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ISSUE NO. 1
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FOREWORD
Of all the five years that Binisaya has stood its ground to showcase
the finest in independent regional cinema, there hasnt been a single
one that wasnt a struggle. At a glance, its a surprise how it has survived all this time. For us though, getting a closer look at the entire
preparation process this year drew a whole new perspective on the
idea, and the moment we saw all the friends and supporters offering
a hand to keep the festival alive despite the odds makes it no surprise at all that it has now lasted half a decade since the first gathering in 2009. Theres no real explanation to its appeal really. It could
be the way it embodies a generation of filmmakers who believe in
the DIY ethos. Or maybe the way its history of volunteerism inspires
more to volunteer. One thing for sure, Binisaya is alive today by a
collective effort - not just by one or two organizations, but dare we
say an entire generation.
This year, Bomba Press is glad to be partnering with Keith Deligero
to put up what is turning out to be the most diverse installment yet
with ample representation from film, music, and the arts. We hope
this zine/journal ends up a fitting part of our legacy to the annals of
Binisaya. In here, you will find conversations with the people behind
the films and segments featured in this years festival. You will also
come across letters and art from people who, in each their own way,
embody the same philosophy behind the Binisaya film festival. And
somewhere within these pages, we hope you will find that piece of
yourself that wants to go out and watch an independent film, hear
an independent band, read an independent journal, and support independent art.
Dexter Sy
FEATURE FILMS
binisaya shorts
Set in his graveyard shift travels to work routine, his opinion on things take a lighter perspective when he stumbles upon a struggling flower vendor. Will he continue to go about on
his present way of thinking and ignore the struggles? Or will he choose to do the right thing.
A soulful encounter between a small creature, a snail named Patience, and a man
with a strange device.
for her alongside a long-lost friend, William, and hopes that he doesnt lose the only thing he
has, even himself.
PAHADA
by Niranjan Kumar Kujur (India)
BOONRERM
by Sorayos Prapapan (Thailand)
SHELTER
by Ismail Basbeth (Indonesia)
PAHADA
by Niranjan Kumar Kujur (India)
Munnu is an 8-year-old boy, struggling
to memorize the table of thirteen for
quite a long time. But his marbles
and his toy cart end up charming him
more than the need to sit with a book
and study. In the tribal heartland of
Jharkhand, the government has waged
a war against Maoists. The village environment has just begun to alter with the arrival of
Paramilitary forces in the area. How does the family cope with such violently changing times?
Will Munnu ever become responsible?
WHERE I GO
by Kavich Neang (Cambodia)
San Pattica is a mixed Cambodian-Cameroonian adult whose father is a Cameroonian soldier who came to Cambodia
in 1992-1993 as United Nation peacekeeper, a period of the first Cambodia
election after the Khmer Rouge regime
collapsed. His father met a Cambodian
wife and later on, his wife had a pregnancy who is Pattica. Since Patticas parents left home
for many years, Pattica was raised by his grandmother.
Challenge and difficulty in his family forced his grandmother to bring Pattica to study and
live in an orphanage in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. Since then, Pattica visits his grandmother
and his sister San Adam Pattina whose father is Ghanaian. Later on, Pattica finds that his
mother lived with a Ghanaian guy after his father left the country. Pattica discusses with his
sister, Pattina about their consequences as mixed Cambodian-Cameroonian in Cambodia, and
then he wants to bring Pattina to live and study with him an orphanage. Since then, Pattica
has become more interested in knowing about his own identity since he is a victim of discrimination in his daily life.
ABOUT THE CURATOR
During BINISAYA 2012, Aiess Alonso won best
short film for her Katapusang Labok
Aiess and her film then went to Cannes Short
Film Corner, then to Cinemalaya, and then
everywhere
For more information about the directors, please visit:
http://festival.binisaya.org/tagged/asianshort2014
GROWING BINISAYA
FILM FESTIVAL
by Grace Lopez
This article was originally published on Cebu Daily News (September 9th, 2014). Printed with permission.
Q&A:
OF CINEMALAYA ACCORDING TO
THIS CEBUANA
by Mariya Lim
a regionalistic bunch. We still secretly harbor ill-will that were not the capital. We
like to mock the Northern pronunciation
of the words ankle and tricycle, PO machines as my friends and I tease. We espouse the glories of our city where beautiful beaches are a road trip away, while still
being metropolitan enough after two new
branches of J. Co Donuts (because that
is the ultimate barometer with which one
can determine a metropolis from the rest).
It isnt that Im selling out to the imperialistic overlords after one weekend. Manila
can keep their legendary-but-actually-very-real traffic for themselveswhich
we just might be catching up to anyway,
what with all these roadside developments and repairs on the actual roads
themselves. As for anyone who denies the
quality of our local talent , they should be
sent a flock of evil flying monkeys at their
doorstep.
However, what good is all that if theres
hardly a reception? They say you cant
call it art unless you share it. Thats why
the best Cebuano talents transplant themselves in a place far from their roots; if the
disparity is as audible as a few scattered
claps versus rounds upon rounds of applause, even a Scarecrow without a brain
han V
Q&A
Domingo Domingo:
Sundays Are Not Holy
by Mike Gomez
Q&A:
SOUTHERNLADS PRODUCTIONS
Who are you guys?
