Student from various schools in Metro Manila convened at the recent 7th CineSB Film Festival spearheaded by the Digital Filmmaking Program of the De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde (DLS-CSB). Participants included filmmakers, multimedia arts and communication students from Colegio de San Juan de Letran, De La Salle – College of Saint Benilde, De La Salle-Lipa, De La Salle University – Dasmariñas, Far Eastern University, Lyceum of the Philippines University, Mapua Institute of Technology, Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Muntinlupa, Polytechnic University of the Philippines and University of the Philippines-Diliman.
Presented were award-winning short films that have received local and international distinctions (Maningning Shorts), original films directed by La Sallian student filmmakers (Berde Shorts), and those from other colleges and universities (Sibol Shorts).
“As we foreground the significance of digital filmmaking as a medium for storytelling through the works of our students, we explore its potential to transform and impact our lives, because we gain insights and understanding about life and our world when these stories are told and shared,” expressed DLS-CSB New Media Cluster Associate Dean Sharon Mapa Arriola.
Ralph Quincena and Patricia Ramirez’s Ma? dominated the Maningning Shorts Category, winning Best Short Film Gold, Design Excellence Award, Technical Excellence Award (Sound, Cinematography and Editing) and Outstanding Performance by an Actor for Anton Collantes. Donnie Sacueza’s BJ got the second prize, while Jonel Revistual’s May Kung Ano sa Takipsilim won third.
Seymour Sanchez received the award for Outstanding Direction for his short film Caretaker. Cataleya Surio won Outstanding Performance by an Actress for Martin Mayuga’s Finish Line, while the cast of May Kung Ano sa Takipsilim brought home the Outstanding Ensemble award.
For the Berde Shorts Category, DLS-Lipa Communication Student Aimon Mercado’s Nawala won Best Short Film Gold, Design Excellence, Technical Excellence, Outstanding Ensemble, and Outstanding Performance by an Actor for Raul Morit.
DLSU-Dasmariñas Communication majors Nickole Batutay and Kurt Enriquez’s Bakit Ako? and Benilde film student Robin Estargo’s Iiiri Mo Ba? bagged the silver and bronze prizes, respectively. Batutay and Enriquez also got the Outstanding Direction award, while Andrea Marie Felipe of Iiiri Mo Ba? won Outstanding Performance by an Actress.
Collectorella, the entry from Mapua, got the lion’s share of the awards for the Sibol category, bagging Best Short Film Gold, Outstanding Direction for Julian Roxas, Outstanding Performance by an Actress for Barbara Ruaro, Outstanding Ensemble, Design Excellence, and Technical Excellence awards.
Zer Eldron Baccay’s Checkmate and Jhamela Tejome’s Anino, both from Lyceum, won silver and bronze, respectively. Gab Ville won Outstanding Performance by an Actor for the entry from UP Diliman Nandito Naman Tayo Para sa Isa’t Isa, ‘Di Ba?.
The event, dubbed “Rise of the Digital Philippine Cinema,” was organized by Benilde film majors under the Demo Reel and Film Festival (DEMOFES) class of CineSB: Special Edition Festival director Joey Ting.
Benilde film faculty members Vanessa De Leon, Jon Cuyson, and Gerard Elviña served as selection jury members for the 10 finalists in each category, while alumni Kim Zuñiga, Carl Angelo Ruiz, and Miguel Pablo were members of the jury.
“I started as a film student, and my only opportunity then in discovering great films from all over the world was through film festivals like this. In independent cinema, the rite of passage is always a film’s inclusion in a festival.” School of Design and Arts (SDA) Digital Filmmaking Program Chairman Mark Meily shared.