MANILA, PHILIPPINES — Two Multimedia Arts students at Lyceum of the Philippines University-Manila managed to get into the Top 20 finalists of the Three Shots Film (3SF) Festival hosted by Media Underground or MUD Studios.
Christine Anne C. Crisostomo’s “Kabtang” and Mark Wilson S. Catindig’s “Ip-” made it to the finals of the competition, which runs from November 5 to 12. Their short films and 18 other finalists are available for viewing at MUD’s website before the awarding ceremonies on Nov. 12.
“Kabtang” tells the story of a young woman (Crisostomo) in a world filled with questions that trouble her mind. In her short film, the actor-director posed the questions, “How could she begin another chapter of her life? Will she fight or surrender?”
Meanwhile, “Ip-” follows a young man (Mark Joshua Jimenez) in learning the importance of one’s awareness of his surroundings while eating. “Taking a meal is more than just consuming what one has on the table,” Catindig shared.
Both Crisostomo and Catindig, who made the films as a final requirement for their Fundamentals of Film and Video Production class, were challenged to make a short narrative film using only three shots and three cuts, with a running time between one and 15 minutes.
Crisostomo, a freelance photographer and videographer, shared that “Kabtang” is a story for everyone, “with the pandemic and a person’s mental health” as her inspiration.
“It all started with our course in Film and Video Production, and our professor encouraged us to join film contests. I chose 3 Shots Film Festival because I was so amazed that you could make a film in just three shots. I was enticed to join, and at the same time, I want to challenge myself,” Crisostomo revealed.
“I want to illustrate and express through this film that they are not alone. You are not alone. Our lives have been challenging since the pandemic started but I am hopeful that we will get through this, and our story does not end here,” she further explained.
Catindig, who sees himself “as a striving artist who aims to transform visions into something that he can share with everyone,” stressed that in making the film, “I allowed myself to work with that idea and how to bring its flair. Trust your instinct even if it’s as small as you think.”
“Ideas really come from unexpected moments: those small sparks can have the potential of starting a fire,” the 20-year-old Manila-based designer added.
“There are visions and small ideas that we often overlook: we see them as insubstantial and insignificant. I chose to create this film to show that a tiny concept can be remarkable too. When we are surrounded by things that we find fascinating, we tend to disregard those that matter,” he concluded.
MUD Studios will give away cash prizes and plaques of recognition to the Best Film, Best Direction, and Best Cinematography winners. The 3SF festival organizers will also hand out a People’s Choice award. Special prize winners will receive a four-lens kit worth 12,000 pesos, including a travel case bag, 7.5mm fisheye lens, 16mm wide-angle lens, 25mm macro lens, 65mm telephoto lens, two clip mounts, and cleaning cloth from Kase Lens PH and three-piece Selens Redhead Lights with light stand kit.
