TOFARM 2018 fest reveals carefully selected harvest
Published May 31, 2018 02:23 am
Out of 119 submissions, only seven were picked as finalists to this year’s TOFARM Film Festival.
President and CEO of Universal Harvester Inc. Dr. Milagros O. How (Photos from TOFARM official Facebook page)
“The lineup is very interesting and exciting,” said Dr. Milagros O. How, President and CEO of Universal Harvester Inc. during the formal announcement of the lineup held a few days ago.
Now on its third year, TOFARM Film Festival is the only advocacy-driven film festival in the country, with entries showcasing the lives, journeys, trials and triumphs of the Filipino farmer.
The finalists, all of which carry the theme “A Tribute To Life: Parating Na,” are:
“1957” is a historical drama, written and directed by Hubert Tipi. A group of farmers in Bicol are at the mercy of Don Pepe, a strict landlord. 20 year-old Lucio, son of a former member of the Hukbalahap, pins hopes on the arrival of President Ramon Magsaysay in their area, for genuine land reform to take place.
Keith Sicat’s “Alimuom” is a science fiction that talks about a futuristic Philippines with specific sections of the country under individual bio-domes. The OFWs are actually outer space Filipino Workers and the song Bahay Kubo is a distant memory that makes a young boy asks: “Ano ang singkamas?”
“Fasang” is a period romance written by Charlson Ong. It is based on the classic Philippine short story “Tanabata’s Wife.” Set in the 1920’s, Tanabata-San is a successful Japanese immigrant farmer in La Trinidad Valley in Baguio, where the Japanese have been known to pioneer the planting of salad greens. Middle-aged and lonely, he hires a young feisty Bontoc woman, Fasang, as farmhand, and falls in love with her. They get married and have a son, but Fasang is attracted to the city lights of the Baguio that is now taking shape, and to someone else.
“Isang Kuwento Ng Gubat (The Leonard Co Story)” is written by Rosalie Matilac, directed by Ellen Ongkeko-Marfil, Rosalie Matilac, and Nilo Paz. This is a biopic and homage to the great Filipino botanist slain together with a guide and forest ranger in the forest of Kanangga, Leyte; government troops claimed they were caught in a cross fire between the military and the NPA, but two of the survivors said there was no gunfight and that they were apparently mistaken to be NPAs.
2018 TOFARM Film Festival Director Bibeth Orteza
A cultural drama written and directed by Eduardo Roy, Jr., “Lola Igna” is set in Sagada. Lola Igna is 115 years old, will she get to be the Guinness Book of Records’ oldest living person and become a tourist attraction to benefit the farming community close to the cliff of the hanging coffins? What will her possible winning or losing do to the warring factions of her immediate family?
“Mga Anak Ng Kamote” is a futuristic drama written by John Carlo Pacala and directed by Carlo Catu. Set in the Philippines, 2052, when the planting of kamote has been outlawed and those caught planting and selling kamote is put in jail, no thanks to the Kamote Planting Regulation Act.
“Sol Searching” is a dark comedy written and directed by Roman Perez Jr. Teacher Sol is dead and cannot be buried because there are no funds. How will the community come forward to put her to rest, this strict and no-nonsense teacher of grade school students and farmers who need to be taught scientific farming methods?
TOFARM Film Festival 2018 runs from Sept. 12 to 18 in select cinemas. For more information, visit the TOFARM’s official Facebook Page and website.
For the Filipino farmers
How revealed in her speech that the selection committee had a hard time choosing the seven finalists as “there are so many good scripts.”
This year’s TOFARM Selection Committee is composed of Raquel Villavicencio (chairperson), Krip Yuson, Antoinette Jadaone, Mario Cornejo, and Manny Buising.
“I want to thank them because ang sipag nila, hinimay nila lahat ng script at ang haba ng diskusyon. They really took their work seriously,” How said.
The finalists to this year’s TOFARM Film Festival
Dr. How is sure that the late TOFARM festival director Maryo J. De los Reyes is “smiling on us from heaven,” as they continue with the festival’s vision.
De los Reyes is replaced by actor-director Bibeth Orteza, with director Joey Romero serving as managing director and Cinemalaya festival director Laurice Guillen as consultant.
“He (De los Reyes) loves TOFARM so much and he gave his all for this,” How said. “It is our duty – tayong mga naiwan niya dito --- to continue the good work in support for our Filipino famers. Mahalaga ito, sapagkat wala tayo dito kung wala ang ating magsasaka.”
Aside from the seven full-length features, TOFARM 2018 also opens its door to short filmmakers. According to its official website, a total of seven short films shot entirely on a cell phone, no less than one minute and no more than 10 minutes each, will be chosen by a selection committee to screen along with the seven feature films.
