First Filipino entry in "Woodstock of short films"
"Ambulancia," a short film written, directed, and produced by Richard
Legaspi, will compete and have its German premiere at the 32nd Open-Air Film Festival Weiterstadt, which will take place from August 14
to 18 on the arcadian site of the Braunshardter Taennchen.
Filmfest Weiterstadt, also known as the "Woodstock of short films,"
received more than 1,600 submissions worldwide and the festival
committee selected only 195 films this year.
Since 1977, the festival, which is one of the oldest "open air"
events of its nature in Germany, is "beyond comparison for its
dedication to screen films in diverse genres in an immense program."
Andreas Heidenreich, who is in charge of Weiterstadt's international
programming, revealed that "Ambulancia" is the first Filipino film
selected in their festival since it started. Aside from Legaspi's
short film, representing Asian Cinema in the festival this year are
films from Japan, Malaysia, Thailand, and a German-Chinese co-production.
Legaspi, a faculty of the University of the East College of Fine Arts
(UE CFA), is a fellow of the 2007 Asian Film Academy, an educational
program of the Pusan International Film Festival, South Korea and a
graduate of Ricky Lee's 14th scriptwriting workshop for film and
television.
"Ambulancia" has a painful twist about an ambulance driver, played by
character actor Alan Paule, who believes that a dying patient can be
saved by running over stray animals on the streets. Paule, who is
being managed by Ed Instrella, co-stars with thespian Nor Domingo of
the Philippine Educational Theater Association (PETA).
Legaspi was also ably supported by director of photography Albert
Banzon, assistant director Jules Katanyag, AD/co-producer/editor Anna
Isabelle Matutina, co-producer Eloisa Espino-Sanchez, production
manager/musical scorer Pam Miras, co-PM Seymour Barros Sanchez, and
production designers Sunny Completo, Bon Labora, Grace Orbon, and
Bernadette Reyes.
"Ambulancia" is also set to compete in other international film
festivals in Greece (Patras City), North Korea (Pyongyang), and the
United Kingdom (Bite the Mango) next month. It earlier won the grand
prize in the Viva – Pinoy Box Office (PBO) Digitales 2 short film
competition and the best short narrative film in the first Quisumbing-Escandor Film Festival for Health.
The film also competed in another festival in Greece (Naoussa) and
was exhibited in South Korea (Pusan's AFA Fellows' Night). It was
also screened as part of Cinemanila 2007's Young Cinema Night
program, Cinemalaya 2008's Best of Indie Sine Shorts `08: Katorse,
and University of Sto. Tomas' CineVita. Along with six other short
films from the Katorse Writers Group, it had a successful week-long
screening at the Robinsons Galleria Indie Sine last June.
Filmfest Weiterstadt, also known as the "Woodstock of short films,"
received more than 1,600 submissions worldwide and the festival
committee selected only 195 films this year. 
