie G. Velarde, Inquirer Entertainment editor, assured the honorees: “Every time you go out there to tell the world yet another Filipino story, the Inquirer will be rooting for you. And every time your name is called to receive yet another award abroad, know that you have an entire media organization applauding you from across the ocean.”
Crucial collaborations
As in previous editions of the tribute night, crucial collaborations and linkages were formed on Thursday.
Noel Cabangon, president of the Filipino Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers Inc. (Filscap), a guest speaker, said, “Music is an integral part of the movies. Filscap can contribute to the growing indie film industry. I am certain that we can bring to life more fruitful collaborations that will prove yet again that the Filipino leads the way in the creative arts.”
Emmanuel de la Cruz, who spoke on behalf of the Independent Filmmakers Cooperative, said the organization found “a new ally” in MTRCB chair Eugenio “Toto” Villareal, who volunteered to share his knowledge and experience in running collectives and cooperatives.
In the 1970s and 1980s, Villareal recalled, the MTRCB predecessors (in what was then called the Board of Censors) were perceived as the enemy of creative freedom.
He pointed out that the board had instituted reforms favorable to indie films, among them lowering review fees for qualified productions, and inviting a member of the indie community to join the board as official member. “We will continue to engage the indies to find ways, consistent with our mandate, to assist in its development.”
Groundbreaking
Film Development Council of the Philippines (FDCP) executive director Ted Granados (who was with Mike de la Rosa, head of the Philippine Film Export Services Office), mentioned the council’s partnership with the MTRCB.
During Poe’s term as MTRCB chair, the FDCP inked a groundbreaking memorandum of agreement with the board, which allowed indie and embassy-sponsored film festivals to practice self-regulation. Events as varied as Cinemalaya and Cinema One, the French, Japanese and Cine Europa fests, and even the Inquirer Indie Bravo! fest, have benefited from this.
Poe and FDCP chair Briccio Santos met at the first Indie Bravo! tribute, sparking the initiative.
Granados observed, “This past year has proven to be a landmark year for Philippine cinema, evident in the number of the Inquirer honorees this year.”
Seeing the future
Another speaker and staunch supporter of the indies, Quezon City Mayor Herbert Bautista reiterated his commitment to the community in his address.
Bautista, with the QC Film Development Commission (QCFDC), initiated two breakthrough projects this year—the QC International Film Festival and the QC International Pink Film Festival (focused on the LGBT community).
The former actor announced that next year, QCFDC will award P1-million grant each to eight filmmakers to produce full-length indie movies, plus smaller grants to five shorts and full features already in production.
Also in the works, Bautista said, are free-standing theaters that will be dedicated to indie films.
He remarked: “I attended the recent reunion of 1940s and 1950s Sampaguita stars and I was speechless just meeting industry pioneers. Tonight, in this room, I am equally in awe, because I see before me the future of Philippine cinema.”
Originally posted at Dec 14, 2014 | 02:02 am
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