Daily Star logoTop Stories
Bacolod City, Philippines Thursday, February 9, 2012
Front Page
Negros Oriental
Star Business
Opinion
Sports
Police Beat
Star Life
People & Events
Eguide
Events
Schedules
Obituaries
Congratulations
Classified Ads
Guv urges filmmakers:
Make movies in Negros

BY CARLA GOMEZ

Gov. Alfredo Marañon Jr. yesterday urged filmmakers from around the country gathered in Bacolod City for the four-day Bacollywood: Cinema Rehiyon National Film Festival to make their movies in Negros Occidental.

The governor, in his speech read for him by Provincial Administrator Enrique Pinongan at the film festival’s opening rites at the Capitol, said Negros Occidental is the home of movie greats like Pancho Magalona and Susan Roces, of filmmakers like Peque Gallaga and actors like Joel Torre and Ronnie Lazaro.

He told the filmmakers their welcome in Negros Occidental goes beyond the festival, “you are welcome to make Negros Occidental your work place, your studio.”

Negros Occidental not only has cinematically beautiful places, it has a profusion of human resources that will meet the filmmakers needs, especially on the creative side, he said.

“We have directors and actors, scriptwriters and musicians, production designers and technical men …the whole gamut of your creative and technical manpower requirements,” the governor pointed out.

Dr. Miguel Rapatan, chairman of the National Commission for Culture and the Arts Committee on Cinema, said their harvest for this year’s festival has been bountiful, about 74 films from the various regions of the country, or an increase from last year’s crop of 50 plus films.

The films in this year’s festival showcase a striking panorama of diverse themes and subjects, Rapatan pointed out.

Manny Montelibano, festival director, said their source of pride today is that they have redefined “regional” in the field of cinema.

“It now connotes the higher values required by film discipline. It is independent, it is honest and it is brave. Instead of tailor-fitting the stories to please a market, we are finally using the medium in service of the storyteller. It documents the sensibilities of real people and real cultures, it values diversity and celebrates originality,” Montelibano said

He also said Cinema Rehiyon started with film and now has embraced video art.

It started with the movie house and is now in alternative public venues in the barangays through Cine del Baryo, he added.

Peque Gallaga said the thing that makes us one community is art, telling our stories through movie making defines ourselves as a nation.

Cinema Rehiyon gives a voice to the people from the other Philippines, beyond Manila, he said.

Gallaga thanked NCCA for allowing filmmakers from around the country the opportunity to tell their stories.

Director Celso Ad Castillo said, definitely the movie industry is dying, if not dead in Luzon.

“I strongly believe it is not the industry that dies but the people in the industry that have failed to cope with the times,” he said.

The new filmmakers in the regions might provide the solution with new blood, a new breed, and a new concept, he said.

Day two of the film festival opens with directors Gallaga and Ad Castillo in the Masters of Cinema Forum at Robinson’s Movieworld Cinema 6 at 10 a.m. today

Day 2 of Cinema Rehiyon also features Luzon films to include films from Pampanga, Calabarzon, Nueva Vizcaya, Bicol Region, Baguio and also from Palawan also at Robinson’s Movie World.

Another major highlight is Martha Atienza’s Gilubong Ang Akong Pusod sa Dagat, a video installation at Gallery Orange which will be open to the public until February 29.

Everyone is invited to enjoy the films and the video installations. Screenings are ticketed but free of charge, Montelibano said.*CPG

back to top

Front Page | Opinion | Negros Oriental | Business | Sports
Star Life | People & Events| Archives | Advertise
Top Stories
ButtonDoctor: Quake-hit areas badly need hospital help
ButtonNeg. Occ., Benitez give P1M
ButtonBacolod Cares responds with aid
ButtonSugarmen unite for 2015 battle
ButtonGuv urges filmmakers: Make movies in Negros
ButtonFloodwaters hit Talisay
ButtonTFM gives president ‘kalabasa’
ButtonSolons favor polls for fourth district
ButtonCorona should resign, solon says
ButtonArmy suspends offensives vs. NPA
ButtonSP okays add’l incentives at Capitol