Cineberde, an annual film festival of De La Salle Lipa (DLSL)’s AB Communication Department, returned to cinemas at SM City Lipa as ”Cineberde Rewind” after a seven-year hiatus, Oct. 4.
With the theme “Ang Naging Kulay ng Indie Dine,” the screening presented nine student thesis outputs, addressing various social issues, produced over the past three years.
- IFYKYK (Short Film)
- Ang Estado ng Kontraktwalisasyon sa Pilipinas at mga Epekto nito sa Ekonomiya (Online Discussion)
- Alon (Radio Drama)
- Puno’t Dulo ng Bahaghari (Documentary)
- Ang Kwento ni Mang Willy (Short Film)
- Manipis na Ipis (Short Film)
- Mga Dalaga ng Prusisyon (Radio Drama)
- Sa Aplaya, Doon, Sa Malayo (Documentary)
- Sa Likod ng Banal na Tanglaw (Short Film)
In an interview with Lavoxa Online, Cineberde Rewind head Lance Guevarra expressed that the event revival’s purpose was to recapture the missed experience of the audiences due to the festival’s hiatus the previous year.
“We wanted to give the people kung ano ba yung nawala last year. So, ang unang tagline namin ay ‘may muling nagbabalik’, but not just the Cineberde from last year, it’s from the previous years din,” Guevarra said.
He also added that mall showings could further attract the general public, drawing a wider audience compared to a campus screening.
“Sa school kasi hindi lahat pwede pumasok and limited ‘yung capacity, while dito naman it can really accommodate lahat. Not only will we attract students or faculty from De La Salle Lipa but this time we can attract non-Lasallians as well,” said Guevarra.
Meanwhile, Puno’t Dulo ng Bahaghari director Kyle Millave utilized his documentary to highlight the lack of recognition and naming laws for trans individuals, aiming to shift public perceptions of the trans community.
“I wanted to use my platform to shed light on the struggles of the LGBTQIA+ community, […] so that more people can understand […] trans people, and challenge the Philippine legal system when it comes to name and gender recognition policies” Millave said.
In addition, Alfonzo Castillo, director of Manipis na Ipis, shared his struggles as a student filmmaker and urged aspiring directors to stay determined despite doubts from others.
”The hardest challenge that I faced is the lack of belief from other people. When you see the script of my film on paper, people would be like “What is this?” So, [my advice would be] do what you want, [and] don’t let anyone tell you otherwise,” said Castillo.
Beyond its entertainment value, Guevarra emphasized the power of film as a medium to raise awareness and connect people together.
“Film talaga is a communication medium para mapresent natin [kung] ano ba ang nangyayari sa lipunan, ano ang kailangan natin maging aware [of], […] at ano ba ang kailangan nating ipaglaban,” Guevarra shared.
The one-day event ran from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. with a 200-peso admission fee.
Reports from Carl Joshua Macatunao
