By Bayani San Diego Jr.
Inquirer
Last updated 11:58am (Mla time) 12/03/2007

FILIPINOS FROM both sides of the network wars won in major categories at the 12th Asian Television Awards, held at the Suntec International Convention Center in Singapore on Thursday.

Current affairs

The GMA 7 documentary show, “Reporter’s Notebook,” topped the Best Current Affairs Program category for its coverage of the war in Lebanon. It bested entries from Korea, Singapore and Taiwan.

“Reporter’s Notebook” is hosted by news reporters Maki Pulido and Jiggy Manicad.

Team effort

Manicad, who also produced the winning episode, told the Inquirer via SMS: “It’s a team effort. The feeling [of winning] is great and humbling at the same time. Lebanon was one of the most dangerous coverages our program has [experienced so far]. We never thought we could come up with good material in that situation—especially one that would merit the attention of the Asian TV Awards.”

Co-host Pulido said: “It’s a great high. It doubles the pressure to produce better stories in the interest of our countrymen.”

Program Manager Clyde Mercado agreed. “Serving the people through this show is rewarding enough,” he said, but this [award] is a very special bonus.”

Best news program

The ABS-CBN late-night newscast “Bandila” won Best News Program for its coverage of the Subic Rape Case Promulgation. It bested entries from Malaysia, Taiwan, India, as well as two Philippine news shows (GMA 7’s “24 Oras” and ABS-CBN’s “TV Patrol World”).

Said Maria Ressa, senior vice president of ABS-CBN’s News and Current Affairs: “‘Bandila’ is just a little over a year old, and we are grateful that its work has been recognized by our peers in the region and the world. We wanted to put together our ideas of nationalism with a faster production pace and more succinct and analytical reporting. ‘Bandila’ has already been named one of the Top 4 newscasts in the world by the International Academy of Arts & Sciences, making it the first time ever that a Philippine network has received this recognition at the Emmys.”

Acting trophy

Gina Pareño topped the Best Drama Actress category, besting performers from New Zealand, Thailand, India and Singapore. She won for portraying the troubled mother of three mentally ill children in the “Rehas” episode of ABS-CBN’s “Maalaala Mo Kaya.”

“We were only given 30 seconds in our thank-you speech,” recalled Pareño. “I was happy and nervous at the same time. I dedicated my award to my family and our countrymen.”

Same director

The episode was megged by Jeffrey Jeturian, who also directed Pareño in the internationally acclaimed film “Kubrador.”

According to its web site, the Asian Television Awards aims to “recognize and reward program and production excellence” in the region.

Filmmakers and activists screened two films banned by the Movie and Television Review and Classification Board (MTRCB), "A Day in the Life of Gloria" and "Mendiola", in protest of what they called "repression" by the Arroyo administration.

The "X" rating given by the MTRCB to the two films resulted in their exclusion from a short film festival called "Kontra-Agos" .

The films were shown during a press conference on Friday by filmmakers and activists to express alarm over what they perceive to be an attempt to suppress media coverage of the failed rebellion in Makati led by former Navy officer turned Senator Antonio Trillanes and Army Brigadier General Danny Lim.

Short filmmaker King Catoy said, "Nananawagan kami sa mga kapwa natin artists, i-defy natin ang admnistrasyong ito, this is martial law (We call on our fellow artists to defy this administration. This is martial law)."

During the press conference, National Artist for Literature Bienvenido Lumbera joined other artists and activists in having their hands tied, recalling images of ABS-CBN reporters and crew who were handcuffed and detained by police in the aftermath of the Makati incident.

Lumbera said recent events, including the so-called "censorship" of an artist's collective in Angolo, Rizal, bear out a clear and present danger to artists and to freedom of expression.

"Mayroon litaw na panganib sa atin. Karapatan natin magkaroon ng layang ipakita ang katotohanan (There is an obvious threat against us. It is our right to have the freedom to tell the truth)," said Lumbera.

MTRCB reviewer Mark Castrodes however dismissed the artists' accusations as baseless conspiracy theories. According to Castrodes, the films were given an X-rating because they put the government in a bad light.

One of the films, "A Day in the Life of Gloria", is in animated format and shows a cartoon caricature of President Arroyo saying "I am sorry" after which her nose begins to grow. It is a scene that recalls the fairy tale character Pinocchio, whose nose elongates whenever he tells a lie.

Castrodes said that contrary to the artists' wild claims, there is no "institutionalized political repression" and that the film reviewers simply did their job.

"We are not in cahoots with anyone else here, for us, it was simply a day's work", he said, adding that the filmmakers could have appealed the rating and asked for a second review but they chose to no longer do so.

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BY EMILY VITAL
Bulatlat
Vol. VII, No. 43, December 2-8, 2007

“The MTRCB will never allow the propagation of films which carries dissenting views to the current administration,” said an independent filmmaker whose work is scheduled to be shown at Indie Sine in Robinson’s Galeria December 5-11 but was rated “X” by the board.

The Movie and Television Review and Classification Board (MTRCB) was criticized anew for censoring two short films created by independent film makers.

Southern Tagalog Exposure’s (ST Exposure) A Day in the Life of Gloria Arrovo and Sine Patriyotiko’s Mendiola have been rated “X” or disapproved from public exhibition by the MTRCB. Said films are part of an eight-film compilation scheduled to be shown at the Kontra Agos Resistance Film Festival on December 5-11, Indie Sine, Robinson’s Galleria.

In an interview, RJ Mabilin, director of A Day in the Life of Gloria Arrovo, said that the MTRCB justified the rating by saying that the films “undermine the faith of the people in government.”

An animation, which got an honorable mention award from this year’s Gawad Cultural Center of the Philippines, A Day in the Life of Gloria ArroVo is a political satire.

Mendiola, on the other hand, is a short documentary critical of the Arroyo government’s calibrated preemptive response (CPR).

Another short film, Holy Bingo, was initially rated “X” but later got a PG-13 classification. The film,
Mabilin said, is critical of the Catholic Church.

