‘Harana’ triumphs in San Francisco

Benito Bautista’s “Harana” won the Audience Award for Documentary at the Center for Asian American Media Film Festival (formerly known as San Francisco International Asian American Film Festival) held in San Francisco, California, last week.

The news was relayed to Inquirer by editor Chuck Gutierrez of Voyage Studios, who worked on the film. Gutierrez said the honor was a “fitting tribute” to Harana Kings Celestino Aniel, who passed away last September, and Felipe Alonzo, who died last month.

The docu follows Filipino-American classical guitarist Florante Aguilar as he embarks on a quest to rediscover the dying tradition of the harana.

Bautista is one of the honorees in last year’s Inquirer Indie Bravo! Tribute. Bayani San Diego Jr.