FDCP encourages Mindanao filmmakers

THE Film Development Council of the Philippines (FDCP) is upbeat in promoting the film industry in Davao Region to encourage more aspiring and existing film makers all over Mindanao.

FDCP marketing officer Anthony Rebamonte said during Kapehan sa Dabaw at The Annex of SM City Davao yesterday that their effort is centered on expanding physically to endorse the film making industry here which is now in a developing stage. He said that there are only two FDCP offices in Mindanao located here and in Zamboanga City.

"So far so good, there is no problem with the status of film industry in Davao City," he said.

Davao is a home of award-winning film makers such as Jarell Serencio who earlier won as Best Director for his film Mga Bitoon sa Siyudad during the Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF) last December 2016.

Rebamonte added that they are trying to create a solid community for film makers here through conducting series of workshops and screening of award-winning films to encourage more film making enthusiast to engage in this industry.

"Malakas ang film industry dito sa Davao since may mga award-winning film makers na tayo na nakakarating sa international," he said.

Currently, he said that there are 104 solid film makers who are part of their ongoing Guerilla Film Making Workshop.

"We believe that from these 104 film makers, magkakaroon tayo ng film makers na hindi lang sisikat from Davao but we will give them freedom to produce films na dadalhin natin sa

Cinemalaya, sa CineFilipino, sa mga international films," he said.

FDCP is actively supporting its partners such as the yearly Mindanao Film Festival which has been existing for 13 years to give recognition to Mindanao's best films.

Earlier, Rebamonte said they conducted a workshop for teachers from public schools in the region dubbed as "Planting Seeds". It was a three-day teacher's symposium forum and workshop for them to be knowledgeable on concepts of film making which will be taught in senior high school students.

"Film Making was already integrated in K to 12 kaya lang kailangan ng implementation but wala lang idea ang mga teachers kung paano ituro kasi nga basically wala silang alam about film making kasi they are not film makers," he said, thus, with this activity they initiated it will help the teachers in upholding the basics of film making. JCR