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12 questions for the Rizal documentarist
Few journalists have devoted as much time and effort producing documentaries about Jose Rizal as Howie Severino, whose stories revealing the human side of our national hero have captured young audiences’ imagination. 
His documentaries, particularly Little Bad Boy: Ang Binatang Rizal sa Europa, have been shown in classrooms for years. That work portrays Rizal as a lonely overseas Filipino who falls in love and discovers Paris. More recently, Howie has produced two more Rizal documentaries, Ang Mga Lihim ng Pamilya ni Rizal and Ang Mahiwagang Ngiti ni Rizal, that show little known aspects of his life – the troubled family life of his mother Teodora Alonso and the personal stories behind the fascinating photos taken of the national hero in Paris. On September 12, the University of the Philippines Los Baños, Sigma Theta Delta, and GMA News and Public Affairs will be presenting the Howie Severino Docufest, in commemoration of Rizal’s 150th birthday celebration. In addition to screening Howie’s Rizal documentaries, the project will be sponsoring a competition for student documentaries. The docufest, which aims to re-establish the ideals of the national hero through the use of powerful narratives and youthful perception, will provide an avenue for student documentarists to showcase their work. Get to know the man behind “Little Bad Boy: Ang Binatang Rizal sa Europa", “Ang Mga Lihim ng Pamilya ni Rizal" and “Ang Mahiwagang Ngiti ni Rizal" with these 12 questions: 1. How did your documentary work on Rizal start? I've always been an admirer of Rizal. When I was in Europe in 2004 to do a documentary on the decline of Catholicism in Western Europe, my team and I had time to research and document some of the places Rizal visited and lived in in Belgium and Paris. That research became "Little Bad Boy." 2. Do you think Filipinos still need a hero such as Dr. Jose Rizal? He was extraordinary and ordinary at the same time. He had many inspiring qualities we should try to emulate. We need role models that we can relate to. I can't think of a better one for all Filipinos. 3. How do you think documentaries can shape the way Filipinos perceive their nation? Stories have powerful effects. National narratives are a basis for national cultures and identities. 4. How can Filipinos benefit from Rizal’s ideals? Rizal left a huge volume of writings that can still form the ways we perceive ourselves. We would be a much better nation if we paid more attention to what he had to say and how he lived his life. 5. What is the youth's role in shaping our future? They must let their voices be heard. They must study and work hard to convey intelligent, sensible opinions. 6. Why did you agree to participate in the docufest? It's an honor for me and a chance to tell stories about Rizal. And I know that students at UPLB have a special fondness for documentaries. I want to honor that too. 7. How do you think the docufest can affect students’ ideals? Documentaries have a special power to educate and inspire. 8. In your point of view, what were Rizal's greatest and weakest attributes? Greatest: His devotion to his country. Weakest: He chose not to join the revolution. 9. How do you think Rizal would react at this moment? He would be happy that we are recalling his vision for us but disappointed that it is far from reality. At the same time, he would continue to try to knock some sense into our heads. 10. What made you pursue the story of Rizal's ancestral home? I thought it was a disgrace that one of the last surviving structures from Rizal's life was being demolished and relocated from its original location. The story of the mansion was also a reason to investigate the colorful and sad life of Teodora Alonso. 11. How is history shaping the Philippines today? Nearly everything we are is a product of our history. 12. Is preserving culture and heritage important? Yes. That is like our nation's blood. We cannot be a nation without culture and heritage.
Mechanics for Howie Severino Docufest In commemoration of Rizal’s 150th birthday in 2011, the University of the Philippines Los Baños (UPLB) and Sigma Theta Delta, in cooperation with GMA News and Public Affairs, will be organizing a Howie Severino Docufest, a project aimed at reestablishing the ideals of Jose Rizal through the use of powerful narratives and youthful perception. Rules of the Contest 1. The contest is open from 22 August 2011 until 02 September 2011 to all bonafide UPLB students. 2. The documentary shall exemplify the theme of the competition: Rizal: Ang Kanyang Iba’t Ibang Katauhan sa Mata ng Kabataan. 3. Entries may be submitted by an individual or a group of at most four members. 4. A student may submit at most 3 entries. 5. Entries must not have been entered/have won in any previous competition. 6. As a documentary, the videos must be true stories about any aspect of Rizal’s life and work. Dramatizations are permitted. 7. Each documentary must have a length of 5 - 10 minutes only. 8. All videos must be original and must comply with copyright rules and regulations. Sources of information and materials used (i.e. music) must be properly acknowledged and credited in the video. 9. A 100-peso registration fee is required for each entry. 10. Each entry shall submit the documentary in a CD with its title. 11. The CD must be placed inside a brown envelope with the groups’ name and contact number. 12. In submitting an entry, a group represents and warrants that the work is his own and that he has absolute ownership of all intellectual property rights thereto. 13. Entries which do not comply with the requirements will be automatically disqualified. 14. Entries which qualified for the finals would be contacted through their contact number and class professor. 15. Entries will be evaluated based on the following criteria:
