By Noel Punzalan/PNA
COTABATO CITY – A short feature film from Tawi-Tawi bested 10 other finalists and won as best short film for the 2018 Moro Film Festival at the Sharif Kabunsuan Complex here Thursday night.
“Manis Ma Pikilan”, which in Samal dialect means “Beauty in My Mind”, romped with PHP300,000 as the grand prize winner. The film captures the personal struggles of Pahad, a boy from a small coastal community in Tawi-Tawi.
“This film would like to tell the people, especially those people outside the ARMM (Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao), that Mindanao is not just about war, and that people have their own personal struggles in life,” said Bhas Abdulsamad, director of the film.
“White Flag”, a short film that depicts the story of Omaimah, a young lady who faced great challenges at an evacuation center in Marawi during the siege, bagged the Grand Jury Prize, walking away with a PHP150,000 cash prize.
“White Flag” director Najib Alyhar Zacaria was emotional during the awards night.
“I could not explain how I feel but I know I am happy. This is for my Princess,” he said.
Princess was Zacaria’s daughter who expired due to a disease while staying inside an evacuation center during the Marawi City siege last year.
Other short film finalists were “Identity”, “Kyuga”, “Battle of Tampakan”, “Inged”, “The Last Kill”, “Juramentado”, “Khalil at Manuelito”, and “Sarimanok”.
Extra winners with their corresponding prizes are Audience Choice Award – Inged (PHP100,000); Best Director – Najib Alyhar Zacaria for White Flag (PHP50,000); Best Screenplay – White Flag (PHP30,000); Best Cinematography – Manis Ma Pikilan (PHP30,000); Best Editing – Manis Ma Pikilan (PHP30,000); Best Actor – Abraham Nupuran for Manis Ma Pikilan (PHP15,000); and Special Citation for Ensemble Acting – The Last Kill (PHP15,000).
The films were critiqued and judged by renowned filmmakers led by award-winning Moro filmmaker and author Gutierrez “Teng” Mangansakan II with Bagane Fiola and Xeph Suarez as members.
“A good story is something that comes from within, and these two movies, ‘Manis Ma Pikilan’ and ‘White Flag’, were really able to surface this type of films,” Mangansakan said.
ARMM Governor Mujiv Hataman, who graced the event together with wife Anak Mindanao Executive Director Sitti Djalia Turabin Hataman and actor Robin Padilla, congratulated the winners as he encouraged them to make more Moro films in the future.
“This is for all the Bangsamoro people,” Hataman said.
The competition, the first-ever for the ARMM, forms part of the region’s year-long celebration of Pakaradjaan 2018. Public screenings of the top 10 films are scheduled at the Al Nor Cinema 2 in this city on December 7-9.
