Bisaya talent takes the spotlight

CEBU, Philippines - People of all ages gathered to celebrate another feat in Bisaya artistry with filmmaking as the star of the night and Bisdaks more feisty than ever.

This year’s Binisaya Film Festival – dedicated to the promotion, exhibition, distribution and archival of contemporary Cebuano films and other Visayan dialect films – held its opening ceremony at the SM Seaside City Cebu Centerstage last September 17.

The festival was among the highlights of the week-long Mugna Bisaya event at SM Seaside. Before the festival opening, Cebuano talents including Dante Luzon, Gil Maningo, Matt Daclan, Ligaya Rabago and Dionne Monsanto were presented with Mugna Bisaya trophies for bringing pride to Cebu by excelling in their respective crafts.

Opening the event was the screening of short film “Lunchbox” by award-winning director Remton Siega Zuasola. Selected Asian shorts from countries like Pakistan and Thailand followed the main screening.

“Lunchbox” nabbed second place in the 2016 Sinulog Short Film Festival, and likewise won Best Director for Zuasola and Best Actress for rising Cebuana actress Dionne.

Also starring Paul Kiener and Guprit Singh, “Lunchbox” is the tale of a family in the throes of falling apart. Ever since the now homesick mother (Dionne) left to work abroad, her husband has become ill and frustrated while their son struggles to cope with his motherless environment.

It tackled the issue of bullying, a problem which Zuasola found as pressing, if not even more, than other issues. “A lot of the problems we face are rooted from childhood,” Zuasola explained. “We are often taught that fighting among children is normal, that it happens, and that’s how kids are but most of the things that bother us now are effects of what we experienced growing up.”

Hon. Miguel Magpale graced the event and spoke of bullying as well, saying that it is an issue that is just as real as any of the others.

“We need to do something and we need to do it fast,” Magpale said. “This should be a collective effort from the government, the family and the community.”

For reigning Miss Cebu Raine Baljak who hosted the event, “Lunchbox” was a film that hit close to home. The beauty queen shared that she identified with the child’s quest for belongingness since she too had firsthand experience on bullying.

“They would call me names about my appearance, like my neck and my movements. Kids would often tease me and make fun of my skin condition,” Baljak said.

To cope with the taunting, Baljak turned to the power of the pen. “I would write in my journals and turn the words into poems and songs. The support from my family helped a lot as well. It helped that I knew that they were there for me.”

Asked how she can use her crown to address bullying, Baljak said it’s all about being positive. “I want to inspire people to keep on thinking good things and doing good deeds. I want them to understand how important it is to treat people right through action. It starts with a feeling and then a thought and we turn that thought into action. Because I know that when I was growing up and was bullied all I was thinking was that I never want anyone to feel bad,” she said.

“Lunchbox” executive producer Sunshine Lim expressed her gratitude and pride, saying that everything they went through for the film has been worth it.

Lim is currently working on distributing the message of “Lunchbox” by screening the film in various schools to spread awareness and educate as many people as they can.

Bisaya movement

Binisaya Film Festival organizers were overwhelmed with the reception, saying they never thought they’d be able to show the films in an actual movie theater.

“We started as a group of filmmakers who sat together and just showed each other our films,” festival director Janice Perez said of Binisaya’s beginnings. “We never expected this much and to think we began in just a small café and a laptop.”

Now that they have introduced the movement to a larger scale from their humble beginnings to nationwide pop-up screenings, schools, cinematheques, coffee shops, barangay basketball courts and even under bridge communities, Binisaya surely proved their statement of “There is nowhere Binisaya will not go.”

Presidential Assistant to the Visayas Michael Diño, who also graced the event, commended the Bisaya artistry. “I am thankful that you have invented and reinvented art through Binisaya,” Diño shared. “Now, we are saying ‘Hoy! Ania kaming mga Bisaya!’”

Diño expressed his all-out support for the movement and described the Bisaya culture as world class and not bakya or baduy, citing Visayan personalities like Miss Universe 2015 Pia Wurtzbach of Cagayan de Oro, boxing champion Manny Pacquiao of General Santos and even President Rodrigo Duterte himself of Davao, as examples of Visayan leaders in their fields. (FREEMAN)