MANILA Broadcasting Company has announced the 15 films that made it into the final round of the first ever MBC Short Film Festival.
For the animation category, “Ana” by Mary Angelica Panganiban; “Stay” by Irenea Catalina Valencia; “Last” Piece by Andrea Mae Kristine Bonagua, Gaspar dela Cruz III, Jenny Mateo, and Anthony P. Santiago; “Home” by Bryan Kent Abias ; and “Distance” by Dexter Paul de Jesus got the nod of selection jurors Benedict Carandang, Teddy Co, and Adrian Arcega.
Among the 49 documentaries submitted, those that received the highest scores from the selection panel that included Ditsi Carolino, Seymour Sanchez, and Collis Davis were: “Mga Batang Anipa” by Maria Fyl Gultian and Alundra Villanueva; “Ang Meron sa Wala” by Arby and Christine Larano; “Diva Divine?” by Francis Tavas; “Titser Gennie” by Elijah Prades; and the “Tausug rap Maglabay Ra in Sakit” by Mijan Jumalon.
Short features dominated this year’s submissions, breaching the hundred mark, and giving jurors Sari Dalena, Auraeus Solito, and Treb Monteras a tough time. Eventually, those that scored highest were: “Judy Free” by Che Tagyamon; “The Slums” by Jan Andrei Cobey; “Tarang” by Arvin Belarmino; “Excuse Me Miss Miss Miss” by Sonny Calvento; and “Ang Gasgas na Plaka ni Lolo Bert” by Janina Gacosta.
The 15 films, which are automatically guaranteed P15,000 each, go back to square one, with a different but equally elite panel of jurors choosing the three category winners who will receive P75,000 each, and will then compete for the Grand Prix, with a total take-home prize of P165,000.
Trailers of these films are now up on dzrh.com.ph/msff. The full films will be posted until August 25 for their choice of Fan Favorite. Winners will be announced in a special program on August 28, to be streamed at 7 p.m. on all social media platforms of MBC stations nationwide — DZRH, Love Radio, Yes The Best, Easy Rock, Aksyon Radyo, Radyo Natin, and DZRH News Television.