Mabilin said, “It goes to show that there exists institutionalized repression. The MTRCB has the final say whether a film should be viewed or not. It will never allow the propagation of films which carries dissenting views to the current administration.”

In September, the MTRCB also rated “X” the compilation of films titled Rights which deals with the human rights situation in the country.

In an email that reached Bulatlat, award-winning director Carlitos Siguion Reyna said, “This is the
latest instance of broad-sided political censorship, so soon after the “X”-ing of similar political short films in the “Rights”… also, so soon after the content alteration done by the National Press Club of the Neo-Angono Arts Collective’s press freedom mural.”

ST Exposure’s Mabilin said that they will continue to resist all forms of censorship. He said they will continue utilizing alternative venues to propagate their films. In fact, A Day in the Life of Gloria Arrovo can be viewed via the Youtube since 2005 (http://www.youtube. com/watch? v=5_x6m_LDryE& feature=related)

Siguion Reyna said that this case is “merely the latest illustration of this government’s view on free expression, truth, and transparency.” Bulatlat

REGULATIONS & ENTRY

Registration is possible also via www.reelport.com

1. OBJECTIVES
The XXXVIII Tampere International Short Film Festival will take place March 5-9, 2008. Tampere Film Festival is an independent short film festival with an international and national competition. The competitions are open and free for all who want to submit a film for the preview. It is organized by the association Tampere Film Festival and receives financial support from the City of Tampere, the Finnish Film Foundation, the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, European union Media-programme, Promotion Centre for Audiovisual Culture in Finland and other public and private partners. The Festival is acknowledged by the International Federation of Film Producers Association FIAPF/IFFPA and abides by its instructions and regulations. It is a member of the International Film Conference ISFC and of the European Coordination of Film Festivals eeig.

2. ENTRY REQUIREMENTS
Admitted are all films and videos of all genres not exceeding a length of 30 minutes. Films must have been completed on January 1st, 2006 or after. The selection will be made on completed productions. In exceptional cases the Festival reserves the right to accept films of longer duration. Films which have been shown or awarded at other international film festivals are allowed to compete.

3. DEADLINE AND SUBMISSION
The submission deadline is December 1, 2007.
The following material has to be sent together with each submitted film:

1) a VHS copy or a DVD of the film (max 3 films per copy)
2) a FULLY filled entry form
3) a complete list of dialogue, commentary and/or text inserts in original language AND in english
4) at least 1 photo
For preview screenings only VHS tapes and DVD discs will be accepted. Tapes or DVDs must be sent by mail or courier service and carry the declaration: "FOR TEMPORARY, CULTURAL PURPOSE ONLY. NO COMMERCIAL VALUE."

4. SELECTION
The Festival will select the films for the International Competition from all entered contributions during December 2007 and January 2008. Any filmmaker, producer, organisation or other party can submit films directly to the festival office. Entrants will be notified of the selection results by mid-February 2008.

5. SHIPPING PROCEDURE
Remember to mark all the dispatches: "FOR TEMPORARY, CULTURAL PURPOSES ONLY. NO COMMERCIAL VALUE."

a) Entry forms and preview copies and other required material must be received by December 1, 2007 at the following address:

(by mail)
Tampere Film Festival
P.O. BOX 305
FIN-33101 Tampere
Finland

(by courier service)
Tampere Film Festival
Tullikamarinaukio 2
FIN-33100 Tampere
Finland

(film department)

tel. + 358-3-213 0034, fax +358-3-223 0121, e-mail: filmdept@tamperefilmfestival.fi.

b) Festival screening copies of selected films must be sent by courier service to the address above. Dispatches from non-EU-member states must be accompanied by a pro forma invoice amounting to max. 100 USD (no higher amounts will be accepted by the Festival.)

6. RETURN OF THE SCREENING COPIES
The screening copies will be returned within two weeks after the Festival to the address given on the entry form(except DVD's). The festival must be notified of any changes in the return address before the beginning of the Festival. The shipping costs to Tampere must be paid by the sender. Return expenses will be covered by the Festival. Preview copies will not be returned.

7. INSURANCE
The films will be insured by the festival for the whole time of their being in the Festival´s possession. The insurance will follow the instructions of FIAPF.

8. FESTIVAL SCREENINGS
For festival screenings the Festival accepts 16 mm and 35 mm film prints, Betacam SP PAL and Digi Beta PAL and DVD. The screening copies must be at the Festival office by February 11, 2008. The films will be electronically subtitled in both Finnish and English. This will, however, only be done if a dialogue list/post-productio n transcript has been sent in due time to the Festival Office (see point 3).

9. JURIES AND PRICES
The organizers will nominate an international jury of five members, one of whom is Finnish. The jury will award the following prizes to the film directors:

1) Grand Prix: Festival trophy
"Kiss" & 5000 € for the best film in the International Competition
2) three Category Prizes:
"Kiss" & 1500 € each
3) Diplomas of Merit
A Diploma of Merit will be awarded to the best film of the International Competition voted by the audience. A Participation Diploma will be given to every film selected to participate on the International Competition.

10. INTERNATIONAL SHORT FILM MARKET
A film market for accredited professionals will be open during the Festival. All the preview copies are automatically entered in the film market selection and made available for individual viewing unless stated otherwise in a written instruction to be submitted to the festival by February 8, 2008.

Film Market is open for accredited professionals only. The deadline for the copies sent only for the market is February 8, 2008.

11. NON-SPECIFIED CASES
The Festival Directorate will decide on any cases of doubt which have not been mentioned in these regulations (in accordance with FIAPF International Regulations). Participation in the Festival implies recognition without reservation of these regulations and the entry form (in accordance with the regulations) .

UP Film Institute’s Cine Veritas Human Rights Film Festival for the year is all set from December 3 to 8. The Philippine gala premiere of Brillante Mendoza’s Tirador serves as opening salvo for the weeklong 2007 edition of the film festival that promises to be the biggest since it was first mounted in 2003.

