FDCP, Diño reach out to the regions

To further reinforce the power and immense value of Philippine regional cinema, the Film Development Council of the Philippines (FDCP), led by Chairwoman Liza Diño, has been busy lending ears and hands to our filmmaking and film-appreciating brothers and sisters in the regions. 

Beginning with the Visayas and Mindanao film forums in late August, Diño personally visited regional cinema communities, gathering considerable audiences at the FDCP Cinematheques Iloilo and Davao to discuss the needs of their specific regions and cultures.

These forums sought to recognize and address the unique concerns of the different regions that require their own solutions and plans of action, with essential examples, such as Western Visayas’ own CineKasimanwa festival and Mindanao’s focus on Lumads and Moros.

This continued in the Northern Luzon Film Forum, held at the FDCP Cinematheque Baguio, to give a voice to the thriving art community there. Meanwhile, one of many workshops planned by the FDCP has begun in Iloilo and Baguio—the “Make the Cut: Editing Workshop”— which would also be held in Manila, and later on in Davao and Zamboanga.

Recognizing the importance of regional festivals in celebrating local film talent, Diño was also present in recent film festival-related events. Early last month she visited the University of Baguio to attend the press conference for the 8th Cinema Rehiyon, a festival organized by the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) to cater to the country’s regions.

Also last month, Diño sat down with the festival directors of the Mindanao Film Festival and Guerilla Filmathon in Davao to help in the promotion of their art. She also showed her support to the Nabunturan Independent Film Exhibition (Nabifilmex) 2016, Compostela Valley’s own open-air film festival.

From Davao, Diño flew to Cebu to attend the Binisaya Film Festival and hold the Central Visayas Film Forum at the University of San Carlos’ Safad Theater, where she recognized the necessity of the region to have a cinema hub, such as the Cinematheque, to support the community and to utilize the FDCP’S Philippine Film Export Service Office (Pfeso) to help local and foreign productions shooting in Cebu and creating opportunities for the film industry and tourism to thrive there.

The future holds great promise for Philippine cinema, thanks to the efforts of the FDCP and Diño. More workshops and seminars are set to be held in regional communities next year, as well as financial support for regional festivals, travel assistance to filmmakers recognized in festivals abroad, and extensive audience development programs to be given in empowering Philippine cinema.