An absurd romantic-comedy story of two praying mantises won as this year’s Best Short Film during the Margaha Film Festival awarding ceremonies at the Sagay City Public Plaza recently.
“Taga-Taga” (praying mantis) directed by Trini Archie Garcia, a college student from Colegio San Agustin-Bacolod, bested six other films in the fifth edition of SineMargaha, which the jury cited for setting a new trend of filmmaking in Sagay.
“Highly experimental in form and content, this film brings (us) to a world that, while human emotions still exist, is really about different creatures”, the jury citation stated, adding “Different from us, they are part of Nature and we learn more about being human from them than from depictions of how we are superior to them”.
The film explores the story of a female praying mantis facing a moral dilemma of whether to consider a romantic involvement with a playful male mantis that helps her in finding a new mate, instead of him.
The characters of the mantises were played by Romeo Descartin Jr., and Zoe Clarisse Limson.
Garcia’s film was also awarded for its direction, screenplay, cinematography, actor, supporting actor, editing, and sound design.
This year’s SineMargaha panel of jurors were film critic and anthropologist Tito Valiente, National Committee on Cinema chairperson Butch Ibañez, “Nocebo” actress Chai Fonacier, award-winning director Arden Rod Condez, creative writer Kenneth Rivera, and local historian Rod Florentino.
The SineMargaha Jury Prize award was given to the film “Mananguete”, directed by Mery Grace Rama-Mission, which is about the dying tradition of coconut wine-making and an exploration of dementia.
“Mananguete can be described as traditional in its manner of storytelling, but it does not stop us from viewing the life of an ordinary family and reveal to us great lessons about simplicity and humility”, its citation states.
“Mananguete” also brought home awards for musical score, production design, poster, and the Nunelucio Alvarado Panublion Award.
Thirdy Macam’s “Bang Bang Bang Patay Ka Na Patay Ka Na” received the Margaha Excellence for Film Award for a modern treatment and “a cautionary tale about how films and, for that matter, social media, are dangerous and should never be ignored”.
SineMargaha also gave the first-ever Margaha Lifetime Achievement Award for Acting to Dante Macam, its press release said.
Other films in competition this year were “Aba” by Aljean Joulse Tagayong, “Kalye Bruka” by Joan Honoridez, “Lampitaw (Lady of the Night)” by Kent Raven Ardeña, and “Mahanduraw ko Nimo” by Ry Cortez.
The seven films are being streamed via JuanFlix, the online channel of the Film Development Council of the Philippines, until March 8.
The festival is one of the landmark programs of Sagay City, in partnership with Syano Artlink, Office of Vice Mayor Leo Rafael Cueva, Office of Neg. Occ. 2nd District Rep. Alfredo Marañon III, Negros Occidental provincial government, FDCP, NCCA, and the Balhasanay Filmmaking Movement.
This year’s edition was highlighted by a fluvial parade with the filmmakers at the Sagay Marine Reserve, a premiere night by the black sand beach of Margaha, and awarding ceremonies at the city public plaza Feb. 28. | Sagay City Information and Tourism Office photos
