CEBU CITY, Philippines — Cebuanos will finally have a chance to take a glimpse of Eli Razo’s short film “Panihapon.”
The short film directed by award-winning Razo is the lone finalist in Cebuano to this year’s short CineSpectra 2019 Short Film Festival that will run from August 26 to 28.
The trailers of “Panihapon” and other finalists to the CineSpectra 2019 were released by the Film Development Council of the Philippines (FDCP) on its official Facebook page on Friday night, August 16, 2019.
“This is my first advocacy film and it is also the first film that I won a grant for,” Razo, a Cebuano, told CDN Digital on Saturday.
Razo helmed another Cebuano short film, “Usa Ka Libo,”about an island girl with big dreams, which was hailed as the grand winner in the 2019 Sinulog Film Festival, which was one of the most awaited events during the annual Sinulog Festival celebrations in Cebu held every January.
“Panihapon,” the Cebuano term for dinner, is a five-minute film written by Jai Shane Cañete and headlined by an all-Cebuano cast Shim Dagatan, Sammy Pacilan, and Joan Flores.
The trailer opens with Dagatan, who plays the role of a successful engineer named James, alone inside his apartment. He becomes anxious when he learned that he is a human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) positive.
His parents (Pacilan and Flores) arrive in their house to join him for dinner.
“Okay, ra ka dong?” Flores asks Dagatan. (Are you okay, son?)
“Unsa’y problema, nak?” Pacilan said. (What is the problem, son?)
Dagatan then handed a copy of his HIV positive result to his mother.
“Ma, pa, pasayloa ko ninyo,” Dagatan answered. (Ma, Pa, please forgive me.)
Razo said that “Panihapon” teaches the viewers that every choice has a consequence.
“It can be for better or for the worse,” he added.
The CineSpectra 2019 Short Film Festival is organized by the FDCP, EON Foundation, LOVE YOURSELF, and Directors’ Guild of the Philippines, Inc. (DGPI).
The festival will take place at the TriNoma Mall and at the Ayala Malls Cinemas in Quezon City from August 26 to 27 and at the Cinematique Centre venues in Manila, Iloilo and Davao on August 28.
This year’s festival focuses on HIV/AIDS awareness and carries the theme “Your Judgement, Their Life.”
According to FDCP, the film festival is a “vehicle to foster a deeper, human rights-based understanding of HIV/AIDS.”
Completing this year’s CineSpectra roster of finalists are “A” (Roylan Modina), “Alex & Aki” (Dexter Paul De Jesus), “Ang Gasgas Na Plaka Ni Lolo Bert” (Janina Gacosta and Cheska Marfori), “Doon Sa Isang Sulok” (Alfredo Tapang Jr.) , “Gulis” (Kyle Jumayne Francisco), “Ikaw Din?!” (John Aaron Alsol), “Quieter is Louder” (Kathleen Gonzales), “Taya” (John Aurthur Mercader), and “Taym Pers, Pers Taym” (Ma. Ceazara Vidallo)./elb
