Bacolod’s next generation of filmmakers unveil stories on Sept. 12-15

Ten budding filmmakers from Bacolod will showcase short films with the theme “Stories with a Smile” during the maiden Bacolod Film Festival on Sept. 12 to 15.

The screenings will be at SM City Bacolod and Ayala Malls Capitol Central cinemas.

“Get ready to witness the remarkable works of the finalist filmmakers, each bringing their unique stories that are sure to leave you with a smile,” the Bacolod Film Festival Council said in a statement.

Festival director Seymour Sanchez earlier said the 10 selected screenplays “all represent Bacolod City in one way or another.”

The Bacolod Film Festival, a part of the city’s initiative under the Philippine Creative Industries Development Act, will receive funding support of PHP2 million from the Department of Trade and Industry’s Lunsod Lunsad Project.

The finalists include Chelsea Tasic (“A Flower A Day”), Charlene Mae Tupas (“Aninaw”), Juan Carlo Miguel Araullo (“Blind Date”), Georgia Mari Elardo (“Chicken Inasal”), Reginald Amador Zack Verzosa (“Glub”), Mary Pauline O. Santos (“Laragway sa Karon”), Banjo Hinolan (“Manokan Country”), Willbryan Garcia (“Puli Na, Diche Lesly”), Vincent Joseph Entuna (“Sa Pwesto ni Pistong”), and Oscar Villanueva (“The Mansion”).

They each received a production grant of PHP300,000 from the city government.

Each short film, which can be of any genre, such as romance, drama, comedy, or horror in any Filipino language with English subtitles, has a total running time of 15 to 20 minutes.

The trailers can now be viewed on the Bacolod Film Festival YouTube channel.

“A Flower A Day” shows how a young woman finds solace amid the faded charm of a quiet, rundown café and draws the attention of an intrigued barista, while “Aninaw” tells of how three friends, in pursuit of finding the place where their deepest desires will come true, embark on a journey against the backdrop of an evolving city and their failing memory.

In “Blind Date,” two savvy social media stars get set up and struggle to meet up at all, while a teenager goes through her usual day with her father with no idea that the best surprise of her life is going to happen in “Chicken Inasal” set in 2222 in the cyberpunk city of Bacolod.

“Glub” is about an outcast who wants to have someone who understands him and meets a person who he thinks would be the one, while an old man aims to win a photography contest to solve his financial challenges and meets a young and spirited photographer in “Laragway sa Karon.”

“Manokan Country” is a story of a determined restaurant owner in Bacolod City facing off against a ruthless real estate developer in a high-stakes Chicken Inasal cooking competition to save his family’s eatery and preserve the heart of his community.

A successful Filipino-Chinese artist drives home to her hometown of Bacolod for her father’s heart surgery in “Puli Na, Diche Lesly,” a bittersweet story of family ties and the things one does for love.

“Sa Pwesto ni Pistong” (The Barber’s Chair) tells of a humble barber navigating a tumultuous era while serving a diverse array of customers, including a prominent haciendero and an idealistic nephew.

In “The Mansion,” a young artist struggling to find inspiration becomes obsessed with the local legend of the White Lady, leading them to a haunting encounter and a creative awakening.* (Nanette Guadalquiver)