The dawn of the new technology has paved way for a new line of Filipino Independent films to gain recognitions in the place “where dreams are made of”—New York.
Invited to come to the Big Apple to do a 24-hour movie, Paolo Dy and his creative team emerged victorious in the recently held US National 24 Hour Film Racing Tour 2010 for their short film Creative License.
Creative License stood out among all the short film entries from different parts of America and Canada. The film, which is only 2:30 minute-long, also won the Audience Award, Best Direction and Best Sound Design.
Taking the challenge to write, shoot, edit, and score an original film (that should run no longer than 4 minutes) all in one day, Paolo Dy, together with writer/actor Cathy Azanza and actor Christopher Fabregas, managed to creatively put together the given theme “Exaggeration” with the surprise element “pizza” in a fun way, whilst showing the typical life of an immigrant living in the US as well.
Representing Brooklyn, Creative License tells of a Pinoy’s life living alone in New York who got his whole family—especially his mother, worried back at home. In order ease the worry of his family, the lead character roams around the street and takes pictures that tells how “good” his life has been going on in the States, when it is really the contrary.
Dy, a freelance film director and cinematographer based in the Philippines, decided to narrate the story in tagalog; saying in a report from the Film Racing website that his team wanted to tell a story that was “close and real” to them.
Dy and Azanza recieved their First Place prize package in New York that included a $4000 cash prize, a one year scholarship with Writers Boot Camp and professional film and audio editing software from Sony Creative Software.
Another Pinoy indie film that has not only gained favorable attention not only in the Philippines, but has also earned a nomination in the upcoming SoHo International Film Festival NYC (SIFFNYC) on April 19-21 at the Quad Cinema in New York City is Tarima, a film directed by Neal Tan.
Telling the true story of a homosexual in his prime who is torn between his love for another man, who is behind bars, and his devotion to God. Tarima was lauded by critics August of 2010 for a remarkable storyline and an outstanding performance by beauty expert-turned actor, Fanny Serrano, model/actor Rocky Salumbides, and veteran actress of the 1950s , Ms. Gloria Romero, among others.
A recipient of four awards in the Gawad Tanglaw Awards this year, as well as a contender for five nominations in the Golden Screen Awards this April, Tarima aims to awaken the minds of the viewers towards the inmates who are victims of injustice and the members of the third sex who, most of the time are prejudged by a conservative society.
A report also said that Tarima is also “being considered for this year’s Torino International Film Festival in Italy.”
Meanwhile, another independent film who is bound to compete with Tarima is Ganap na Babae, which showcases threedifferent stories of women: a mother who looks back at her life as a former prostitute; two poor sisters,with one forced to be an order bride in Japan while the other looks after their family; and a widow woman who tries to fight for her love for a younger man despite being a subject of criticism in a sensitive society.
Ganap na Babae is topbilled by premiere actresses in the country like Mercedes Cabral (as the prostitute), helmed as the Most Beautiful Actress in the 61st Cannes Film Festival; Sue Prado, a 33rd URIAN Best Supporting Actress, and breakthrough artist Jam Perez (as the sisters); and last but not the least, is of the iconic actresses in Philippine Cinema, Ms.Boots Anson Roa (as the widow).
Directed by Rica Arebalo, Ellen Ramos, and Sarah Roxas, this film is regarded as a film for women made by women directors.
Considered as “the future of cinema industry”, Filipino Independent Films aim to gradually expose its viewers to appreciate movies that go beyond the confines of the mainstream and mirror truth in the world they live in, thus liberating their minds in the process.
(www.asianjournal.com)
(OCIE April 8-14, 2011 RedCarpet pg.2)
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