Ilongga content creator wins first #ForYouPelikula filmfest
To empower creative storytellers and aspiring filmmakers, global sensation platform TikTok partnered with leading multimedia company Viva to recognize and award individuals at the very first #ForYouPelikula Short Film Festival.
On November 28, two of the five finalists emerged victorious as they took home awards from the competition. The best actress and best actor go with a trophy, while the best short film and best entry include a trophy and a cash prize as a testament to the participant’s talent and hard work.
The entry “Lotto” or “JackPat,” created by Novy Mae Recate, bagged three out of four awards: best actor, best actress, and best short film, with a cash prize of P50,000.
Recate is an Ilongga content creator for movies and popular culture. With almost 900,000 followers on TikTok, her short-form discussions of films and television online gained her a following.
According to Recate, the idea for her short film has always been in her head. When asked if she has any plans to join more film festivals, especially the bigger ones, she said she’s open to the idea of it.
Article continues after this advertisement“Right now, my priorities are different because I’m still in school. I’m in law school, so parang right now; I’m just really focused on finishing the semester and, of course, my own content creation,” she said to INQUIRER.net.
Article continues after this advertisement“But now that you’ve mentioned it, it can be a possibility. I’m not closing my doors on anything, but right now, I’m just taking it one day at a time. My school, my page, growing my community,” Recate concluded.
Recate’s short film “Lotto” or “JackPat” tackles the story of a couple who have very different visions in life, making them struggle with staying because they are in love or letting go because they are so different in terms of dreams and aspirations in life.
Other awards and nominees
Meanwhile, Rico Romano Kamatoy’s Nomi (Inom) won the best entry award with a cash prize of P50,000. He is a student of Malikhang Pagsulat at UP Diliman. The young content creator extended advice to aspiring storytellers.
“Siguro, base kasi sakin, more on observation ako. So siguro maging observant sa mga nangyayari sa paligid tapos galing doon pwede tayo makacreate ng isang story,” said Kamatoy.
Nomi follows a young man’s day at the beach with friends, but it takes a dramatic turn when the aftermath of a past tragedy reveals and introduces themes of grief.
Other nominees include “Kismet” by Direk Genesis James Manlapaz and Ralph Allan Hernandez, “Kambal” by real-life married content creator couple Steve Walter Magay and Nyx Kua-Magay, and accounting student Princess Joy Jarabe’s untitled entry.