Film Fest in NY Hails Filipino Film Talents
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The unique stories and talents celebrated in this year’s festival in Manhattan hailed from Australia, Bangladesh, Czech Republic, Denmark, Italy, Portugal, Sweden, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, and the Philippines.
The 14th International Film Festival Manhattan last October adopted United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals as the theme for this year’s global film showcase.
Several Filipino films won honors:
Siete Palabras by Jayson Pabalan, Best Documentary.
Jiro by Earhart Nehemiah Capulong Dilodilo and Krissie Kae Cabangon Cunanan, Best Student Film.
Pilipinas Ang Bayan Ko (The Philippines, My Country) by Jayson Pabalan, Professional Jury Prize, Silver Award.
Sagip Ka! (You Are Saved!) by Alan Filoteo, Professional Jury Prize, Bronze Award.
Lumayo Ka Man Sa Akin by MJ Racadio, Professional Jury Prize, Bronze Award.
Sandig (Lean On) by Roveh Tondo and Alan Filoteo, Winner of Jose Rizal Short Film Contest.
Amor Propio (Self Esteem) by Rain Ramas, Finalist and Honorable Mention of Jose Rizal Short and Independent Achievement in Filmmaking.
Pepe 1896 by Philip Dipasupil and Frederick Claveria, Finalist and Honorable Mention of Jose Rizal Short.
Pamana ni Pepe by Jayson Pabalan, Finalist and Honorable Mention of Jose Rizal Short.
Additional honorable mentions in other award categories include Boss Ko Si Mommy by Rolito Nino Chan Jr. and Dreamweavers by Chris Caccioppoli.
Filipinos dominated the Junior Lifetime Achievement awards category. Mark Sicat Dela Cruz of GMA network for TV Directing, Alan Filoteo for Filmmaking, and MJ Racadio for Public Relations and Marketing.
The festival is intended as a platform for independent filmmakers worldwide to collaborate and leave a legacy that “not only entertains, but also shows that we care about the earth and our fellow human beings,” said founder Luis Pedron.
Assemblyman Steven Raga, the first Filipino American elected to office in New York State, attended the ceremony, along with foreign dignitaries and college presidents from the Philippines. “It is a festival that feels like you are home,” says American filmmaker Amanda Troisi.
Pedron says, “IFFM works to strengthen the linkages between Philippine universities and the wider global film industry so that we can create a collaborative hub that could successfully launch the international careers of talented filmmakers from underrepresented regions of the world.”
In the past few years, more foreign films from rural communities have been making waves in the three-day film festival. The most honored awardees in this year, Alan Filoteo and Rain Ramas, flew from General Santos City to New York City, along with the College President Br. Manuel V. De Leon of Notre Dame of Dadiangas University.
Additionally, Krissie Kae Cabangon Cunanan, an FEU (Far Eastern University) Institute of Technology undergraduate student of Multimedia Arts, and Barangay Captain Hon. Nicanor Abelardo Soriano of Angeles City also flew in from Manila.
The thematic influences of Philippine films submitted this year leaned heavily into social issues ranging from education, mental health, colonialism, war, poverty, and resilience.
Alan Filoteo’s Sandig contemplates the possibility of single motherhood in the context of a nation where abortion is illegal. The protagonist, Cecile, is a young female from a low-income background faced with the difficult decision of withdrawing from her studies to become a mother. Her best friend, Nick, comes from a well-to-do family and offers his assistance so that she can continue to pursue her studies.
This film won the highest honor in the Jose Rizal Short Film category because it highlights the Filipino bayanihan móres embedded in the culture, where Filipinos are compelled to help solve problems together because “we are a hero to each other.”
Rain Ramas’ Amor Propio delves into the psychological implications of the Filipino breadwinner norm where financial responsibilities wrest upon the family member who is first to escape the clutches of poverty.
“Taking inspiration from Jose Rizal's novel, Noli Me Tangere, Amor Propio translates the challenges faced by Filipinos during the colonial era into the modern-day experiences of a typical working class citizen,” says Rain Ramas.
He adds, “Facing work pressure and threats from his boss, the main character is also presented with demands from his family and legal actions due to debt that drive him to break down with contemplations of violent reactions... not very different from the forms of oppression the Filipinos faced centuries back. In the end, the protagonist regains his constitution, suggesting the resilience of the Filipino society that still thrives to this day.”
Earhart Nehemiah Capulong Dilodilo and Krissie Kae Cabangon’s Jiro follows the daily struggle of a homeless young deaf boy named Jiro in the streets of Manila. Upon witnessing a kidnapping, his disability prevents him from speaking about the crime. In the end, Jiro hurls himself onto the path of the kidnappers' getaway vehicle and dies. The accident gained widespread media attention, which ultimately exposes the perpetrators at large who have been responsible for a string of multiple kidnappings in the area. From a thematic standpoint, Jiro’s heroism echoes the ultimate sacrifice that the Philippine National hero Jose Rizal made in his attempt to give a voice to the voiceless.
“You just have to throw those frogs on the wall, hoping they stick, and take the leap of faith! Much like life, filmmaking is a journey,” says Krissie Kae Cabangon Cunanan of Jiro.
Another work highlighted in this year’s festival is Alan Filoteo’s infomercial and short film showcase for Sagip Ka 2000 Foundation Inc., a non-stock, non-profit organization.
According to Alan Filoteo, “the foundation’s primary purpose is to promote the observance of the basic human values such as respect for human dignity, integrity, order, justice, service, art and beauty, quality and excellence, spirituality and sense of freedom among its members.”
Filoteo, a part-time professor of Cronasia Foundation College in Multimedia Arts, worked in conjunction with College President Br. Manuel V. De Leon of Notre Dame of Dadiangas University to produce this infomercial as a philanthropic advocacy for Filipinos in need.
The short narrative for Sagip Ka! demonstrates how a daily contribution of ten pesos can be used to cover unforeseen expenses in one’s future. The organization’s philanthropic work includes sustainability efforts, poverty alleviation, emergency responses to natural disasters and "Dugtong-Buhay" health assistance program.
“Making films should not just be a hobby, it should be a calling,” says Pedron. The intersection of philanthropy and human rights undergirds the mission of IFFM NYC, which has launched the careers of many independent filmmakers while calling attention to the most pressing issues of our time.
The most significant aspect of the film festival is to foster a community which encourages creative minds to pursue the creative path. “You just have to throw those frogs on the wall, hoping they stick, and take the leap of faith! Much like life, filmmaking is a journey,” says Krissie Kae Cabangon Cunanan of Jiro.
“Most importantly, we are a small intimate film festival with a heart,” says Pedron.
The 2024 International Film Festival Manhattan Online Edition took place on November 20-26, 2024 through IWantTFC. For more details on future events, visit: https://iffmusa.com/
Elaine Joy Edaya Degale, the reporter on this story, is an award-winning writer who acted and produced in the short film “Dreamweavers,” which garnered recognition and was screened at the 2024 International Film Festival Manhattan. For more on Elaine's work, visit her website at ejdegale.com.
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