Main films in exhibition come from across the globe led by the world premiere of New Zealand filmmaker Dean Hapeta’s follow-up to his 2003 rap documentary Ngatahi that made it to Sundance; Mexico and Spain’s co-production Pan’s Labyrinth; Italian Embassy’s presentation Salvatore—That’ s Life; the two-part program from Productions Multi-Monde of Canada comprised of Bledi, Sparks of War, Rebel Music Americas, Rebel Music Quebec; the Chinese documentary on an AIDS-afflicted family To Live Is Better Than to Die; the maquiladora murder drama Bordetown starring Jennifer Lopez and another Latin American cinema pride To Be Happy in Chile.

Filipino filmmakers take centerstage. Brillante Mendoza is represented not only by the opening film Tirador but also by the Cannes Director’s Fortnight entry Foster Child. Jim Libiran fields the Cinemalaya Best Picture Tribu that went on to vie for the top plum in Pusan and is also slated for Berlin International Forum of New Cinema come February 2008. Lino Tañada showcases the screen adaptation of the late author Orlando Nadres’ seminal play on repressed sexuality, Hanggang Dito Na Lamang at Maraming Salamat. Other Pinoy filmmakers with works in the festival selection include Vivian Limpin and Ma. Kathrina S. Loreños (Kunyang); She Andes and Mike Juancho Galang (Estropa) and Eric Tandoc (810logy).

Cine Veritas is UP Film Institute’s annual film festival that aims to uphold and raise consciousness on issues of human dignity and rights. In addition to screenings, myriad activities including fora, concerts, street dance parade, wall climbing and a string of gallery events highlight this year’s edition of the filmfest.

The Blood of a Poet
By Eric S. Caruncho
(Published in Sunday Inquirer Magazine, 18 November 2007)

MANILA, Philippines - "Poets, too, must know how to fight." Uncle Ho Chi Minh might have had Amado V. Hernandez in mind when he penned that line. While Ho was rallying his countrymen to drive the French out of their homeland, Hernandez—a poet who knew how to fight—was languishing in the New Bilibid Prison on a subversion charge. This, however, did not stop him from composing his greatest masterpieces. The grateful Vietnamese named their capital after Ho, but how many Filipinos remember Ka Amado, our first National Artist for Literature? How many are still stirred on first reading "Panata sa Kalayaan" or "Isang Dipang Langit"? Or have their conscience awakened upon reading "Mga Ibong Mandaragit"? All too few. Yet Hernandez's work is as relevant today as when he first wrote them half a century ago: the social injustices that he railed and fought against are still here, and so are the forces that put him in jail. The more things change…

On Nov. 30, a much-deserved tribute will be paid to Ka Amado's legacy as the Cultural Center of the Philippines, in cooperation with the Amado V. Hernandez Resource Center, stages "Amado, Minamahal…," a concert featuring the poet's works. No ordinary concert, "Amado, Minamahal…" brings together the collective talents of National Artists Bienvenido Lumbera (Literature, 2006), Napoleon V. Abueva (Sculpture, 1976), Ben Cabrera (Painting, 2006), and Salvador Bernal (Theater and Design, 2003), who collaborated on the script, stage design, posters and visuals, and costumes, respectively.

The concert will also feature the music of the late National Artist Lucio San Pedro (Music, 1991), which will be performed by a hundred-voice choir composed of the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra, the Philippine Madrigal Singers and the Bonifacio Choir, and accompanied by a pure dance performance by the Ballet Philippines. Set to be staged at the CCP main theater, "Amado, Minamahal…" will be directed by Chris Millado.

Says scriptwriter Bien Lumbera: "The script for 'Amado, Minamahal…' has been structured according to the three dominant themes of his poetry, namely, freedom, justice and human rights." He adds, "The three themes are the pressing concerns of our society today as the present administration has allowed the military to exercise unwarranted power to enforce compliance with its political designs." Lumbera believes that Hernandez's works, though written in the 1950s, still have a message for contemporary Filipinos.

Explains this National Artist for Literature: "After he was released, Ka Amado was simply transported from the repressive confines of a prison cell to the repressive world outside where an anti-subversion law hang like a sword of Damocles over the heads of writers whose ideas could be interpreted as bearing traces of socialist or communist ideologies." But Hernandez, says Lumbera, continued to think and write as a free individual. His works have much to say to Filipinos today. "His 'Panata sa Kalayaan' is a message to the post-EDSA and post-9/11 Philippine society under the Arroyo regime, where the Human Security Act hangs over the heads of men and women who vigilantly struggle for freedom, justice and human rights." Hernandez was the epitome of the engaged artist, a man of action who nevertheless still had the sensitivity to give voice to the inchoate cries of the suffering masses. The need for men like him hasn't diminished, says Lumbera.

Hernandez was born in 1903 in Hagonoy, Bulacan but grew up in Tondo, Manila. He was only 19 when he joined Aklatang Bayan, a literary group which included established Tagalog writers such as Lope K. Santos and Jose Corazon de Jesus. In 1932, he married stage actress Atang de la Rama, who would also become a National Artist. When the Japanese invaded the Philippines, Hernandez became a guerrilla. It is believed that he first encountered the ideas of socialism through the Hukbalahap movement. After the war, Hernandez became a Manila councilor and a labor leader, organizing the biggest strike ever in Manila in 1947, and coming to the attention of the military. In 1951, during a crackdown on the Huk rebellion then raging in Central Luzon, Hernandez was arrested and eventually charged with rebellion with murder, arson and robbery—a complex crime unheard of in Philippine legal history. The case became a celebrated civil rights issue, drawing the support of such legal luminaries as Claro M. Recto, Jose P. Laurel and Claudio Teehankee. Nevertheless, Hernandez wasn't released until 1956, and he wasn't acquitted until 1964 in a landmark decision that is still invoked to this day.

