Front Row docu 'Ang Pinakabata' on Cinemalaya 2012

FRONT ROW’S “ANG PINAKABATA” ON CINEMALAYA 2012 CCP Dream Theatre (Tanghalang Manuel Conde) July 25, 2012, 3:30PM At the tender age of 8, “Camille”, not her real name, was raped by her own father.  She got pregnant at age 9 - and at age 10, she gave birth to a baby boy, making her one of  the youngest mothers in Philippine history.   Despite her ordeal, “Camille” has demonstrated an exceptional level of resilience, strength, and courage for someone her age. “Camille” is currently under the care of the Department of Social Welfare and Development and had given up parental rights to her firstborn. She believed that it was the only way for her child to have a “normal” upbringing and a brighter future.   After a well-received broadcast on GMA News TV, Front Row’s “Ang Pinakabata” has been chosen by the Cinemalaya Independent Film Festival for a one-time special screening, making it the first television documentary to be given such honor.   Respected filmmaker Dr. Clodualdo del Mundo Jr., who acted as the programmer of the documentary section of this year’s Cinemalaya, extolled the thought-provoking subject of the documentary.   “Ang Pinakabata” deals with a sensitive subject - a very young girl, not beyond puberty, who gets pregnant.  It will make any sensitive viewer angry; hopefully, it will also make viewers find rational solutions to a very explosive subject,” del Mundo said.   Since its launch on GMA News TV, Front Row has become one of the most awarded documentary programs on Philippine TV.  It has won two Silver World Medals in the 2012 New York Festivals, was the lone finalist from the Philippines in the 2011 UNICEF Asia-Pacific Child Rights Award, and achieved a Certificate for Creative Excellence in the 2012 United States International Film and Video Festival.   Dr. del Mundo further emphasized the unique treatment of the documentary. “Ang Pinakabata” does not depend on a celebrity-reporter who will tell us what the documentary is about or how to understand it. The filmmaker depends on the images and the interviews with his "social actors" or subjects and how we can relate to them. This is unusual for a broadcast documentary,” he said.   “Ang Pinakabata” was directed and produced by Joseph Israel Laban who also directed “Cuchera,” a finalist in the New Breed Category of last year’s Cinemalaya.   Don’t fail to watch “Ang Pinakabata” at the Documentary Section of Cinemalaya 2012 on July 25, 2012, 3:30 pm at the CCP Dream Theatre (Tanghalang Manuel Conde).