Theme of the short film category is “A Slice Of Life: Eto na.” Submission of entries is from July 15 to Aug. 15.
President and CEO of Universal Harvester Inc. Dr. Milagros O. How (Photos from TOFARM official Facebook page)
“The lineup is very interesting and exciting,” said Dr. Milagros O. How, President and CEO of Universal Harvester Inc. during the formal announcement of the lineup held a few days ago.
Now on its third year, TOFARM Film Festival is the only advocacy-driven film festival in the country, with entries showcasing the lives, journeys, trials and triumphs of the Filipino farmer.
The finalists, all of which carry the theme “A Tribute To Life: Parating Na,” are:
“1957” is a historical drama, written and directed by Hubert Tipi. A group of farmers in Bicol are at the mercy of Don Pepe, a strict landlord. 20 year-old Lucio, son of a former member of the Hukbalahap, pins hopes on the arrival of President Ramon Magsaysay in their area, for genuine land reform to take place.
Keith Sicat’s “Alimuom” is a science fiction that talks about a futuristic Philippines with specific sections of the country under individual bio-domes. The OFWs are actually outer space Filipino Workers and the song Bahay Kubo is a distant memory that makes a young boy asks: “Ano ang singkamas?”
“Fasang” is a period romance written by Charlson Ong. It is based on the classic Philippine short story “Tanabata’s Wife.” Set in the 1920’s, Tanabata-San is a successful Japanese immigrant farmer in La Trinidad Valley in Baguio, where the Japanese have been known to pioneer the planting of salad greens. Middle-aged and lonely, he hires a young feisty Bontoc woman, Fasang, as farmhand, and falls in love with her. They get married and have a son, but Fasang is attracted to the city lights of the Baguio that is now taking shape, and to someone else.
“Isang Kuwento Ng Gubat (The Leonard Co Story)” is written by Rosalie Matilac, directed by Ellen Ongkeko-Marfil, Rosalie Matilac, and Nilo Paz. This is a biopic and homage to the great Filipino botanist slain together with a guide and forest ranger in the forest of Kanangga, Leyte; government troops claimed they were caught in a cross fire between the military and the NPA, but two of the survivors said there was no gunfight and that they were apparently mistaken to be NPAs.
2018 TOFARM Film Festival Director Bibeth Orteza
A cultural drama written and directed by Eduardo Roy, Jr., “Lola Igna” is set in Sagada. Lola Igna is 115 years old, will she get to be the Guinness Book of Records’ oldest living person and become a tourist attraction to benefit the farming community close to the cliff of the hanging coffins? What will her possible winning or losing do to the warring factions of her immediate family?
“Mga Anak Ng Kamote” is a futuristic drama written by John Carlo Pacala and directed by Carlo Catu. Set in the Philippines, 2052, when the planting of kamote has been outlawed and those caught planting and selling kamote is put in jail, no thanks to the Kamote Planting Regulation Act.
“Sol Searching” is a dark comedy written and directed by Roman Perez Jr. Teacher Sol is dead and cannot be buried because there are no funds. How will the community come forward to put her to rest, this strict and no-nonsense teacher of grade school students and farmers who need to be taught scientific farming methods?
TOFARM Film Festival 2018 runs from Sept. 12 to 18 in select cinemas. For more information, visit the TOFARM’s official Facebook Page and website.
For the Filipino farmers
How revealed in her speech that the selection committee had a hard time choosing the seven finalists as “there are so many good scripts.”
This year’s TOFARM Selection Committee is composed of Raquel Villavicencio (chairperson), Krip Yuson, Antoinette Jadaone, Mario Cornejo, and Manny Buising.
“I want to thank them because ang sipag nila, hinimay nila lahat ng script at ang haba ng diskusyon. They really took their work seriously,” How said.
The finalists to this year’s TOFARM Film Festival
Dr. How is sure that the late TOFARM festival director Maryo J. De los Reyes is “smiling on us from heaven,” as they continue with the festival’s vision.
De los Reyes is replaced by actor-director Bibeth Orteza, with director Joey Romero serving as managing director and Cinemalaya festival director Laurice Guillen as consultant.
“He (De los Reyes) loves TOFARM so much and he gave his all for this,” How said. “It is our duty – tayong mga naiwan niya dito --- to continue the good work in support for our Filipino famers. Mahalaga ito, sapagkat wala tayo dito kung wala ang ating magsasaka.”
Aside from the seven full-length features, TOFARM 2018 also opens its door to short filmmakers. According to its official website, a total of seven short films shot entirely on a cell phone, no less than one minute and no more than 10 minutes each, will be chosen by a selection committee to screen along with the seven feature films.
Theme of the short film category is “A Slice Of Life: Eto na.” Submission of entries is from July 15 to Aug. 15.