From right (seated) Mayor Bernabe and film maker Ariel Reyes. From left (standing) The film makers Ivan Togonon, Blake Sarion and Trox Salazar. (Photo by JUDE BAUTISTA)

Parañaque City’s filmmaking sector gets a shot in the arm next month with the Digital Filmmaking Workshop organized and conducted by the Plusiminus Film Camp from April 7 to May 10.

According to Parañaque City Mayor Florencio Bernabe Jr., the workshop will be toured in different schools in the city. It particularly enjoins teachers and students of public and private schools and universities, out of school youth, overseas Filipino workers (OFWs), and media practitioners to learn the art and craft of filmmaking as a career or hobby.

“The workshop attendants can make short films about the lives of some of the residents or a documentary about the city’s history. You’d be surprised, but once these stories are given a face, they can be very touching.  

“Also, Parañaque has a lot of locations to hold shoots at, which nearby cities don’t have such as an airport and a bird sanctuary. In this way will the workshop promote and benefit the city directly,” said Bernabe during the forum held at Café Francois inside BF Homes, Parañaque City.

Aside from offering the workshop at bargain-basement fees, the city media bureau will provide venue, demo equipment, and film scholarships to deserving students.

The Digital Filmmaking Workshop will have as lecturers the filmmakers Ariel Reyes, Ivan Togonon, Blake Sarion, Joel Gana, and Trox Salazar, some of whom studied filmmaking abroad. 

Some local actors have also been tapped as lecturers to give insights on acting. Bernabe rattled off the names of some of its celebrity residents Alma Moreno, Mariel Rodriguez, Celeste Legaspi, Christopher de Leon, and Carmina Villaroel.

Although the city is taking things “one day at a time,” part of the vision is for the workshop to lead to the creation of a Parañaque Film Critics Award in which outstanding locally produced digital films and electronics media, performances, as well as excellence in broadcasting, will be recognized.

During the forum, Bernabe also said the city has a “Libreng Pa-sine” program for its senior citizens in all movie houses in the city, among other rewards and benefits. Parañaque City has about eight movie theaters in its two major malls.

The short film “Ugat ng Lupa” was screened for the press. It is recalled that “Ugat” is the groundbreaking independent digital film that was acclaimed at the Cinemalaya Film Competition 2009 at the Cultural Center of the Philippines. The interest of the city government in digital filmmaking can be traced to its financial contribution in the Ariel Reyes opus.

For inquires about the Digital Filmmaking Workshop, e-mail plusiminus25@yahoo.com or call Parañaque City Media Bureau, Eduard Blanco/Nelson Lacambra at 827-7279.