Saturday, May 2, 2009

Return to Casa San Miguel

  A year after our location shooting at Casa San Miguel in Zambalez, I was able to return for the 1st Pundaquit Film Festival.

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Our host and co-producer Coke Bolipata and Festival Director Ruelo Luzendo put together an interesting mix of films, all of which have a connection to this artist’s center in Zambalez, beginning with Sari Dalena’s seminal 16mm film,  “White Funeral” which featured dancers Myra Beltran and a young Nina Hayuma Habulan, in a lahar landscape shot also by our Concerto DOP, Regiben Romana.

As center piece of the festival, the young audience mostly of students in the area, had the rare opportunity to watch Concerto and Boses, the two Cinemalaya films co-produced by Casa San Miguel, in the actual location where they were shot.  

I missed the festival opening where the other filmmakers were present and instead was able to attend the last day of the festival. The kids had a fun time seeing Julian Duque, the child prodigy featured in Boses and Coke himself around the grounds after the screenings.

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I mentioned that they had the opportunity to figure out where Concerto was shot and some gamely explored our location after the screening.

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Returning to Casa San Miguel I remembered all the trials and miracles of our protracted 10 day shoot last year. 

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Truly a magical air of creativity abounds in Casa San Miguel. :)

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