While previous festivals were held in malls, the Sineng Pambansa edition in Lanao del Sur is going straight to the students of the Mindanao State University (MSU) in Marawi City.
The Lanao del Sur Film Festival, which opens today (Wednesday) and runs till July 1, is set in two venues on campus: the Mamitua Saber Hall and the Kambayoka Theater Hall-University Video Service.
Briccio Santos, head of the Film Development Council of the Philippines (FDCP), event organizer, feels it’s important to visit Marawi. It is the second Mindanao city to host the fest, after Zamboanga in February.
“Marawi is a sophisticated cultural area, but it’s not usually represented in mainstream media and has not been sufficiently exposed to the latest trends and developments in local cinema,” Santos explained.
During the fest, Santos plans to touch base with the region’s filmmakers as well. Coinciding with the event is a short film contest with the theme “Peace is …”
Participants are from the province; the winner will be announced during the festival.
Sineng Pambansa will herald the “Peace Caravan,” said Santos. “That is the contingent of filmmakers and film buffs, led by FDCP, that will be motoring from Cagayan de Oro to Marawi City. We bring with us the message that cinema can be a unifying cultural medium in a country of varied ethno-linguistic groups. We may adhere to different faiths and social systems, but we share a common history and destiny.”
FDCP is working with Governor Mamintal Alonto-Adiong Jr. and provincial coordinator Princess Tarhata Pacasum on Sineng Pambansa’s Marawi stop.