Saturday, Dec. 10, 2016
Students of the University of San Jose-Recoletos made headlines late this year as they pulled off impressive feats in two film festivals that were nationwide in scope.
Josenian Communication students won the short film competition for students of Cinema One Originals Festival while grade 11 students claimed four major awards at the Adolescent Health and Development (AHD) Film Festival organized by the Commission on Population (PopCom).
“No Seguir”, a one-minute short film that portrayed the controversial extrajudicial killing and the Philippine National Police’s Oplan Toktok-Hangyo (TokHang), bested other entries by students nationwide to bag home the trophy for the Cinema One Originals’ C1Minute student category.
Niño Justin Tecson, director, claimed the award at the Dolphy Theatre of ABS- CBN Studios in Quezon City during the awarding ceremony last Nov. 20.
“It feels surreal because out of almost 200 entries, we got to be chosen as the top pick and imagine the challenges to make it happen,” said Tecson.
The short film, produced by an all-Josenian cast and crew, depicts the national hero Dr. Jose Rizal writing his “Mi Ultimo Adios” (My Last Farewell), the iconic poem he wrote on the eve of his execution.
He was interrupted by successive knocking on the door, where a man in police uniform barged in and shot him unceremoniously.
The police officer then wrapped him in a masking tape and placed a placard that said: “Indio ako, wag tularan” (I’m an Indio, don’t be like me).
“I want to thank Cinema One Originals for giving us the biggest opportunity to date in our lives,” Tecson said. “I don’t think highly of our win, but this win is for Cebu.”
The cast and crew of SHS-produced winning short film “Dagan, Mira, Dagan” with USJ-R President Fr. Cristopher Maspara, OAR (back row, 5th from left) and PopCom-7 director Atty. Bruce Ragas (back row, sixth from left).
“Dagan, Mira, Dagan”
Grade 11 Josenian students, meanwhile, also reaped awards during the awarding ceremony of the AHD Film fest held at University of the Philippines Diliman in Quezon City last Dec. 7.
Their short film titled “Dagan, Mira, Dagan” (Run, Mira, Run) won Best Film (1st runner-up), Best in Editing for Joshuah Cabaluna, Best Screenplay for John Tan, and Best Supporting Actress for Kate Sentillas Aquino.
Besting 17 other entries from all regions in the country, “Dagan, Mira, Dagan” won four awards out of the nine nominations it got for the second national AHD Film Festival.
The film was also nominated for Best Trailer, Best Sound Design, Best Production Design, Lead Actress, and Director.
“Dagan, Mira, Dagan” follows the story of 16-year-old Mira, who struggles with the bitter realities of her family, school and relationship.
She strives to do good in class despite her mother’s failure to support her education. To make matters worse, she is troubled seeing a guy she has feelings with now with another woman.
This drives her restless with issues and pushes her to just “run” from it. She then meets Suzette, a carton girl, famous in Cebu as prostitutes who just use cartons in dealing with customers in dark corners of the street.
After learning about her brother’s medical condition, Mira was also forced to becoming a prostitute herself.
The National AHYD Film Festival is another strategy of PopCom to strengthen the advocacy on youth, anchored in the objective of contributing to the improvement and promotion of the total well-being of young people. IPA
The all-Josenian cast and crew of “No Seguir” led by Niño Justin Tecson (seventh from left) pay a courtesy call to USJ-R President Fr. Cristopher Maspara, OAR (sixth from left).
