First Bacolod Film Festival to be held in July

By Glazyl Y. Masculino

The Bacolod City government has established a platform for local filmmakers to display their talents and craft through the Bacolod Film Festival.

This initiative, under City Ordinance No. 1061, was unanimously passed during the 85th regular session of the Sangguniang Panlungsod (SP) on February 14, with Mayor Alfredo “Albee” Benitez signing it on February 21.

Councilor Em Ang, the committee chairperson on History, Culture, and Arts and the author of the ordinance, highlighted that this festival will provide local creatives with visibility among national and international film outfits, given that many filmmakers from Bacolod have already garnered awards on these stages.

Ang underlined the city’s wealth of talent in scriptwriting, makeup artistry, and costume design, many of whom have found success in Manila.

The aim is to launch the festival in July, and the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) has been roped in for partnership regarding funding, leveraging Republic Act (RA) 11904 or the Philippine Creative Industries Development Act.

“Bacolod is the very first one to avail of that by way of our film festival,” Ang said.

The city has earmarked an initial P1 million for the festival, with aspirations, supported by Mayor Benitez, to push the budget to P3 million this year.

This aligns with the mayor’s vision to host monthly activities that attract participants, guests, and visitors to invigorate local tourism and stimulate the economy.

The festival is set to feature around 10 entries, with filmmakers receiving a P300,000 subsidy each. These entries will undergo pre-screening by the Bacolod Film Festival Council, which will manage the festival.

Furthermore, short films from the participants will be showcased in local cinemas over two weekends, culminating in an awards night.

While filmmakers are not mandated to shoot entirely in Bacolod, they must be bona fide residents of the city to qualify.

The unique aspect is that a single ticket will allow a moviegoer to enjoy four short films, providing a compact and diverse cinematic experience.

Mayor Benitez emphasized the importance of this festival as a medium to promote local talents and asserted that Bacolod has much to be proud of, including nationally acclaimed directors, actors, and storytellers.

Councilors Cindy Rojas and Celia Matea Flor co-authored the ordinance, which is rooted in the broader context of RA 7160 or the Local Government Code of 1991, mandating local government units (LGUs) to nurture and enrich cultural life within their jurisdictions.

The ordinance, comprising 21 sections, details the formation of the Bacolod Film Festival Council, its responsibilities, the Festival Director’s role, the selection process, awards, and funding sources.