‘Waking Journey’ wins in US fest

“Walking the Waking Journey”: Lama Telzin Cheogyal (third from right, second row) brings his wards back to their villages in the Himalayas via perilous mountain trails. Pinoy indie filmmaker Ferdinand Balanag directed this documentary.

Ferdinand John Balanag’s “Walking the Waking Journey” won the River Pursuit Award at the inaugural Silent River Film Festival in Irvine, California, on September 16. The film, which recounts the perilous journey of Lama Tenzin and schoolchildren in the Himalayas, won the award for best first-time full-feature docu in Silent River, dubbed a “festival of refreshing vision.” Lama Tenzin attended the fest with Balanag.—Bayani San Diego Jr.