'HERE, HERE'

Filipina director’s short film makes it to 2020 Locarno Film Festival’s Pardi di domani section

A short film directed by a young Filipina filmmaker has made it to the official selection of the 2020 Locarno Film Festival's Pardi di domani international competition.

"Here, Here" by Joanne Cesario, is among the 43 short films selected out of over 2,200 entries from all over the world.

The movie reimagines a once undisturbed town years after mining operations began, shedding light on the devastating effects that mining operations have on the environment, communities, and families. And with news of mining sites reopening, its theme is definitely of high relevance. 

In a statement, director Joanne Cesario spoke of Lobo, a town in her home province of Batangas, where a foreign extraction company was seeking to take over the area in the hopes of mining gold. Though the provincial government backed up the community in expressing their strong approval, large scale mining has long been an operation in several parts of the Philippines, affecting many lives in the process.

The film starring Kael Bo Vilar, Yes Layas and Carla Zarcal received a production grant and competed as part of the Shorts Competition of the 2019 QCinema International Film Festival.

Locarno is one of the longest-running film festivals in the world, having started in 1946. It is also known for being a prestigious platform for art-house films.

According to Suico, the last time the Philippines made it to the festival's Pardi di domani competitive section was in 2015.

The film festival is set to run from August 5-15 through a combination of online screenings  worldwide, alongside physical screenings held in Locarno, Switzerland.

This fabulous announcement comes at the heels of yet another Filipino movie being nominated in another international film fest.

Earlier, the Cinemalaya 2019 Audience Choice Awardee "Belle Douleur" was announced as among the nominees in the Best Drama Category of the Santorini Film Festival. — Margaret Claire Layug/LA, GMA News