DAVAO CITY (MindaNews / 21 January) – Among six Philippine entries in the recently concluded 24thDhaka International Film Festival, Sa Likod ng Tsapa (Beneath the Badge), a documentary directed by Mindanawon journalist Editha Caduaya received a Special Mention Award. The five other
NABIFILMEX continues to showcase cinematic visions that magnify social realities in a landlocked province sitting on a goldmine but whose people are left at the margins.
DAVAO CITY (MindaNews/10 May) — One needs a hundred and forty-seven minutes to view Hunghong sa Yuta (Earth's Whisper), a film that will have its "world premiere" on Saturday, May 24, 2008 (7:30 PM) at SM Cinema 2, Davao City.
But Hunghong is not just a film. It is a material for "a mobile peace education campaign" as the producers of the film call it, too. Call it other names: audio-visual material, advocacy production, conscientizing document and info-tainment. It is all these; but, of course, it, too, is an independently-produced feature film. Indie for short in today's dynamic and vibrant film circles from Hollywood to Bollywood and other Third World settings.
DAVAO CITY (MindaNews/08 May) — “Earth’s Whisper” as the English translation of the title of Arnel Mardoquio’s film about war and peace in Mindanao easily cues us on how to read this story about a clutch of deaf-mute children in a mountain community consisting of Christians, Muslims and Lumads, and the teacher from the city who introduces them to the alphabet and numbers. War between rebels and the military has devastated the community of Hinyok, its most telling casualty being children born without the ability to speak and hear whose fathers are now intent on training them to become fighters to defend their land. Vigo Cruz, artist and toy-maker, answers a posted notice about Hinyok’s need for a teacher, and his work with the children brings joy and hope to the young war victims and their mothers.