By that time, Hernandez had already written the works that he would be remembered for. He died in 1970, but his words live on: "Pilipino akong sa pambubusabos ay hindi susuko! (I am a Filipino who will never, ever give in to oppression). "

KONTRA-AGOS RESISTANCE FILM FESTIVAL SCHEDUL0 5-11 December, Indie Sine, Robinson's Galleria
5 December, Wednesday OPENING NIGHT PROGRAM FREE ADMISSION

7-7:30 PM cocktails 8 PM
Lupang Hinirang
Welcome Remarks:
Independent Filmmakers Cooperative
Kontra Agos Organizers
Special Guest Performance
Introduction of Walai: Adjani Arumpac
9 PM Screening of Walai by Adjani Arumpac

SHORTS 1 – Mindanao shorts (Programmed by TENG MANGANSAKAN)
7 PM December 6 (Filmmakers’ Reception), 3 PM December
8, 10 PM December 9, 1 PM December 10

ME’GUYAYA (Documentary)

By Eduardo C. Vasquez, Jr.,

Me’guyaya is a Te’duray term for merry-making or thanksgiving. In 2003, an active and concerned group of people in Upi, Shariff Kabunsuan initiated a festival that would unite all residents in thanking God for the abundant harvest. Since then, it has become a big town event that celebrates the richness and diversity of the Muslim, Christian and Lumad peoples of Upi.

The documentary delves on how the Me’guyaya serves as a catalyst for cultural unity as everyone gets involved in the festivities.

TRANQUIL TIMES (documentary)
By Loren Hallilah I. Lao

The documentary delves on the good governance efforts of the private sector, civil society and the local government unit of Wao, Lanao del Sur working together to erase remnants of the religious and ethnic clashes of the 1970s. It explores how peace has been achieved in this multi-ethnic town, ropelling the once-turbulent municipality into its present agricultural renaissance.

GEORGE’S TOWN (Documentary)
By Moises Charles Hollite

George Sabandal is one of about 2,500 internally displaced persons (IDPs) who have sought refuge in the town of Buluan, Maguindanao as a result of the “all-out war” in 2000. Refusing to go back to the place of his origin, he has created a new life for himself and his family in their ideal town.

SULU (Documentary)
By Al Jacinto

Born of a Muslim mother, young writer Arthur Sakaluran Abasalo decides to visit Sulu despite the perceived strife and presence of Muslim rebels and Abu Sayyaf terrorists. In Sulu, he meets a former Muslim rebel-turned policeman who tells him about his life story and how he got separated from his family for more than a decade. He returns to Sulu to start a new life after being reunited with his family.

Arthur returns to Manila after a short stay in Sulu, bringing with him memorable stories and truths about the island feared by many as a dangerous place to go.

BINITON (Narrative)
By McRobert Nacario

A story depicting the process of preparation and cooking of a dish called Biniton that is particular to the community of Saniag, Ampatuan. The process of cooking, in the eyes of an old woman, brings to life the hardships they experienced amidst armed conflict at the same time the process of preparation, through the experience of Amel, her grandson walks us through the current situation of their community. How amidst the hardships and diversity in culture they had all managed to bounce back and become united.

A STEP FOR MY DREAM (Narrative)
By Mona Labado

Seven-year-old Abdul dreams of becoming a leader of his town. He has natural charisma and easily becomes friends with people even if he hasn’t known them for long. But his grandmother reminds him of their peasant roots which is no match to the traditional ruling family. Undaunted, Abdul sees it as a challenge envisions his future.

DREAMS (Narrative)
By Sheron Dayoc

Nine-year-old Satra has been mute for as long as she could remember. But her determination to secure a good education reverberates clearly amid the strictures of her Yakan culture.

SHORTS 2
Screenings: 7 PM December 7 (Filmmakers’ Reception), 1
PM December 9, 9 PM December 10, 4 PM December 11

A DAY IN THE LIFE OF GLORIA (animation/ 1 min.)
By RJ Mabilin

A satire on the different political and economic issues the country faces under the Arroyo administration.

THRESHOLD (experimental/ 15 mins.)
By Mikhail Red

Seeking the Threshold, the Wanderer, endures a dark journey through the unknown and into the limits of the human mind.

BINGO (documentary/ 16 mins.)
By Noriel Jarito

Bingo reveals life’s monotony of rural existence. People embrace almost anything: dull, inspiring, tame, untamed, reputable, and even deceptive. Their horizon is bounded by beliefs which sometimes manage to mislead, mock, and misuse their fate. They surrender and never question the path they trace. Thus, they are lost. Submission is sweet, to do otherwise is bitter. Their incomprehension is at the maximum level that wrong becomes right, and what is right becomes wrong. To play “Bingo” inside a church is never questioned and is labeled licensed by some unprincipled Catholic Church leaders. Christianity is the largest religion and surely many of its followers are destitute enough to consider “Bingo” inside their church as a source of momentary abundance.

Bingo reveals all: People are born. People are being baptized. People marry. People die. All these should have been valuable and symbolic, yet have gone awry and worthless instead. Why? Because of people’s shallowness and ignorance.

LUNES NG HAPIS (narrative/ 12 mins.)
By Nick Olanka

Virgie, an elementary school teacher, and Ismael, the captain of the troop assigned to infiltrate the rebels, are lovers in the midst of a military offense in Filomena. Every Monday they meet and make love passionately and violently. One day, due to the disappearance of Virgie's student's father, she falls into the situation to choose between her love for Ismael and her love for her community.

DIVINE WIND (experimental/ 4 mins.)
By Sari Dalena-Sicat

A Japanese soldier hides in an island, in the belief that the war has not ended.

UNCONVENTIONAL WARFARE (documentary/ 30 mins.)
By Herbert Docena and Anna Isabelle Matutina

This documentary contextualizes the issue of US military presence in the country within the long and bitter history of conflict in the south. Countering the reductionist frame set by the narrative of the “global war against terror,” it examines the historical conditions that led to the emergence of the Moro separatist movement and the subsequent rise of the Abu Sayyaf. It dissects the government’s contradictory attempts to downplay its threat while at the same time justifying escalating military operations in the region.

Against this backdrop, the documentary then probes allegations of US military involvement in the war.

