by Sittie Noffaisah B. Pasandalan
The MSU-IIT’s Institute for Peace and Development in Mindanao (IPDM) launches its second Film Festival, “Mindanao: Lights. Camera. Peace” for amateur film makers in Iligan and in the Lanao Provinces. Registration is free.
The film festival which focuses on developing films related to Mindanao and the peace process is one of IPDM’s ways to raise peace awareness among the youth.
What makes the IPDM’s film festival unique is its holistic approach beginning with lectures on the history of Mindanao, Mindanao issues, and peace concepts for all participants to start in September this year. Aside from the lectures, there are workshops on scriptwriting, filmmaking, directing, and on editing.
Interested students can register at the IPDM office until August 30, 2013. Workshops and lectures will start by September and film makers are given until the second week of November, 2013 to complete their films. All films will be shown during the Mindanao Week of Peace or during the last week of November to early December this year.
It was during the first “Mindanao: Lights. Camera. Peace” film festival in 2012 that helped conceptualize the film “Tutob,” the lone entry from Mindanao that made it as one of 10 finalists in the Short Feature Category in the recently-concluded Cinemalaya 2013, an Indie film festival held in Metro Manila.

“Tutob,” directed by Kissza Campano in collaboration with Project 57’s, a group of students from the School of Computer Studies, and an entry to the first IPDM Film Festival. It won the IPDM film festival’s Best Film, Best Actor, Best Director, and Best Story.
The first runner up for Best Film was awarded to “Kasundit,” a film by 2015, a group of medical students from the MSU-College of Medicine Iligan Campus while the second runner up for Best Film was given to “Imagine”, a film by Vantage Point, a group of students from the College of Arts and Social Sciences. “Imagine” also bagged the Best Actress award. Three films made by high school students from the Integrated Developmental School (“Sab’r”), Iligan City East High School Santa Felomina Campus (“CCTV”), and Suarez National High School (“Kwentas”) also took part in the competition.
The board of judges at the time were Prof. German Gervacio, who gave the lecture on scriptwriting; Ms. Yvette Marie Sabellon, who gave the lecture on directing; Mr. Jeremey Ancog, who gave the lecture on editing; Ms. Lua Burias of CASS, and Ms. Esther Scharf of GIZ Ph.
IPDM with support from GIZ gave away a total of Php 15,000.00 in cash prizes while City Councilor Frederick W. Siao donated the plaques.
Apart from the cash prizes this year, more await the winners for these will already include categories for Best Editing, Best Musical Score, and for Best Supporting Actor and Best Supporting Actress.
The first “Mindanao: Lights. Camera. Peace” films were screened at the Institute Mini Theater from December 1-6, 2012 but screening was stopped when Typhoon Pablo hit Mindanao.
For other details on the film festival call IPDM, tel. 222-5315 or check out its guidelines via its Facebook Page.
Topics : ipdm