Progressive Entries Bag Gawad CCP Video Awards

Among this year’s winners in the prestigious Gawad CCP (for Cultural Center of the Philippines) for Alternative Films and Video are entries that tackle touchy issues for the Macapagal-Arroyo government – militarization, presence of United States (U.S.) troops and the controversial San Roque Dam.

BY ROWENA CARRANZA 
Bulatlat.com

·      “Alingawngaw ng Punglo"  (echoes of gunfire) by the Southern Tagalog Exposure bagged the second prize in the documentary category. It chronicles the human rights situation in the Philippines after President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo assumed presidency in 2001. It focuses on the killings in the Southern Tagalog region where several battalions of soldiers are deployed. The documentary is rich with footages that go straight to the viewers’ heart – the victims, their grieving families and friends, terrorized community members and angry protests. The viewer could not help but sympathize with the victims and feel the seething anger that threatens to explode – an emotion that runs throughout the documentary. Incidentally, most of the victims were members of the party-list group Bayan Muna.

·      “Behind the Second Front,” produced by Kodao Productions, is a chronicle of an international solidarity mission to southern Philippines, which the United States dubbed as the second front in its fight against terrorism, and the protest caravan that traveled from Luzon to Mindanao. The video shows how the mission, seeking to investigate the effects of the presence of the U.S. troops, uncovered an incident wherein an American soldier participated in combat operations and shot a Muslim resident. The caravan participants on the other hand endure threats and harassments along the way. “Behind the Second Front” won the second honorable mention in the documentary category.

·      “Agno” is all about the mighty Agno River that flows from Mt. Data in Mt. Province all the way to Pangasinan in northern Philippines. Bagging the third honorable mention award, “Agno” stresses the importance of the river to the people and how the San Roque Dam project is wrecking the lives of tribal communities in Benguet and Pangasinan Designed to be Asia’s highest and the world’s 12^th largest dam, the San Roque Dam, residents fear, will destroy the ecosystem, displace and impoverish once self-sufficient communities and wipe out the rich indigenous culture of the area. Tribal leaders and members implore to “let the Agno flow,” likening their lives to the river which must flow freely. The video documentary was produced by the Baguio-based Cordillera People’s Alliance.

Meanwhile, two entries tied for the first prize – “Pak U Erap” by the Kerovac’s Kitchen and “Jacky: Pagkilos Tungo sa Pagbabago” by the Dela Salle University (DLSU). The first was described as being “about the Edsa Dos fiesta” while the other is about a Filipino worker defining her role as a wife, mother, worker and union member.

Third place was “Lamat sa Murang Isipan (cracks in an innocent mind)” by DLSU, which is about two families which both have children who are mentally ill.

Gawad CCP is given every year by the Cultural Center of the Philippines to encourage young independent filmmakers. It also aims to promote an independent cinema dedicated both to excellence and social relevance.

This year’s judges were Manolet Garcia, Susan Isorena-Arcega and Paolo Manalo for animation/experimental; Maria Fina Yonzon, Alice Alafriz Panaras and Carmencita Bernardo for documentary; and Chito Rońo and Rene Villanueva for feature. CCP is headed by Nestor Jardin and Fernando Josef, president and vice president, respectively. Bulatlat.com

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