Finally, A Dedicated Program of Shorts on the Big Screen By : Rianne Hill Soriano
YEHEY! Contributors
1 July 2008 | 9:12 AM
A selection of 7 short films by the Katorse Writers Group (batch 14
workshoppers of Ricky Lee's f scriptwriting workshops) graces
Robinson's Galleria's Indie Sine with "Katorse Shorts," a selection
of 7 short films in a dedicated program normally given to full-length
films only. With themes ranging from the romantic to the absurd to
the tragic, the program is meant to bring to the consciousness of
Filipino audiences that the short film medium is also a cinematic art
form that can hold its own.
Overall, the films show strength in concept, story, and treatment
amidst the many given limitations for such indie shorts having to
cope up with financial and time constraints, lack of technical
resources, among others.
The "Katorse Shorts" line-up include:
"Ang Kapalaran ni Virgin Mario" (11 mins.)
By: Ogi Sugatan
Cast: Yul Servo, Forsyth Cordero
Gay lovers, Mario and Jose, experience the most joyful of mysteries.
6th SHORTMOVES International Film Festival, GERMANY
Jakarta Slingshortfest (2006)
International Short Film Festival Detmold "FilmLichter06"
The film is stylized with comic acts about a pregnant male. It puts
allegories catering to the kind of audience who are into the more
figurative offers. With a theatrical presentation in depths of black,
its visual elements merely include the characters and the significant
elements supporting the scenes' requirements. Considering the many
kinds of audiences, this short film absurdly renders fleeting
emotions within its minimalist surroundings that some might find
interesting, some might find wackily droll, and some might find
weird.
"Ambulancia" (15 mins)
By: Richard Legaspi
Cast: Alan Paule, Nor Domingo
Ambulancia tells of a painful twist in an ambulance driver's belief
that a dying patient can be saved by running over stray animals on
the streets.
In Competition, International Panorama of Film and Video, Patras City
Greece 2008
In Competition, NOUSSA International Film Festival, Greece 2008
Winner, Quisumbing Escandor Film Festival, Best Short Narrative 2008
Winner, Grand Prize, Viva-PBO Digitales, Philippines 2008
Official Selection, Asian Film Academy Fellows Night Screening, S.
Korea 2007
Official Selection, CineManila International Film Festival 2007
The film's screenplay is its major strength. Overall, the
performances give it justice. The dialogues coincide with the tight
pacing. The cuts succeed in building tension to the scenes requiring
such. Trying to drive with that careful balance of keeping the twist
while letting the main character indulge with the right emotions, a
little more depth to how the character delivers the goods for a more
solid pain and empathy to his plight, and this film elevates itself
further.
"Manyika" (15 mins.)
By: John Wong
Cast: Bor Ocampo, Sheenly Vee Gener
Manyika is a tale of talking teddies, an impatient miss, and a
misunderstood lover.
Best Short Film, 2006 Cinemadali Short Film Competition
The film could have been as mushy and overbearing like its stuff
toys; and yet, it turns out striking – mainly come climax time.
Within its realistic treatment, there is a kind of mystery
established in the characterization that makes the film work. The
voiceovers could have been lessened a bit and things would just be
fine. There are some dragging expositions that could probably be due
to limitations in the production. Nevertheless, the film's touching
end creates such an emotional slice of life story.
"Puwang" (25 mins)
By: Anna Isabelle Matutina
Cast: Elmo Redrico, Roence Santos, Bon Reyes, Lorena Landicho
Puwang is a starkly real look into a family on the verge of falling
apart in the face of impending death.
2007 Official Selection: Lyon Asian Film Festival, France
2006 Finalist: Cinemalaya Independent Film Festival
2006 Exhibition Film: Cinemanila International Film Festival
As a father-to-his children story and vice-versa, this melodrama
about life and living life promotes simple shots while delivering
lines with the right emotional baggage at work. Its minimalist
production design and cinematography blend well with the story as it
carefully stitches issues that has damaged family relationships.
"Dead Letter" (20 mins)
By: Grace Orbon
Cast: Gamaliel Nicolas, Edel del Llarte
A young man's journey into the world of writing.
In Competition, 3rd Singapore Short Film Festival 2006
Poetic on its own, there is that consistent angst expressed through
words uttered by the main character. However, the film still needs
further direction in order to solidify its point and effectively
bring the linear and abstract aspects of its storytelling
requirements effectively into the medium.
"Lababo" (17 mins)
By: Seymour Barros Sanchez
Cast: Nerissa Icot, Virnie Tolentino, Stephen Patrick Moore
Lababo is the story of a young woman and a crazy woman who both fell
in love with the same American soldier.
Grand Prize, Viva's PBO Digitales Short Film Competition 2007
In competition, 48th Bilbao Film Festival in Spain 2006
In exhibition, Internal Affairs 1, Jakarta Slingshortfest 2006
In exhibition, 8th Cinemanila International Film Festival 2006
In competition, 8th International Panorama of Independent Film and
Video in Greece
Consistent with its style, the film's progressive tone is apparent
the whole time. Its supposed lines are merely supported by the
talking radio announcer serving what voiceovers would normally offer –
while also working as good metaphors on how the Philippines tend to
seek leftovers from America in various respects. The narrative could
have benefited further by utilizing more of the thoughts and emotions
of the woman character inside the house waiting for her man's return.
And such could have further enhanced the emotional plunge into the
many issues the film presents.
"Walong Linggo" (18 mins)
By: Anna Isabelle Matutina
Cast: Jaymee Joaquin, Joey Santos
A young man who sits alone in a cafe every Sunday morning suddenly
finds himself strangely falling in love with a girl he doesn't know.
The film's treatment seems to be paying homage to the silent era
films where the visuals and music comprise the totality of the film's
technical and audio-visual aspects. It puts the unspoken information
through texts like title cards in the opening or closing credits of
films of today. And the musical score plays a significant role in
establishing the mood for each theme and the emotional needs of its
love story.