PUTOT (narrative/ 20 mins.)
By Jeck Cogama

Putot (Visayan for "small") is the heartfelt story of a young boy growing up at a squatter colony by the sea. Putot, aged 13, is a taciturn boy who takes care of his mentally-ill father, and ekes out a living selling mussels. He meets Mayang, a mysterious young girl with secrets of her own. A friendship begins between the two.

Shot on location near Manila Bay, this emotional story premiered at the 2006 Cinemalaya Independent Film Festival, where its director Emmanuel "Jeck" Cogama won Best Director. Putot has been shown around the world.

MENDIOLA (documentary/ 31 mins.)
By Sine Patriyotiko

Through the First Quarter Storm to Mendiola Massacre to Calibrated Preemptive Response: from the very start, Mendiola houses the eye of conflict. Fact is, the road from Mendiola to the Palace is several hundred meters away. Nevertheless, this still is a great risk: to look directly at the center is to show the strength to confront those in power. On the road to Mendiola, one can tread across the history of our continuous struggle for change.

SHORTS 3
Screenings: 2:30 PM December 7, 7 PM December 8
(Filmmaker’s Reception), 4:30 PM December 10, 9:30 PM
December 11

ANG BAYAN KONG PAYAPA (experimental/ 5 mins.)
By Elvert dela Cruz Banares

This is the state of our nation cycle.

SIMULA (experimental/ 11 mins.)
By Ruelo Lozendo

A worm enters a man’s ear and lives inside his body. As the worm’s metamorphosis unfolds, the man experiences his own transformation.

PUSHING THE PARAMETERS (documentary/ 27 mins.)
By Kodao Productions

2006 was the worst year for the members of the bar, with seven lawyers and judges reportedly killed within the year. A significant number of these lawyers are directly involved in human rights advocacy. Under the administration of Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, 19 lawyers and 12 judges were killed. And this can be seen in the light of more than 850 victims of extrajudicial killings from 2001 to 2007.

BINYAG (narrative/ 15 mins.)
By Mariami Tanangco

One night, two tragedies are about to take place. In an abandoned warehouse, rookie policeman is tasked to execute a suspected drug pusher. In the quiet suburbs, a mother is worriedly waiting for her son to come home. A social commentary on police-instigated “salvaging” that was prevalent in the late 80s, the film is intended as a personal elegy on lost innocence.

RED SAGA (experimental/ 15 mins.)
By Gabriela Krista Dalena

Children of the Land faithfully guard the last harvest from thieves. This poetic film offers a glimpse into the passion and pain of the people's protracted war in the countrysides.

MEDALAWNA (documentary/ 16 mins.)
By Apol Dating and Michael Cardoz

The story of a young girl named “Inday Liit” who helps her family earn a living by happily sweeping graveyards.

SA NGALAN NG TUBO (documentary/ 36 mins.)
By Tudla Productions

A video documentary that chronicles what happened on November 16, 2004 when seven people died at the picket lines of the Hacienda Luisita in Tarlac. Millworkers and farm workers of the sugar refinery and plantation owned by the Cojuangcos, one of the wealthiest, landed families in the Philippines, went on strike. Their demands were met with a volley of gunfire from military and police. Beginning with the history and background of the land issue, the film builds the tension gradually, leading up to the actual footage of the Hacienda Luisita incident, when even the filmmaker holding the camera has to run for his life.

FEATURE LENGTH

WALAI (documentary/ 60 mins.) Opening Film – premiere status
By Adjani Arumpac

Walai is an exploration of spaces.

It prods on the memories of four Muslim women who once lived in the infamous White House in Cotabato City. The documentary seeks narratives in “places...we tend to feel without history.” It traces the past through the women's experience of what has happened inside the wrecked home—nostalgia and fear, loss and love, and birth and death.

Screenings: 9 PM December 5 (Opening Film), 1 PM
December 7, 3 PM December 10, 8 PM December 11

THE JIHADIST (documentary/ 75 mins.) – premiere status
By Teng Mangansakan

The Jihadist is an autobiographical documentary on the filmmaker’s struggle as an artist amid the backdrop of the Moro revolution. His search for his rightful place in the memory of his homeland yields questions that require him to confront his identity as a Moro and come to terms with his homosexuality.

Screenings: 9 PM December 6 (Filmmaker’s Reception), 5
PM December 7, 1 PM December 8

STANDING UP (documentary/ 155 mins.) – premiere status
By Waise Azimi

Standing Up is a feature length documentary young Afghan men training to become professional soldiers in the new Afghan National Army. Situated at the Kabul Military Training Center, Standing Up chronicles the struggles and lives of these Afghan men from the moment they arrive at the KMTC to the last day of training of their training. Extensive access to the KMTC training program has provided an insiders perspective into one of the most underreported and important stories in the War Against Terror, the story of those who are Standing Up to the first line of defense.

Screenings: 9 PM December 7 (Filmmaker’s Reception),
3:30 PM December 9, 1 PM December 11

VOICES, TILTED SCREENS AND EXTENDED SCENES OF
LONELINESS: FILIPINOS IN HIGH DEFINITION
(experimental/ 100 mins.)
By John Torres

Voice, Tilted Screens is, at once, a meditation. It is a meta-film that unravels a journey, a chronicle of stories through foreign regions. It is a probing letter from outside circles, an honest account of illegitimate views from uneven terrain, and a narrative-driven exploration of the nooks and peripheries of the body, geography, and weather. As the journey progresses, the film increasingly traverses the countries of revelation, film, and heart to where all journeys are meant to end with.

Screenings: 5 PM December 6, 9 PM December 8
(Filmmaker’s Reception), 7 PM December 10

(DIFFERENT) WAYS AND MEANS
SUB-PROGRAM

HILO (experimental/ 90 mins.)
By JP Carpio

Originally conceptualized as a short film shot in 2004 and completed nearly three years later as a
full-length, the film charts the various emotional courses during a dinner between Emerson, a university professor, and Jenny, a university student.

