• THERESA MAE DULMAN
The Bacolod city government officially launched the 3rd Bacolod Film Festival Aug. 3, with the call for entries for local filmmakers to showcase stories centered on the city’s rich cultural identity and evolving heritage.
The annual festival, institutionalized through City Ordinance 1061 authored by Councilor Em Ang, provides selected grantees with a P100,000 production grant alongside script consultations, workshops, and technical mentoring.
“We are promoting Bacolod as a center for filmmaking. Bacolod is becoming more known and is already on the radar of the Metro Manila Film Festival,” Ang said, adding the festival provides a platform not just for filmmakers but also for production teams involved in the making of short films.
This year’s festival focuses on the theme “Pag-angot: Celebrating Heritage, Shaping Our Future”, and highlights stories, oral traditions, and cultural legacies that shape the identity of Bacolod City.
Festival director Tanya Lopez explained that the committee will prioritize selecting compelling scripts first, before the technical team verifies the eligibility of the Bacolod-based applicants.
Bacolod filmmakers have until Aug. 21 to submit original live-action film concepts, with all filming locations required to be identified in the screenplay, and shot exclusively within the city.
Eight to 10 selected finalists will be revealed during the official announcement of grantees on Aug. 26.
The chosen films will premiere in Bacolod cinemas during the festival proper, starting on Nov. 27, while the awarding ceremony will be on Nov. 29.
The juries will include a festival director or producer, a film critic or educator, and three award-winning short or experimental film directors. | TMD
