DAVAO CITY– “PNB 12-50” a short film produced by students from the University of the Philippines Mindanao (UP Min) bagged third prize honors in the 2024 Metro Manila Film Festival.
Directed by 19-year old Ryan Paul Resuena and produced under their group Salom Productions, “PNB 12-50” was chosen to be part of this year’s Metro Manila Film Festival under the Student Short Film Competitions.
Resuena’s short film set in 2012 follows a man separated from her daughter during the onslaught of Typhoon Pablo in New Bataan, Davao de Oro.
The filmmaker who hails from Sarangani Province is currently a second year BA Communication and Media Arts Student at UP Mindanao. He says the MMFF provided them a platform to share stories from Mindanao to a wider audience.
“Gigamit namo siya na avenue” (we used it as an avenue) to let people know the relevance of Mindanao. We should be given importance too,” he said in an earlier media interview.
As part of the MMFF, it is being shown in theaters nationwide and paired with full-length MMFF entry “Strange Frequencies: Taiwan Killer Hospital”
Resuena said the short film highlights the relevance of typhoon Pablo in the history of Mindanao which occurred during the Christmas season.
The student short film competition is a partnership between the MMFF and the Film Development Council of the Philippines aimed at showcasing the creativity of young filmmakers. During the call for entries, the FDCP received 300 entries from across the country.
Aside from UP Mindanao, student short films coming from Mindanao State University-General Santos City, University of the Philippines Diliman, University of Makati, City of Malabon University, De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde, Bulacan State University, and STI College Ortigas-Cainta were chosen as the ten finalists.
University of Makati’s “Saan Aabot ang 50 pesos Mo?” won the first prize for Best Student Short Film, A Delivery Rider from City of Malabon University won second prize while another Mindanaoan short film “Inang Wak-Wak” from Mindanao State University- General Santos City was given the Special Jury Prize.
PBBM promotes MMFF
Meanwhile President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. has encouraged Filipinos to patronize the films shown at the MMFF.
“Ang mga magagandang pelikulang kalahok ngayon ng golden year ng MMFF ay siguradong magbibigay ng gintong saya at mag-iiwan ng mga ginintuang aral.” the President said in his message.
( The beautiful films participating in the golden year of the MMFF will surely bring golden joy and will leave golden lessons).
The full-length film entries in the 50th MMFF were And the Breadwinner is…, Green Bones, Isang Himala, The Kingdom, Strange Frequencies: Taiwan Killer Hospital, Espantaho, Hold Me Close, My Future You, Topakk, and Uninvited.
During the MMFF awards night held December 27, GMA Pictures’ “Green Bones” won Best Picture award. The film also won the awards for Best Actor (Dennis Trillo) and Best Screenplay (for Ricky Lee and Angeli Atienza).
