Film Council: 2nd Iloilo int’l fest proves potential of regional cinema

ILOILO CITY—Ilonggo and regional cinema got a shot in the arm with the holding of the 2nd Iloilo International Film Festival at the SM City Cinema on January 19-21, simultaneous with the Dinagyang.

Organized by the Film Development Council of the Philippines (FDCP) and the Iloilo City government, the fest featured 17 films—12 Filipino and five foreign.

Rich tradition

FDCP chairman Briccio Santos noted that filmmaking in Iloilo has continued to grow, with its rich tradition of movie-making, and after the successful launch of the council’s First Sineng Pambansa National Film Competition last year.

Santos noted that, of the 23 Sineng Pambansa candidates nationwide, all three finalists from the Visayas were from Iloilo. “This illustrates the potential of filmmakers here,” Santos told the Inquirer.

Last week’s festival featured these Ilonggo-made movies: “Brutus” by Tara Illenberger; “Wanted: Border” by Ray Defante Gibraltar; “Local Girls” by Ned Trespeces; “Revolutions Happen like Refrains in a Song” by multi-awarded director and author Nick Deocampo; and the classic “Oro, Plata, Mata” by Peque Gallaga.

Also screened were: “Bahay Bata” by Eduardo Roy; “Biyaheng Lupa” by Armando Lao; “Sanglaan” by Milo Sogueco; “Ang Sayaw ng Dalawang Kaliwang Paa” by Alvin Yapan; “Thelma” by Paul Soriano; “Kadin” by Adolf Alix Jr.; and “Kapitan Torpe” by Antonio Jose Cadiz Jr.

The five foreign films were: “Claire’s Knee” by Eric Rohmer and “The Girl from Monaco” by Anne Fontaine from France; “Kolja” by Jan Sverak and “Grapes” by Tomas Barina from the Czech Republic; and “Paper Dolls” by Tomer Heyman from Israel.

Those who missed the cinema fare may catch other screenings through the “Sine ng Masa” mobile cinema, a truck mounted with LCD screens that are being deployed by the FDCP in villages and universities around Iloilo until Tuesday.

“Sine ng Masa” features “Ang Panday,” “Perlas ng Silangan,” “Kimmy Dora,” “Bagong Buwan” and “Home along da Riles.”

Santos estimated that the festival audience this year surpassed the 30,000 turnout last year.

More opportunities

Deocampo, who was instrumental in training and organizing Ilonggo filmmakers before their shift to digital filmmaking, said filmmakers today have more opportunities, notably financial aid and access to technology, which they should maximize.

But he added that more support from the local government and other sectors should be pushed to further develop regional cinema.