Screenings: 1 PM December 6, 6:30 PM December 9
(Filmmaker’s Reception)

THE SINGH FAMILY HOME VIDEOS (documentary/ 40 mins.)
By Emman dela Cruz

A documentary work in progress, "The Singh Family Home Videos" charts an intimate look at the family life of the filmmaker's neighbors, a Punjabi Indian family who has assimilated into the Filipino culture and community. Is nationality a matter of origin? Is identity a matter of choice? Or is your "home" a matter of where you are or where you'll be?

Screenings: 1 PM December 6, 6:30 PM December 9
(Filmmaker’s Reception), 6:30 PM December 11

EHEM!PLO (documentary/ 43 mins.)
By Clodualdo Del Mundo, Jr.

‘Lahat tayo ay nawawalan,’ says Heidi Mendoza, a conscientious auditor featured in this EheM!Plo
video-documentary. ‘It is because of corruption that there is poverty,’ argues former Ombudsman Simeon Marcelo. They are correct. Corruption ruins our democratic institutions – tempting any to be angry and hopeless. Young people, like Melonie Maglia of Ifugao, are longing for leaders with conscience and competence, not public officials who, according to Fr. Vhong Navarro, invent projects for selfish interest. Mayor Jesse Robredo and Allen Reondanga of Naga City prove that good examples do exist. They employ I-governance and community participation in their struggle to uplift the condition of the Bicol region.

EheM!Plo shows that indeed corruption is violence. If this is trure, then stopping corruption and spreading integrity are now the new ways of working for peace.

Screenings: 1 PM December 6, 6:30 PM December 9
(Filmmaker’s Reception), 6:30 PM December 11

OTHER KONTRA-AGOS EVENTS:

8 December, Saturday, 5-7 PM
PANEL DISCUSSION ON HUMAN RIGHTS AND ARTISTIC FREEDOM
IN PHILIPPINE CINEMA
FREE ADMISSION

PHOTO EXHIBIT AT THE LOBBY courtesy of the FREE JONAS
BURGOS MOVEMENT

Kontra-Agos Resistance Film Festival is an Initiative of ST Exposure and Digital Cheese in cooperation with UP Sining at Lipunan and the Independent Filmmakers Cooperative. Visit www.kontra-agos. blogspot. com. For inquiries about the festival write to kontra_agos@ yahoo.com

RULES AND REGULATIONS

Kindly read the rules and regulations carefully. The AAP shall strictly implement the rules published herein. All members/competitors are required to comply.

GENERAL RULES

1. The 60th AAP Annual Art Competition 2007 is open to all bonafide members.

2. Regular Members may join all five (5) categories.

3. Associate Members 16-20 years of age as of submission date may join only the Special Categories, namely Art Photography and Drawing.

4. MEMBERSHIP AND FEES:

a. Membership should be renewed on or before the date of submission by paying the annual dues. Non-members who wish to join should apply first.

b. Regular Membership is open to artists, Fine Arts students, art enthusiasts and cultural workers 21 years old and above.

c. Associate Membership is open to artists 16-20 years old as of submission date who may be students, art enthusiasts or cultural workers.

d. For bonafide members and applicants, please submit two (2) recent 1x1 photos for the AAP Identification Card.

e. For new members, please submit a comprehensive resume, two (2) recent 1x1 photos for the AAP Identification Card and fill up the AAP Bio Data.

f. Regular Membership Fee is Two Hundred Fifty Pesos (Php 250.00) for both renewal and new membership.

g. Associate Membership Fee is Two Hundred Fifty Pesos (Php 250.00) as well.

h. A participant may join several categories, provided that ONLY ONE ENTRY PER CATEGORY will be submitted.

i. Entry Fee is Two Hundred Fifty Pesos (PhP 250.00) per category.

5. ALL ARTWORKS SHALL BE FOR SALE. Artist prices are subject for review by the AAP Board. The AAP is entitled to a 30% share of the sale value.

6. An entry is considered to be an artistic product of an individual. NO GROUP ENTRIES SHALL BE ALLOWED. All artworks should be the original artistic creation of the participating artist. Non-compliance will result to disqualification of entry or revocation of title.

7. All entries must be SIGNED. Information to be written on the Entry Details Form and attached at the back of entry: artist’s name, address, contact details, category, entry title and price.

8. Each entry should be accompanied by a 5 x 7 (5R) colored photograph of the artwork, with the same information as above written on the Entry Details Form and attached at the back of photo. You may also avail of the services of the AAP Official Photographer for a minimal fee.

9. Entries for the Painting, Mixed Media, Art Photography and Drawing Categories should be framed and have provisions for hanging. Pedestals are optional for entries to the Sculpture Category.

10. SUBMISSION DATE: NOVEMBER 24, 2007, Saturday, from 9:00 am to 7:00 pm. Entries in the Painting and Mixed Media Categories are to be submitted at the GSIS Museo ng Sining at the CCP Complex, Roxas Boulevard, while entries for the Sculpture, Art Photography and Drawing should be submitted at the Kanlunganng Sining, Rizal Park, Manila.

11. All accepted entries will automatically be featured on the 60th AAP Annual Art Catalogue 2007. However, due to limited exhibition space, entries will be pre-screened by a panel of judges. Only entries which pass pre-screening will be exhibited in the above venues.

12. All decisions by the Board of Judges are final.

13. PRIZES:

Major Categories (Painting, Sculpture and Mixed Media)

1st Prize Php 30,000 Cash + Trophy

2nd Prize Php 20,000 Cash + Medal

3rd Prize Php 10,000 Cash + Medal

Special Categories (Art Photography and Drawing)

Best Entry Php 5,000 Cash + Medal

Honorable Mention Awardees will be awarded with Plaques.

14. AWARDING: The Awarding Ceremony will be announced at a later date.

15. EXHIBITION: Exhibition will follow the Awarding Ceremony.

16. RETRIEVAL: Retrieval of non-winning entries will be from January 10 to February 10, 2008 in the same venue the entries were submitted. Painting and Mixed Media entries shall be retrieved at the GSIS Museo ng Sining, while Sculpture, Art Photography and Drawing entries shall be retrieved at the Kanlungan ng Sining. All entries not retrieved within the period shall automatically become property of the AAP.

