Communication majors from St. Dominic College of Asia (SDCA) recently bagged back-to-back victories at the 3rd Rotary Public Service Announcement (PSA) Festival organized by the Rotary Club of Circuit Makati (RCCM) and the Philippine Commission on Women’s CineJuana Digital Shorts Competition.
Second year SDCA student Lara Mae Tamio placed third for her entry Pasa Pasa in the Amateur Category of the Rotary PSA Festival. Her classmates, Sydney Mari and Sigfrianne Aslahon, served as cinematographer and editor, respectively, with additional support from her father, cousin and boyfriend as actors. The awards night was held last November 13 at the Power Mac Center Spotlight Theater, Ayala Circuit Makati.
Fellow SDCA Communication majors Jahmai Anne Camacho, Bien De Guzman, Jasmin Claire De Guzman and Jereen Tagle of Rinoa Productions were also selected as finalists at RCCM’s annual video competition for their two entries, Basura Mo Kayamanan Ko and Tubig Para sa Kalusugan Natin.
Meanwhile, Tamio also collaborated with Mari and Aslahon to win third prize for Para Kay Bunso in the #LabanJuana category of CineJuana at the Youth Forum on Violence Against Women and Girls last November 25 at the Philippine International Convention Center. In Para Kay Bunso, Tamio showed the miserable realities of abuse at home, presenting a woeful cycle that makes siblings suffer.
CineJuana Digital Shorts Competition
Recognizing the power of film in raising awareness on violence and inspiring actions to prevent it, the PCW launched the CineJuana Digital Shorts Competition as part of its activities for the 18-Day Campaign to End Violence Against Women. Fifty-four groups of student filmmakers from all over the country focus their cameras on the issue of VAW as judges choose the winners based on their films’ relevance to the theme and objectives of the contest, creativity and originality, cinematography, editing and sound.
Aside from Para Kay Bunso of SDCA, the other winners for the #LabanJuana category are Alas Tres by Cinema Agustino of La Consolacion College Manila and Tubig by SagipIT Production of Nueva Ecija University of Science and Technology, first and second place, respectively. #LabanJuana features empowering stories that encourage women to seek help and break free from the cycle of violence.
Consolation prizes for the #LabanJuana category went to Eluquor (To Speak Up) by BOB Productions of Caraga State University, the only finalist from Mindanao, and KaSAYSAYan: Rebolusyon ng Pagbabago by Reporma Productions of the Kingfisher School of Business in Pangasinan.
“How to Pick Up Chicks” by 5ML Production of Asia Pacific College topped the #LigtasJuana category with Tindahan by 4+1 Productions of De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde placing second and Mulat by EMCinema of Technological Institute of the Philippines Manila bagging third. #LigtasJuana focuses on the important provisions of the Safe Spaces Act (Republic Act 11313).
Kanlungan by Hades Production of Tabaco National High School and Bantay by Kahol Films of St. Paul College San Rafael in Bulacan also made it as finalists in the #LigtasJuana category.
In the #JuanParaKayJuana category, Hatdog ni Boyet by KMBT Productions of CIIT Philippines led the way with Blager by Majarlika Productions of Tarlac State University and Lahat Para Sa’yo by AgustinemA of NEUST placing second and third, respectively. #JuanParaKayJuana highlights the role of men and boys in reducing VAW.
The other #JuanParaKayJuana finalists are Tanikala ng Kahapon of Team Tanikala and Mabuti Na Lang by Para Bongga ang Productions, both from NEUST like the winning student filmmakers from AgustinemA and SagipIT Production. Mabuti Na Lang also got the People’s Choice Award, based on the Facebook insights, specifically the number of unique viewers of each film.
The first prize winners in each category received P50,000 while the second and third placers got P35,000 and P20,000, respectively.
The top three winners for each category were selected by PCW Commissioner for Media and the Arts and writer Noreen Capili and filmmakers Pamela L. Reyes, Leilani Chavez, Carlo Catu and Zig Dulay. The judges unanimously encouraged the young filmmakers to continue telling stories through film.
Rotary PSA Festival
For the third straight year, RCCM held the Rotary PSA Festival, a 30-second video making contest for amateur filmmakers and students from different high schools and colleges all over the Philippines.
Three semifinalists in the Student Category were chosen per Rotary International’s Area of Focus, namely Peace and Conflict Prevention/Resolution, Disease Prevention and Treatment, Water and Sanitation, Maternal and Child Health, Basic Education and Literacy and Economic and Community Development. There were also three semifinalists in the Amateur Category and a special citation for video was given to two entries with Human Rights as their theme.
Winning in the Student Category are ENDukasyon by AFORCE of Technological Institute of the Philippines, first place; Pabili Po directed by Izela Viviene Alberto Salterio of the Regional Lead School for the Arts from Angono, Rizal, second; and Vaccinate Your Child directed by Marck Ryan E. Cidro of Teatro Komunikado Production from Polytechnic University of the Philippines, third.
Apart from Tamio’s Pasa Pasa, the other winners in the Amateur Category are ALAMOKUNGPAANO by Christian Mendoza of Pansamantagal Production and Agriculture: Key to Save Our Future by Joselito G. Cunanan, Jr., first and second placers, respectively.
The winners in both categories each brought home a Rotary trophy and cash prizes amounting to P30,000 for the first prize winners, P20,000 for the second placers, and P10,000 for third.
For the first time in Rotary PSA Festival’s three-year history, the RCCM Rovic Canono Human Rights Awards were also awarded to You Can Be a Hero by Franz Joehann Reyes of Our Lady of Caysasay Academy and Not for Sale by Bahaw Productions of the Technological Institute of the Philippines. The special award, with a cash prize of 15,000 pesos and a trophy, is given in recognition of the valuable work in human rights advocacy of Canono, Past RCCM President and PSA Festival Legacy Project.
A special appreciation award was also given to RCCM Charter President Edna Sutter for being a patron of Rotary PSA Festival since its first Gala Night in 2016.
Among the members of the Board of Judges were journalist and filmmaker Arlyn Dela Cruz, stage actress and book author Mae Paner, more popularly known as Juana Change, veteran actor Ernie Garcia, past RCCM District Governor Edna Sutter, District Governor nominee Mildred Vitangcol, Governor-elect Maria Concepcion Camacho, Charter President Marissa Del Mar, and John Miguel Bermido, past president of Rotaract Club of Makati Legaspi (District 3830).