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ILOILO City – The annual CineKasimanwa Film Festival has been effective in unifying community stakeholders in Western Visayas, according to the Department of Tourism (DOT).
The regional film fair has encouraged strong community involvement among local government units, officials, the private sector, even local residents to help home-grown filmmakers produce movies, said Regional Director Helen Catalbas.
“The community spirit instilled through the films cannot be underestimated,” she stressed.
The locals have actively contributed in this endeavor from the sourcing out of talents behind the camera, actors and actresses even human props, to the actual filming and production, revealed Catalbas.
“CineKasimanwa has instilled the pride of place among the residents where these films were shot,” she said.
The festival has also become a platform to educate people, document cultural heritage and preserve natural tourist attractions.
“In our attempt to be very inclusive in our tourism development approach, film is a way to touch-base the grassroots,” said Catalbas.
Tourism will not succeed if only the “ABC crowd” will be connected to its programs and projects, she added.
“While we are catching base with the ABC crowd of society in terms of investments and new businesses, as a region we have a very strong middle class which we also have to cater to,” she said.
The partnership with the Western Visayas Filmmakers Network and the Film Development Council of the Philippines has been instrumental in achieving the trust of the agency.
CineKasimanw4 Western Visayas Film Festival kicked off on Dec. 1 and will run until Dec. 21.
Film screenings are held at the SM City Cinema 1, Cinematheque Iloilo, University of the Philippines Visayas Cinematheque, and at the West Visayas State University College of Communication AVR.
For the schedule of screenings, check the Facebook page “CineKasimanwa: The Western Visayas Film Festival. (PIA-Iloilo/PN)
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