17. AAP shall not be held legally liable for any damages to entries as a result of the competition or the failure of the participant to follow the rules and regulations.

18. Submission of entries signifies acceptance of the rules and regulations of the competition.

RULES ON ARTISTIC FORMAT AND SPECIFICATIONS

Painting

• Any pigment on ground – e.g. oil / acrylic on canvas, watercolor on paper, tempera on board, etc.
• Dimensions: 30x40, excluding frame. Vertical or horizontal orientation.

Sculpture

• Three dimensional artwork in the round, using any material or technique
• Dimensions: Maximum of 4 feet or within the volume measure of 60 cubic feet. 100 kilos maximum weight.

Mixed Media

• Assemblage, collage, decoupage, relief panel with found objects, etc.
• Dimensions: 30x40with maximum thickness of 6 inches from the wall. Vertical or horizontal orientation. 25 kilos maximum weight.

Art Photography

• Photographs should be original, unpublished and taken during November 2006-November 2007. The participant must be the original author and sole owner of his or her photo entry/ies.
• Dimensions: 11x17or A3 Size. Vertical or horizontal orientation, full color or black and white printed on photo paper. Photographs should be framed and ready for hanging upon submission.
• Medium could either be film or digital, but no entries on disk or e-mail will be accepted.
• Alterations after exposure digital darkroom, painting, airbrushing, paste-on or assembly are not allowed. Creative effects must be done in-camera at the time of exposure, such as multiple exposure, flash fill, light painting, filtration, etc.
• Creative effects or minimal digital manipulation such as enhancement of color and contrast is allowed, but paste-ups and collages are prohibited.
• Person(s) appearing in the photograph should have a signed release form supplied and kept by the artist.

Drawing

• Graphite, pen and ink, ballpen, charcoal, colored pencils on paper
• Dimensions: 21x29 excluding frame. Vertical or horizontal orientation.

For details and inquiries, please call (632) 3030907 or drop by the AAP Office and Gallery, Kanlungan ng Sining, Rizal Park, Manila. You may also post your questions at Pinoy_AAP@yahoogrou ps.com or text (0915)2787469.

A two-day run last month of a rare art exhibit left the public clamoring for another opportunity to view the genius of an "artist of the people's struggle." The event featured some 100 drawings and paintings of a Philippine countryside in resistance, all done by Mindanaoan Parts Bagani.

It was an art exhibit that would have surely sent the big guns of the National Press Club squirming. Now, they can do just that.

Due to popular demand, the works of artist Parts Bagani will again be shown in a four-day exhibit dubbed as "Sining Luwal ng Kanayunan." It shall open with a brief program at 10 AM, November 26, 2007 at Galleria 2, Faculty Center, University of the Philippines, Diliman Quezon City. A forum on art and the freedom of expression is scheduled at 9 AM on November 29, 2007, Recto Hall, UP Facuty Center. Popular artists have been invited to perform.

While most artists bask in the atmosphere of Metro Manila and the big cities elsewhere, Parts Bagani opted to stay in the countryside where he was born. In Mindanao, he experienced the turmoil of conflicting forces, and painted a terrain of warfare. His works show his fluency in imaging an environment that is taboo for many an artist, but of which he has gained a profound understanding.

His art abounds with scenes of resistance even of warriors in repose, of schools in open bamboo structures in the forest, of people singing songs of victory, of battered shoes and the lowly rice pot. But most of all, there are the endless mountains and hills that have become host to the struggle itself.

The exhibit is sponsored by the First Quarter Storm Movement, Tag-ani Performing Arts Society, Asosasyon ng mga Kabataang Artista, Kritiko at Iskolar ng Sining at Kultura (UP ASTERISK), UP Alay Sining, Kabataang Artista para sa Tunay na Kalayaan (Karatula) and the Congress of Teachers for Nationalism and Democracy.

The exhibit is a fund-raising project for the benefit of cancer-stricken UP Prof. Monico Atienza.

Fame is a power many dream of possessing. It is a power Luis Conrado is very familiar with, especially when he assumes his super-powered alter ego Habagat.

Having the power to fly with the eagles, the strength of a hundred men, and the ability to withstand pain and injury can sometimes pale in comparison to the shining, blinding power of fame.

Standing in that blazing spotlight for too long, Conrado does not notice the ones standing in the shadows. The architects of his fame. The ones who hold the true power.

Read the first three chapters of PELICULA at: www.davidhontiveros .com

Also at the site, a gallery of the super-hero Habagat. With illustrations by Carlo Vergara, Ian Sta, Maria, Kajo Baldisimo, Bow Guerrero, Ronnie Tres Reyes, Dennis Crisostomo, Arvie Villenia, Reno Maniquis, Oliver Pulumbarit, Aldin Viray, and Edgar Tadeo.

A WORD FROM THE AUTHOR

The seed for Pelicula was innocuous enough: very casual talk about some Internet rumour or other. Somehow, that spark collided with my long-abiding interest in live-action superheroics, and a novel was born.

Having completed the trio of Penumbra novellas (Takod, Craving, and Parman), I felt ready to tackle a longer story, and Pelicula appeared to have enough meat to warrant a novel-length treatment.

What ultimately emerged was not only something I hadn’t exactly anticipated, it was also a lot of things I’d never really attempted before in my fiction: it was a parody, a satire, a romance, and had gobbets of words and dialogue in Filipino and Taglish.

I’m proud of Pelicula, and extremely thankful to three individuals who helped in its genesis and in getting it where it is today: Nida, who saw it first in its entirety and gave it a thumbs up; and Carl and Budj, for all the support and help over the years.

And now that it’s toddling off onto the World Wide Web, I can only hope it amuses, entertains, and enlightens you, just as much as it amused, entertained, and enlightened me, in the process of putting it all together.

David Hontiveros
November 2007

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

David Hontiveros is a National Book Award-nominated and Palanca-winning writer, with three horror/dark fantasy novellas (under the Penumbra imprint) out in the market. His short fiction has appeared in such publications as Story Philippines, Philippine Graphic, and Chimera, while his articles and film reviews have been published in Philippine Graphic, the Manila Times, Mirror Magazine, and Manual. He currently prattles on about films and TV shows at http://fiveleggediguana.blogspot.com.

“Mona: Singapore Escort”, the sexy socio-drama film starring Iza Calzado, opens November 30, 2007 at SM Cinemas.

Produced by Bandit Films Inc., and Outline Digital Films, “Mona” is the story of a poor single mother who takes a job in Singapore , thinking she has been hired as a chambermaid. She discovers that she has been recruited into a stable of prostitutes. Thrust into a world behind closed doors, she must entertain clients with different sexual tastes, orientations, and deviations.

Shot on location in the Republic of Singapore , it is a story of struggle, despair, sacrifice, and Hope.

Go to your favorite SM Malls for the chance to win free tickets to the Premier of “Mona” on November 26, 2007 at Cinema 4 of The Block, SM City North Edsa, 7:00pm.

Iza Calzado and co-stars will have a theater tour of selected SM Malls on opening day, Friday, November 30, 2007, so watch out!

Check out “Mona” at www.banditfilms.us.

Mogwai Cinematheque, owned and operated by directors Erik Matti and Lyle Sacris, is finally launching the film club this Saturday, November 17, 9PM at the Cubao Shoe Expo at the Araneta Center. Film premier will be the screening of the film aptly titled "Chacon Son Cinema" a collection of short films by 31 filmmakers, all tackling stories about moviehouses. This film was produced by the Cannes Film Festival for their 60th Anniversary.

Bring your friends with you and be part of a community of film fans and enthusiasts hungry for films shown and not shown on local cinema, subtitled or dubbed, old and new, western and eastern, pop and obscure, informative or trash!

By Marinel Cruz
Philippine Daily Inquirer
Last updated 10:54pm (Mla time) 11/14/2007

MANILA, Philippines - The local independent movie scene continues to thrive and flourish.

Low-budget Pinoy films keep winning awards and getting rave reviews abroad; filmmakers earn grants from foreign-based financiers; and production outfits are always on the lookout for fresh Filipino talents through casting calls.

The government wants to help the movement and the mainstream industry as well by promoting the Philippines as an attractive film site. Last week, Malacañang issued a presidential executive order for the creation of the Philippine Film Export Services Office.

According to the newly signed Executive Order 674, the Export Services Group (ESG) "shall facilitate the institutionalization of a one-stop-shop system for foreign film and television productions."

Direct link

Aside from pitching the Philippines as a location site, the ESG will provide a direct link between foreign film producers and local artists, technical crew and facilities.

The agency is under the "administrative and technical supervision" of the Film Development Council, headed by Jacky Atienza. It shall be composed of an executive director and representatives from the departments of Tourism, Trade and Industry, Interior and Local Government, National Defense, the bureaus of Customs, Internal Revenue, Immigration, as well as from the Cinema Evaluation Board, Film Academy of the Philippines and the private sector, specifically from the movie and TV industries.

The ESG's chair is film producer Digna Santiago. Its first task was to join President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo at the recent business forum in India, where a Bollywood film producer has committed to shoot a film in the Philippines in December.

The ESG will also serve at the country's link to the Asian Film Commission Network (AFCNet), an association that aims to attract film productions to come to Asia. The ESG represented the country at the AFCNet launch in Pusan, South Korea in October.

'Signos'

Alfred Aloysius Adlawan's "Signos" bagged the Best Foreign Film Award in the 1st Lone Star International Film Festival held in Fort Worth, Texas from Nov. 7 to 11.

This is the first festival that "Signos" joined after its local release in August. The horror-drama film that tackles estrangement and going back to one's roots features Luis Alandy, Irma Adlawan, Ricky Davao, Nancy Castiglione and Chx Alcala.

"We didn't expect to win any award because the event wasn't a horror-fest," Adlawan told Inquirer Entertainment on Monday.

Chicago film festival

Meanwhile, the 4th Chicago Filipino American Film Festival was held from Nov. 9 to 11 at the Chopin Theater. It featured a total of 10 films―full-length features, music videos and documentaries, according to its website http://www.cfaff.org.

The Chicago Filipino American Film Festival was created in 2003 by the Filipino American Network (FAN). It aims to provide an opportunity for Filipino and Filipino-American directors, writers and actors in Chicago to showcase their works.

'Tirador (Slingshot)'

Brillante Mendoza's "Tirador" ("Slingshot") continues to get rave reviews from influential industry figures, most recently from Toronto International Film Festival programmer Cameron Bailey, who said the movie shows the director's "rapidly maturing abilities with digital cinema."

"Tirador," featuring Jiro Manio, Kristoffer King, Coco Martin, Nathan Lopez and Jaclyn Jose, had its world premiere at the Toronto IFF in September.

"This is a fiction film, but Mendoza's impressive skill is to impose a calculated narrative onto Manila's constant unpredictability, shaping its ground-level chaos into art," Bailey said in his essay.

'Independencia'

Raya Martin ("Autohystoria") made history as the only Filipino on this season's list of 28 winners to win a Hubert Balls Fund (HBF) from the International Film Festival of Rotterdam (IFFR).

Martin's film "Independencia," set against a backdrop of the American occupation of the Philippines in the early 20th century, won in the Script Development Category of the HBF, according to a statement from the IFFR.

Martin received his first IFFR grant or the Prince Claus Fund, amounting to 15,000 euros (P960,000), for his film "Independencia" as part of the 46 CineMart Projects 2007. The film was even chosen as the Best CineMart Project of 2007.

Arkeofilms

Arkeofilms, the independent film production company behind Mario Cornejo's and Moster Jimenez's "Big Time," is looking for actors for a short film adaptation of scriptwriter Butch Dalisay's story.

Auditions are being held from Nov. 10 to Dec. 1 for the roles of Sammy, a street-smart boy; Felipe, the smooth-talking single father; Connie, the strong-willed and poised school principal; Mr. Manalo, the rich businessman; and Julie, a young nurse grief-stricken by the loss of a beloved patient.