SineHalaga 2 highlights Filipino values

By Easter Anne Doza

BACOLOD City – 20 Filipino values identified through the National Commission for Culture and the Arts Study on Filipino Values were highlighted in the film entries for the 2nd SineHalaga Film Festival and Educational Resources.

Sine Halaga, even at two years old, is considered one of 2021’s most successful festivals which, according to the Society of Filipino Film Reviewers, is the “Third Best Film Festival of 2021” – next to Cinemalaya and QCinema.

Sine Halaga National Festival Director Elvert Bañares said “with all these accomplishments in 2021 alone, there is a need to continue planting the seeds for new harvests as SineHalaga entered the second edition.”

From close to 100 film entries coming from Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao,  jurors, namely, Director Sari Dalena, Professor Skilty Labastilla, Mr. Teddy Co, Prof. Arvin Manuel Villalon, Director Baby Ruth Villarma; Dr. Flaudette Datuin, Director Adjani Arumpac, Dr. Rolando Tolentino, Director Jeffrey Jeturian and Professor Tito Valiente, were able to shortlist entries to top 8 finalists each for Student and Adult categories respectively.

“We have diverse and dynamic entries this year and we are proud of the finalists that our formidable jurors painstakingly deliberated,” Bañares added.

For Category A: Adult finalists include: MGA HANDUM NGA NASULAT SA BARAS directed by Richard Jeroui Salvadico and Arlie Sweet Sumagaysay; UNSOLVED EQUATION directed by Dexter Paul de Jesus; WALANG HANGGANG NANGIS directed by Lawrence Arvin Sibug; BASO directed by Patrick Lawrence Cabradilla Eugenio; HINAKDAL directed by Arvin Belarmino; MA, directed by Miguel Legaspi; MARIA MAKINANG directed by Gian Andre Rembrandt Dominguez Arre; and WRITE HERE directed by Jake Muñoz Consing.

Meanwhile for Category B: Student the finalists are: LAPIS AKONG NAGHIHINTAY NG PANTASA directed by Gerald Pesigan; LINDËNG directed by John Mark Decembrada Laguardia; SALI-MANOK directed by John Pistol Carmen; BIGKTIMASA directed by CM Bautista; HINDI KITA MALILIMUTAN directed by Vahn Leinard C. Pascual; IF YOU LEAVE ME, PLEASE LET ME KNOW directed by Patrick Pangan; SAKALING MAHIRAPAN KA directed by Karl Cedrick B. Marquez; and MALIKMATA directed by Jean A. Evangelista.

Sine Halaga, a project of the NCCA Values Program is in collaboration with the Negros Cultural Foundation Incorporated as well as prominent, noted and accomplished writers, teachers, artists, cultural workers in its various educational programs, keeping the promotion of Filipino values at the forefront. (PIA)