Shim Dagatan (center) with fellow actors Sammy Pacilan (left) and Joan Flores (right) during the mock shoot of “Panihapon.” | Photo from Studio Evision
Cebu City, Philippines—A former grand finalist of the Sinulog Idol Season 10 was chosen to lead a short film entry for CineSpectra 2019 Short Film Festival in Manila this August.
Shim Dagatan, 25, a native of Barangay Suba, Danao City, will play James in the short film titled “Panihapon,” which is directed by award-winning filmmaker Eli Razo.
“When I got the news, I was surprised, very happy, and nervous,” Dagatan told CDN Digital.
The Danao City native was handpicked by the production team composed of experienced Cebuano actors.
“We were looking for certain character traits that would embody the role of the lead which the audience will see when the short film is out,” Razo said.
“Panihapon” centers on how human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) changes the life of a man and how the society learns to accept the disease and stop the stigma.
The story is written by award-winning screenplay Jai Shane Cañete. Completing the cast are Cebuano veteran actors Sammy Pacilan and Joan Flores.
“Panihapon” is the lone entry from Cebu out of the ten short films that made it to the final cut.
CineSpectra is organized by the EON Foundation, Film Development Council of the Philippines (FDCP), LOVE YOURSELF, and Directors’ Guild of the Philippines, Inc. (DGPI).
According to FDCP, the film festival is “a vehicle to foster a deeper, human rights-based understanding of HIV/AIDS.”
Working on the character
Last January 2019, Dagatan landed on top five during the Sinulog Idol Season 10, his first singing competition.
“I feel so happy. I get to do something else (acting) and something new,” he said.
“Panihapon” will be Dagatan’s first short film that will be part of a film festival in Manila.
His first short film appearance was
the “Badz ug Cheche” love story together with Sinulog Idol Season 10 finalist Maica Papas, which was released by MOR Cebu last week. /bmjo