NCCinema goes beyond PH cinema’s conventional reach

The National Committee on Cinema (NCCinema) will conduct a three-day workshop with teachers and selected students of the Bago tribe in Salcedo, Ilocos Sur this year “to entice them to become filmmakers and educators.”

This was reported recently by NCCinema member Joel Arthur Tibaldo, who happens to be a Bago tribe member and is also the representative of the indigenous people (IP) sector in the 13-member committee.

The NCCinema is under the Subcommission on the Arts (SCA), one of 19 national committees of the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA).

Tibaldo, who’s also a documentary filmmaker, said his group would conduct “screen education” by showing different kinds of films and facilitating miniworkshops. “By now, teachers already have smart phones and computers. We’ll help them make short documentaries.”

Before Tibaldo, Baguio-based scriptwriter Martin Masadao, who traces his roots in Kalinga, was IP representative.

“He was also part of NCCA’s pool of speakers,” Tibaldo shared with the Inquirer. “This is a three-year term. Part of our work is the conceptualization, planning and execution of several film-related projects concerning the IP.

“I will start in my own backyard. I hope to be able to dovetail this program to as far as Mindanao.”

Also on his first year in the committee is Dumaguete City-based creative writer and journalist Ian Casocot, who represents the Visayas sector. Casocot said, “I’m here to protect the interest of filmmakers from the Visayas… and Hobart Savior, from those in Mindanao.”

Hobart, a professor and festival director based in Cagayan de Oro City, added: “We’re creating a more vibrant platform for Mindanao. Unknown to many, there are a lot of filmmakers in the region, but most of them lack access to technology—only Davao and General Santos have resources.”

Rosanni Sarile, who is the Luzon representative, said it had always been her advocacy to teach film appreciation to teachers.

Her most recent program was conducted in Dasmariñas, Cavite. She pointed out, “There are teachers who ask their students to come up with film projects without teaching them how to do it.”

Sarile added: “My work in NCCinema is to give seminars on the structure and language of film. Hopefully, we can also educate the teachers on the technical aspect of filmmaking.”

Teddy Co, who’s also SCA chair, pointed out: “I don’t know if anyone has noticed it, but more and more regional films are winning in major indie film festivals.”

Co cited Zig Dulay’s “Paglipay,” shot entirely in Zambales and best picture winner at 2016 ToFarm Film Festival; Jason Paul Laxamana’s “Mercury is Mine,” shot in Pampanga and winner of the Special Jury Prize at 2016 Cinemalaya Philippine Independent Film Festival; Sheron Dayoc’s Tausug film, “Women of the Weeping River,” best picture winner at 2016 QCinema International Film Festival; Petersen Vargas’ “2 Cool 2 Be 4gotten,” also shot in Pampanga and best picture awardee at 2016 Cinema One Digital Film Festival; and Arbi Barbarona’s “Tu Pug Imatuy,” shot in Davao and winner of best film award at 2017 Sinag Maynila film festival.

“For Philippine cinema, things have changed for the better,” Co pointed out. “Before 2010, it was presumed that cinema was only done in Manila.”