Holiday cheers came right on time for twenty-five gifted student filmmakers when Puregold CinePanalo Film Festival named them as the official recipients of film grants worth P100,000 each.
The select student filmmakers—coming from Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao—turned in the most promising short film projects out of 245 entries submitted to Puregold’s very first CinePanalo Film Festival.
“The film grants will help tremendously with the production costs of their ventures as they pursue their passion for filmmaking,” said Vincent Co, President of Puregold Price Club Inc., enthused. “We certainly hope that they are as thrilled as we are by the good news.
The selection committee for the short film category includes award-winning director Lemuel Lorca; film critic and columnist Tito Valiente; Puregold Senior Marketing Manager Ivy Piedad; and Puregold CinePanalo festival director Chris Cahilig.
The short film category of the Puregold CinePanalo is primed to entice and inspire young creatives nationwide to push their craft. For one, the P100,000 grant is expected to go a long way in funding their filmmaking projects. For Puregold’s first CinePanalo festival, the chosen film grant recipients will have their shorts screened at Gateway Cinema in March 2024.
The shorts will also be uploaded to Puregold’s official social media channels on YouTube and TikTok.
“Puregold CinePanalo will be a celebration of all things hopeful and inspiring about Filipino culture,” Piedad said. “This is why we’re proud to uplift the work of these new, bright voices in Philippine cinema. By investing in the Filipino youth, we’re also investing in their development as the soon-to-be defining artists of our time.”
The films showcased by the winning student directors are as follows:
Jenievive B. Adame from STI College Cubao presented Smokey Journey, while Ma. Rafaela Mae Abucejo of the Polytechnic University of the Philippines directed Saan Ako Pinaglihi?, Alexa Moneii Agaloos, also from the Polytechnic University of the Philippines, contributed Ka Benjie, and Kent Michael Cadungog from the University of the Philippines offered Text FIND DAD and Send to 2366.
Other notable entries include Repeater si Peter by John Pistol L. Carmen from Bicol University, Hallway Scholar by Chrisha Eseo Cataag from Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng San Pablo, and Lola, Lola, Paano ba ‘Yan? by Patricia W. Dalluay from the Polytechnic University of the Philippines.
The diverse collection of films also includes Kang Pagpuli Ko by Joanah Pearl Demonteverde (University of the Philippines – Visayas), I Am Mutya And I Thank You! by Joshua Andrey A. Doce (Bicol State College of Applied Science and Technology), and Sa Hindi Paghahangad by Neil M. Espino from De La Salle Lipa.
Terrence Gale Fernandez from the Polytechnic University of the Philippines contributed Kaibigan ko si Batman, while Daniel Gil from Ateneo de Davao University directed Distansya, and Alexandra Lapid from Mapúa University presented Queng Apag.
Other noteworthy films include Tiil ni Lola by Reutsche Colle Rigurosa Lima (University of San Carlos), Kung Nag-aatubili by Dizelle C. Masilungan (University of Santo Tomas), and Lutong Bahay by Jose Mikyl Medina (De La Salle University).
The list continues with Last Shift by Ronjay-C Mendiola (Polytechnic University of the Philippines), Paano po gumawa ng collage college? by Mark Terence Molave (Polytechnic University of the Philippines), and Si Mary May Crush Kay Tess by Jhunel Ruth A. Monterde (De La Salle College of Saint Benilde).
Completing the impressive lineup are Naduea Eoman Si Brownie (Brownie’s Lost Again!) by Doxford D. Perlas (University of the Philippines – Visayas), Layag sa Pangarap by Andrea S. Ponce (Polytechnic University of the Philippines – Sta. Mesa), Dzai Dzai Dzai Delilah by Edz Haniel Teñido Purificacion (Mapúa Malayan Colleges Laguna), Sabaw nga Tambal by John Wilbert Llever Sucaldito (Far Eastern University), and Abandoned Lullabies by Tyrone Lean J. Taotao (Polytechnic University of the Philippines – Sta. Mesa).
Lastly, Marian Jayce R. Tiongzon from the University of the Philippines – Visayas presented May Kulay Rosas Ba Sa Bahaghari?
The selected winners can now begin the production phase of creating their shorts. The final products can be watched by the public alongside selected feature film projects at the first ever Puregold CinePanalo. It is sure to be a historic event for both the present and future of the local film industry.