08/08/2020
VHF on Philippine Star
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Films on the quarantine experience
Entrepreneur and producer Dr. Carl Balita has been engaged in the campaign for the public to stay home during the quarantine, especially in March when the Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ) was imposed (and, again, effective Aug. 3 to 17).
Among the strategies that Carl has launched was the Video Home Festival (VHF), a short-film making competition anchored on the theme “Lockdown.” The challenge of the competition is the filmmaking while observing social distancing at home without much technology, space and casts available for filmmakers.
“I knew that the filmmakers were oozing with creativity in the new normal and were itching to express their craft even with all the limitations of a quarantine experience,” says Carl, who is a film producer. “We were surprised when after more than a month from our launch, entries came in from professionals, film students and enthusiasts.”
The festival aims to raise funds for the Mowelfund (Movie Workers Foundation, Inc.), an idea welcomed by board member Boots Anson Roa-Rodrigo and president Rez Cortez.
Mowelfund and Carl’s Review Center (CBRC) are exploring how to bring the collaboration to a more productive level. Festival director Jek David noted that some of the entries have international caliber.
VHF will be screened through Binge Wave, an international festival screening platform based in the USA, on Sept. 3 to 4. The Awards Night will be held virtually on Sept. 15. The board of judges is composed of Boots, Rez, director Jay Altarejos, actress Angeli Bayani and film critic Oggs Cruz.
Proceeds from the VHF will be given directly to the MovieMowelfund.
VHF consists of new films from fresh filmmakers of different backgrounds putting their quarantine experience on film, namely Tayo (directed by Armyr Encarnacion), Dead Cough (Bleaux Bastasa), 3 a.m. (Jei Del Rosario), Salmo ’91 (Jerico Ellorenco), Witness (Juan Carlos Ojano), Love Letter (Juan Carlo Tarobal), Last Sem na ni Peter (Ken Leviste), Hugas Kamay (Kim delas Alas), Awit (Lander Sy), Why? Fi (Mark Balderama), Dagiti Tallo a Virgen (Three Virgins, Melver Ritz Gomez), Karen Is Trying to Connect (Regin De Guzman), Class of 2020 (Robinson Planilla), Ayuda (Ryan Termoso), Siklo (Sophie Casasola), Ibayo ng Pagtangis (Sophie Casasola, Francis Tavas and Le Anne Flores), Online Classes (Sofia Jornacion) and Sina Xander at Ang Universe (Vahn Pascual)
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