DAVAO CITY (MindaNews/13 December) – A film from Zamboanga City bagged the Best Picture award in this year’s Mindanao Film Festival held last week at the Gaisano Mall in this city.
“Placebo”, a short feature produced by the same team behind “Halaw” which won in Cinemalaya, is directed by Dexter de la Pena. It revolves around Jim, a convenience store owner who months after his father’s death mans the family business all by his lonesome. His routine is interrupted when a vixen comes into the store and befriends him.
The film also won the Best Director, Best Actress (Athena Chia), and Best Sound awards.
The festival’s 17 entries had a three-day run, from Dec. 8-10, prior to the awards night on Sunday at the mall’s Cinema 5.
“We have a lot of entries from all over Mindanao. Had we not set the deadline on November 15, the entries may have reached up to 30,” said festival director Kenth O’Bajo.
John Paul Seniel’s Atong Amigo won the Best Cinematography and Best Production Value awards.
The other winners are “Lakad” (Best Trailer based on Facebook Voting), “Tiny and Timoy” (Best Actor – Joshua Israel; Best Screenplay), “Proposal” (Best Musical Score), “Sa Ngalan ng Fwend Ko” (Unforgettable Line in a Film – “I hate pink balls”), and Best Student Director (Tzaddy Esguerra – Flutter field).
The MFF, which is organized by the Mindanao Film and TV Development Foundation Inc., is the longest-running regional film festival all over the country. (Joan Mae Soco-Bantayan/MindaNews)
