Bangued, Abra—Sine Abreño opens the weeklong 3rd Abrenian Heritage Film Festival on Monday online, the second such time under the pandemic, via its YouTube Channel, Facebook page, and Instagram.
This is a cultural program led by its founder Dexter Macaraeg, board members Dr. Maria Teresa Beñas, Dr. Paulina Sawadan, Dr. Joey De la Cruz, Darwyn Engente Lanas and Franz Kevin RJ Palos, in partnership with the Film Development Council of the Philippines and the Department of Tourism Cordillera.
A virtual opening program will kick off the film festival at 6 p.m. tonight, which will be broadcast live on Facebook.
Macaraeg said the films would be made available to the public for free.
The film festival focuses on the theme “Culture in Crisis, Arts Fighting to Survive COVID-19 Impact.” Macaraeg emphasized each film was made during the COVID-19 pandemic and how arts, creativity and resilience were used in fighting the crisis.
The jury includes award-winning Filipino filmmakers and educators Emmanuel Dela Cruz, Kevin Pison Piamonte, Kristoffer Brugada, Martika Ramirez Escobar and Arjanmar Rebeta.
The 11 films mostly came from Regions 1 and 2 and Metro Manila.
Opening film is ‘Salidumay’ by Dexter Macaraeg, shot entirely in Baguio City, with invitational films from Kalinga Province and the Visayas.
To cap the film festival is last year’s winning film ‘Ninlapu Ken Magsawi’ by Ann Michelle Mailed Espelimbergo from Abra.
For updates and more information on Sine Abreño, follow Sine Abreño on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube, or send an email to sineabreno@gmail.com. and abrenianheritagefilmfestival@gmail.com.
The following are the 11 finalists: 1. Distansya (dir. Ernani Antonio); 2. Me Time (dir. Danni Ugali); Artists Need Help Too (dir. Kenneth Louie Laurie Peralta); 4. Huling Yugto (dir. Kristine Angel Cerva); 5. Pursuit (dir. James Merquise); 6. Dalluyon (Waves) (dir. Jeisther Timothy Galano);
7. Naimbag nga Panagkasangaymo, Nang (Happy Birthday, Mom) (dir. Gabb Gantala); 8. Nagbuwa Nga Gugma (Unfaithful Love) (dir. Geraldo Jumawan); 9. Sam-it Ken Pait (Bittersweet) (dir. Edmar Delos Santos); 10. Room 1107 The Story of Rosalinda (dir. Robert Llamoso); 11. Panaglaga (Basket weaving) (dir. Melver Ritz Gomez.)
