SOLO, a film by Kevin Pison Piamonte bags the Best Film Award in the 4th Quisumbing-Escandor Film Festival for Health. Piamonte is an Ilonggo film and theater director, scriptwriter, fictionist & actor. Born in Iloilo City and his parents are Angel Jover Piamonte and Rosalinda Fuentes Pison. A true artist by blood, his maternal grandmother is the sister of National Artist for Music Jovita Fuentes.
Currently, he is an Associate Professor at the Division of Humanities, College of Arts and Sciences at the University of the Philippines Visayas.
In his acceptance speech he said, his bestie JR Macahinlas once won in the Quisumbing-Escandor Film Festival for Health, and that time Macahinlas was his student. But the film he made and the winning stuck with Piamonte through the years and inspired him to be part of the same festival one day.
“The festival is unique that advocates health. I didn’t realize that my journey to this festival will also be unique because it will be my mental health that I will be putting out there. “Solo” was not just my story borne purely out of the mind of fiction, but it was a piece of me. Here we are with that piece that made it as the Best Picture at the festival. I am still overwhelmed, but at the same time inspired to be part of a conversation about mental health. I once thought the mind was a beautiful space, as vast as the wonders of a universe. Then mental health crept in, and I got scared. The mind was no longer a safe space for me. The amazing universe that it was became dark and creepy. I want to go back to that mind that is a beautiful space. I know one day I will,” Piamonte explained.
Piamonte also gives thanks to the TEAM SOLO, because for him it’s not just a team but a family that is bound by trust, respect, love, and never to be shaken by intimidations. He promised to keep making films that will matter because it’s his passion.
He also gives thanks to people who give support and guidance.
“Thank you, Gabby Ramos, for your prediction. Thank you, Arjanmar Rebeta for sharing with me a safe space, thank you T.m. Malones and Arden Rod Condez for always being supportive of our craft. I am a proud Ilonggo and always will be. Padayon because we are about CineMapadayon.”
“Thank you to the 4th Quisumbing-Escandor Film Festival for Health for Health, to UP Visayas headed by our Chancellor Clement Castigador Camposano and Vice-Chancellor Harold Monteclaro our Vice Chancellor for Research and Extension for funding our project,” Piamonte said. (Cheryl M. Luis)