Karl Lucente, Neil Briones, Steven Atenta, Steven Caete,
Ronnie Gamboa, Edgardo Butawan Jr., Gale Osorio, Trenary
Guerrero, Katrina Malicay, and Anne Amores. But we collaborate with other creative groups and individuals we come
across.
How did the idea of starting Southernlads Production came about?
We were just fooling around, we werent even taking it
seriously. One of our friends brought a digital camera and he
had an idea for a skit. So we decide to record it, some of us
were the actors for it, we even did our own stunts. And in the
moment we decided to make the title, we also made the name
of our group.
How long does a project, say, a music video, usually
take?
It depends. For pre-production, where we come up with the
concepts, storyboards, location scouting, and general planning for the shoot usually take 1-2 months. The production or
the shoot takes about 2-3 days. And for the post-production
or editing, where procrastination majority of the time kicks in,
will take from 2 months to a year.
What are your favorite projects so far? Why?
Karl: The Lab is my favorite project because it is an independently-produced web series by Southernlads featuring
bands and artist that are mostly based here in Cebu where
we let them play their music in very unusual places . And
it was really fun to meet and get to know a lot of talented
artists.
Steve: My favorite project was the Sheila and the insects
music video Pretty Loser because this was my first time
shooting underwater and it was also really fun shooting it
outside of the city.
Jhe: Charades because that was the first time we had a stunt
choreography training in the days before the shoot. that
shoot involved a lot of people, the stunt men, the extras and
Neil: The first episode of the Lab because it was the first time
that I fully experimented with practical lights and framing.
The lights were carefully lit and the framing was carefully
planned. If I didnt made that video then probably I wouldnt
be like this today. It was actually a very special personal project to someone but Karl found out my secrets and so It was
the birth of The Lab sessions. (I AM THE REAL FOUNDER
OF THE LAB LOL)
Who do you look up to and what is it about them
do you find admirable or fascinating?
Neil: I look up to a lot of cinematographers and directors
such as Christopher Doyle, Wonk Kar Wai, Wally Pfister, Christopher Nolan, Gaspar Noe, Roger Deakins, Jeff Coronoweth,
Ridley Scott and the DP from Bladerunner, Alfonso Cuaron,
Park Chan Wook, Chong Hun Chung...Theres too many on the
list from European to Asian influences haha. But one of the
things that I find admirable the most is the film community in
Cebu. The people here have been working so hard to create
a scene in Cebuano dialect and thats what made me inspire
to do better. There are a lot of conflicts here going on and I
find that a strong starting point progress for Cebu.
Karl: Pancho Esquerra, Quark Henares, RA Rivera and
Marie Jamora are some of the people I admire. They are
Manila-based artists and most of their works are music
videos and commercials. One thing that probably I love about
Filipino artists is that each one of them is a sum of another
great filmmaker. They have that unique and distinct way of
making their influences as their own. Thats why I admire
those directors. They think different.
Jhe: Creating a film is not that easy, it requires patience, skills,
exotic lifestyle, sleepless nights, crazy ideas, Investing some
of their money for the sake of their happiness or dreams,
and a lifetime study. Those are the reason why I Idolized
every people who are into filming Industry.
Is SLP an exclusive thing or do you accept members
who wants to join your gang?
We do have a core group but it doesnt mean that we are an
exclusive group, lets say we are a group of freelancers and
for every project we look for a person/friend/colleague who is
fit to work on that project. And yes, they can approach us if
they want to join in we are not that strict but there are times
that were a bit busy thats why we cant entertain people
who want to join.
ISKALAWAGS: A Review
by Antonio Galay-David
Filipino culture is characterized
by naturalized artifice.
This is what is foregrounded in the distinctly Visayan film Iskalawags by Keith Deligero. Based on the short story Ang Kapayas
by the Cebuano writer Erik Tuban, Iskalawags revolves around the eponymous gang
of young men from the Visayas (the film does
not specify where beyond Sitio Malinawon,
but the surroundings indicate the town of
San Francisco in the Camotes Islands off the
shores of Cebu). The young men, led by the
adolescent Palot, are avid fans of Tagalog
action films. They go around their rural fishing town re-enacting their favourite action
scenes, and re-enactments develop into full
blown acts of mischief. One day Palot sees
a large papaya on a tree growing on the
backyard of his teacher maam Lina. He then
makes it the gangs great mission to take the
fruit. One of the gang, Intoy, narrates the adventure, along with other misadventures and
details such as his own domestic problems
and Palots coming of age.
Much of Filipino culture is imposed, and
Iskalawags reveals how the rural Visayan
sensibility in particular ends up appropriating the imposed Tagalog culture (whether
popular or academic) into everyday life. The
result is often strikingly, and humorously,
incongruous: the Iskalawags re-enacting an
THIS
SPACE
IS
RESERVED
FOR
PAUL GRANT, Ph.D.
A n g a l a mp at d i l i u s a k a s amin n g a
m op a d ay a g s a k a l i b ot a n ap a n u s a k a
m ar t i ly o n g a m o hu l m a n i i n i .
B E RTOLT B R E C H T