Nine local filmmakers have been selected to receive Php 100,000 production grants each to bring their short film projects to life for the upcoming 3rd Bacolod Film Festival, set for November 27 to 29.
This year’s festival carries the theme “Pag-angot: Celebrating Heritage, Shaping Our Future,” highlighting Bacolod’s rich heritage, local communities, traditions, and evolving cultural landscape.
The grants will be released in two tranches and complemented by workshops and script mentoring sessions designed to support the filmmakers throughout the production process. The selected directors will shoot their films across different locations in Bacolod, incorporating the city’s heritage and identity into their stories.
Each short film, which must run between 15 and 20 minutes, is required to feature three to five distinct heritage markers from Bacolod. These may include historical landmarks, local traditions, culinary highlights, and the everyday experiences of Bacolodnons.
Festival Director Tanya Lopez emphasized the importance of documenting these elements through film, particularly as the city’s urban landscape continues to change. The films are envisioned to preserve glimpses of Bacolod’s roots while giving present and future audiences a deeper connection to the city’s heritage.
Bacolod Mayor Greg Gasataya also reaffirmed the local government’s support for the city’s growing creative industry. Among the initiatives cited are City Ordinance 1061, or the Bacolod Film Festival Ordinance, and the G-Hive creative industry hub at the Mansilingan Activity Center, which provides filmmakers access to equipment and studio spaces.
The selected projects were evaluated by a panel composed of Jonathan Jurilla, filmmaker, professor, and TaliSine Film Festival director; Helen Arguelles-Cutillar, tourism and cultural advocate and Festival Director of Sagay City’s Margaha Film Festival; and Rolin Miguel Cadallo Obina, playwright, Bais City Culture and Arts Officer, and Festival Director of the Bais Film Festival.
The nine winning entries explore themes ranging from local folklore and family relationships to personal identity and community life. They are Rolf Dubouzet Baynosa’s “Beware of Dog,” Farleen John Casidsid’s “Si Balong Ginbulang,” Dranreb Cimatu’s “Buklod Balod Bakod Bacolod,” Renzo Grijaldo’s “Ka Aslum Sang Batwan,” Jaden Mijares’ “PrinCaesar,” Mai Montelibano’s “Lumay,” Kurt Soberano’s “Duwa Duwa,” Reginald Amador Zack Verzosa’s “Tukturuok,” and Pamela Reinee Viedor’s “Ang Tagabantay.”
For student filmmakers Casidsid and Mijares, the grant program provides an important opportunity for emerging filmmakers to gain hands-on experience in film production while bringing stories rooted in Negros Occidental to a wider audience.
Through the production grants, mentorship activities, and heritage-focused storytelling, the 3rd Bacolod Film Festival continues to create opportunities for local filmmakers while using cinema to document, celebrate, and preserve the city’s cultural identity.
