Filipino filmmaker Auraeus Solito’s “Busong ” won the Tomorrow’s Cinema/Emile Cantillon award at the 38th edition of the Brussels International Festival of Independent Film held in Belgium from Nov. 1 to 6.
“Busong” is a native Palawanon’s term for “fate” or “instant karma”. The film tackles the environmental degradation in Palawan island-province, where Solito’s mother hails from. The film has acclaimed actress Alessandra da Rosi as the main character Punay.
From the website www.busongpalawanfate.com, the short synopsis of the film goes:
“Punay was born with wounds in her feet so she cannot step on the earth. Her brother, Angkadang, carries her with a hammock, as he searches the changing landscape of Palawan hoping to find a healer. Different people help him carry his sister along the way—a woman looking for her husband, a fisherman who lost his boat and a young man who is searching for himself- and each one meets his/her fate (Busong).”
Punay is described the personification of the island itself.
Palawan has been in the news in recent months because of the unsolved killing of environmentalist-broadcaster Dr. Gerry Ortega and the campaign to stop mining that threatens to destroy what is labelled as the country’s last frontier.