MARAWI CITY – The best film and photograph entries for the Bangsamoro Short Film Peacetival and Photography Contest were awarded during the regional celebration of the International Youth Day 2020 on Wednesday, August 12, in Cotabato City.
The awarding ceremony was led by the Bangsamoro Youth Commission of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BYC-BARMM).
Short film entry “Inged II: Ukha The Story Untold” directed by Hassanodden Hosni Hashim was awarded Best Short Film and received Php200,000 cash prize.
Inged II is a movie that captures a story of a young breadwinner who joins an insurgent group with the promise of getting an easy way out of hard life to help his sick mother, never expecting to be involved in a much bigger scheme.
The 2nd Best Short Film or the Grand Jury Prize was awarded to “Displaced” directed by Aedrian Araujo and received Php100,000 cash prize while the 3rd Best Short Film or Jury Prize was awarded to “Mael” directed by Prince Nor-Anzarrih Matalam with Php75,000 cash prize.
Other technical and special awardees are Best Director: Aedrian Araojo of “Displaced”, Best Screenplay: “Mael”, Best Cinematography: “Inged II: Ukha The Story Untold”, Best Editing: “Inged II: Ukha The Story Untold”, Best Poster: “Inged”, People’s Choice Award: “Inged II: Ukha The Story Untold”, Best Performance: Boks Mamadra from “Mael” and Mohammad Kouzbary Lucman Dias of “Inged II: Ukha The Story Untold.”
The winners each received a cash prize worth Php20,000 and the other five film entries also received Php20,000 consolation prize.
Teng Mangansakan, along with Edward Cabagnot and Joe Bacus were the judges for the film festival. “We hope that the Bangsamoro filmmakers will be instrumental in reshaping the landscape of our national cinema,” Mangsansakan said.
Winners of the Photography Contest were also awarded. 1st Best Photograph was the “Ilaw ng Tahanan” by Bulawan Dizal. The photograph shows a mother helping her child studying in a candle-lit nipa house.
Dizal said the photo magnifies the importance of education in the lives of the Bangsamoro people. “Kahit laki tayo sa hirap, nothing is impossible as long as we support the education of our children,” Dizal added.
The 2nd Best Photograph was “Innocence Pain” by Mohammad Kouzbary Lucman Said while the 3rd Best Photograph is the entry of Aljiber Ismael. The winners received cash prize amounting to Php20,000, Php15,000, and Php10,000, respectively.
The “Yes for Peace” entry of Farida Dizal bagged the Online Choice Award and received Php5,000 cash prize.
Ten other photography entries also received Php5,000 each as a consolation prize.
Mark Naval, together with Bennajar Hajan and Joeffrey Maitem, led the jury for the photography contest.
Executive Secretary Abdulraof Macacua cited that the Bangsamoro Government needs inspiring and positive-thinking youth to contribute to nation-building.
“We have gathered here not just to celebrate the creativity of Young Bangsamoro but also to give due regard to our values and morals which these qualifiers have demonstrated,” said Marjanie Macasalong, chairperson of the BYC and Member of the Parliament of Bangsamoro Transition Authority.
Meanwhile, Nass Dunding, chairperson of programs and operations of BYC-BARMM, said ‘the short film peacetival and photography contest mainstream BARMM community-based stories of peace, conflicts, survival, and hopes.”
International Youth Day is an international day dedicated by the United Nations to raise awareness of the cultural and legal issues surrounding the youth. This year’s celebration bears the theme “Youth Engagement for Global Action.” (BPI/PIA ICIC)
