A Kagay-anon film totally created, acted, produced and financed in Cagayan de Oro has been invited to compete in a film festival in. Germany.
Joeromer “JoeBacs” E. Bacus, a filmmaker based in Cagayan de Oro City is the Director, Writer, and Producer of the short film Happy Fiesta, which had its international premiere at the 28th ExGrounds Film Festival in Wiesbaden, Germany last November 13-22, 2015. (http://www.exground.com/2015/ENG/programm/programm-kurze-vorfilme-happyfiesta.html)
JoeBacs with the tool of his trade
“Happy Fiesta” was one of two Filipino short features which were featured “out-of-competition” along with “Junilyn Has (Carlo Francisco Manatad) and “Wawa” (Anj Macalanda) which was “in-completion.” Two Filipino full-length features “Makakabaung” (Jason Paul Laxaman) and “The Janitor” (Michael Tuviera) were also featured in the festival. ( http://entertainment.inquirer.net/183263/ph-film-competes-in-exground#ixzz41NlDeNzN )
Happy Fiesta is a 9-min fictional short feature with no dialogue about a Caucasian dressed in black who pays local hospitals nightly visits, carrying an ice bucket intent on luring women to spend nights with him as his modus operandi as member of an international organ-trading syndicate. This night, however, he meets a mysterious woman who proves to be his match.
Happy Fiesta movie poster
The film’s success in Wiesbaden has led to another invitation to Europe this time in competition at the Landshuter Kurz Film Festival on March 9-14, 2016 in Landshut, Bavaria, Federal Republic of Germany.
“The opportunity to compete in such international film festivals is what filmmakers dream of. The chance to represent his country is a monumental event for any artist,” Mr. Bacus said.”What makes it more special is how the film would be the first locally made and produced one that involved Kagay-anon actors and production crew that has made it to Europe. For it to be recognized and invited to stand among other films from different countries around the world is a feat in itself.”
“Happy Fiesta” will compete with some 250 short and feature length films from 52 countries selected for the festival, one of the most popular in Germany for Independent Films. The film also won the “Best Editing” award for JoeBacs in the 10th Mindanao Film Festival held in Davao City. It was also featured in Cinema Rehiyon 2015 held last August 6-9, 2015 at the SM Cinema, Cinema Oriente 1 & 2 and FMA Mini Theater in Cebu City, and the Davao Ngilgig Film Festival 2015 held Oct. 30 to Nov. 2, 2015 at the Cinematheque Davao, Davao City.
Cinema Rehiyon is the flagship program of the NCC and showcases regional films from Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao, while Davao Ngilngig Film Festival is a horror film festival featuring films from the Davao Ngilngig Film Camp and other film makers from all over Mindanao.
JoeBacs in action
However, despite the invitation, JoeBacs remains unsure if he can make it to Germany for the film festival by next week.
“With the encouragement of the developing film-making community in Cagayan de Oro City and the Northern Mindanao area, we are hoping to raise enough funds for me to be able to travel to Germany in time for the duration of the festival on the first week of March of this year. Currently, we are trying to raise funds needed to pay for my travel expenses.”
JoeBacs won the coveted “Best Director” diadem for his film “The End of War” in the 10th Mindanao Film Festival, which was also featured in the 1st Himugso Film Festival held June 12-15, 2015 at the Centrio Cinemas as part of the city-wide celebration of the Himugso Festival. It was cited as the “Best Mindanao Short Film” in the 2nd SalaMindanaw International Film Festival, and won “Short Film of the Year” (Open Category) in the University of the Philippines Cebu UPelikula 2015.
Ika-3 Putahe movie poster
An earlier film, Ika III Putahi (Recipe No. 3) bagged the Best Short Film in the professional category, Best Art Direction, Best Story, Best Sound Scoring, Best Editing, Best Director, and Best Actor (Rusty Quintana) in Cinemagis 6, last 2014 in Cinemagis 6, Northern Mindanao’s digital short film festival.
It was also featured in the 3rd Singkuwento International Film Festival February 19-27, 2016 at the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) in Intramuros, Manila; FACINE 22: The 22nd Annual Filipino International Cine Festival held in San Francisco, California last year, 9th Mindanao Film Festival, and Salamindanaw International Film Festival.
Cinemagis 6 Awards
“I hope to inspire my fellow Cagayan de Oro and Misamis Oriental with this milestone, to prove to them that even they themselves can do it; and I hope it would spark a renewed feeling of desire for future filmmakers to make important art that would honestly express the uniqueness of the Kagay-anon and the Filipino,” he added.
For those who wish to help “JoeBacs” in his journey to Germany, you may contact him through his mobile phone 0926-462-5369 or email him imoortalsproduction@gmail.com.
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