TEN MOVIES were presented in the 8th Indie-Siyensya Film Festival at Cinematheque Centre Davao from Oct. 14 to 18 showcasing the interconnection between science and Filipino culture filmmaking.
Out of the almost 100 entries, 10 made it to the final list for this year’s Indie-Siyensya Film Festival highlighting the importance of storytelling bridging the gap between science and the everyday lives of Filipinos. The judges were from different disciplines like film, science, and communication.
“This competition is a platform where filmmakers can tell stories that inspire curiosity, critical thinking, and innovation. All essential in addressing the challenges of today and tomorrow,” Department of Science and Technology XI (DOST) regional director Dr. Anthony C. Sales said during the opening program.
The 10 films are in line with the theme “Science and Filipino Culture Siyensya sa Kulture, Kultura sa Siyensya.” Each entry has a maximum runtime of five minutes and are categorized into Youth and Open.
For the Youth category, the films are “Nganga, KaLikhasan,” “Gakit The Journey of Change,” “Gangis,” and “Decadent Bitterness.” Films for the Open category are “BANGHAY,” “Eksmen,” “Herbolaryo,” “Kalasag ng Tubod,” and “Through Each Thread.”
In an interview with Dr. Ruby R. Cristobal, member of the 8th Indie-Siyensya Filmmaking Competition, she said one of the goals of the festival is to teach the youth about filmmaking as a digital medium in capturing science and culture with proper techniques in camera work, editing, and storytelling while respecting intellectual property rights such as copyright.
The 8th Indie-Siyensya Film Festival is organized by the DOST, Department of Science and Technology – Science Education Institute (DOST-SEI), and the Film Development Council of the Philippines (FDCP).
The film festival was conducted simultaneously in five different Cinematheque Centres in the Philippines located in Iloilo, Manila, Negros, Davao, and Nabunturan. Online viewing of the selected films will be on Oneflix after the film festival from Oct. 19 to Nov. 8, with the awarding set to occur on Dec. 10 in Manila.
