THERE is a call for entries to the two categories of the Sine Halaga Film Festival and Educational Resources, a project of the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) and the Negros Cultural Foundation, Inc. (NCF).
Launched in August last year, the first Sine Halaga Film Festival showcased 12 Filipino films that highlight cultural values. It reached more than 5 million viewers in community, regional, national, and international face-to-face and online screenings. Sine Halaga collaborated with more than 50 writers, teachers, artists, and cultural workers in its various educational programs.
For its second year, the film festival will be accepting finished films from Filipino filmmakers and students produced between Jan. 1, 2021 and Sept. 30, 2022.
“The purpose of Sine Halaga is to strengthen film literacy programs in our country,” Sine Halaga National Festival Director Elvert Bañares said during an online press conference on Aug. 23.
Entries are to include one or more of the following 20 values in the film: valuing culture, arts, and sciences; love for the family and community; attaining education; faith and spirituality; health and wellness; addressing basic needs; self-development or self-improvement; ensuring work and livelihood; peace and development; honesty and integrity; resilience; life and purpose, happiness; respecting and upholding human rights; care for the environment; love for country; shared responsibility for the common good; good governance; upholding the rule of law; creative excellence; and lifelong learning and adaptability.
The values highlighted in the film competition are from the results of the NCCA National Survey for Filipino Values, conducted by Prof. Arvin Manuel Villalon and Jose Soliman, Jr. over two years. It is based on the Chapter 7 of the Philippine Development Plan on “Promoting Philippine Culture and Values through Bayanihan” which is aimed at valuing diverse cultures, and strengthening culture-sensitive governance.
“The films are made in a way to evoke a response,” Mr. Villalon said. “We would like to reflect or have that mirror of who we are as a Filipino.”
Sine Halaga is looking for cinematic stories/works in any genre (see first set of Sine Halaga films at http://www.sinehalaga.com) with a high regard for the narrative, the characters, and the film’s technical aspects and how these elements are creatively weaved together into one coherent whole using elements of cinema. The competition is not keen on accepting works with “in your face” messages, propaganda, infomercial, or values campaign.
Films with stories, characters and cultures of Indigenous Peoples are welcome, however, they must be sanctioned by the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP) and approved by the Indigenous Community being portrayed. Filmmakers should provide proof of consent and clearance with the communities and with the NCIP. Films without consent from the community with the intervention of NCIP will not be accepted.
Sine Halaga is open to all Filipino filmmakers (Filipino citizens currently residing in the Philippines) of good standing in their communities and with no criminal record.
Sine Halaga has two competitive categories for its second edition: Adult Filmmakers and Student Filmmakers.
The top three winning films in the Adult Filmmakers category will each win P100,000 and a Halagahan trophy. Five finalists will each win P20,000 and a Sine Halaga Certificates. For the Student Filmmakers category, the top three winning films will each win P50,000 and a Sine Halaga Certificate. Five finalists will each win P10,000 and a Sine Halaga Certificate.
Eight finalists will be chosen per category. Deadline of submission is on Sept. 30.
For the competition requirements and mechanics visit https://www.nccalearninghub.com/sinehalaga-rulesandjury. For updates, visit www.facebook.com/sinehalaga/.