PH short film wins in Jamaica

Maliksi Morales in “Pipo”

Richard Legaspi’s short film, “Pipo,” won the viewers’ choice award in the Asian and Middle Eastern Film Night section of the fifth Gatffest Film Festival in Kingston, Jamaica, from June 15 to 24.

The 20-minute film was shown alongside entries from Iran, Israel, Malaysia, Singapore, Afghanistan and Taiwan. It previously competed in festivals in the United States, Colombia, Greece, India, Malta, Portugal, Taiwan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Mexico, Germany, and United Arab Emirates.

“Pipo” centers on a boy whose dream of having a family portrait taken is fulfilled by a photographer at Rizal Park. The short film topbills Lou Veloso, Chanel Latorre, Ramon Palencia, Katherine Carel and Maliksi Morales.

According to its website, the annual Gatffest, formerly known as the Greater August Town Film Festival, serves as a “platform for new and emerging filmmakers to showcase” their talents.—BAYANI SAN DIEGO JR.

Scene from “Pipo”