THIS 2019, The Peter Solis Nery Foundation is launching PSNFIFF — The Peter Solis Nery Foundation International Film Festival — in its effort to support and promote regional filmmaking by providing another venue for independent and short films produced all over the world, but especially in Western Visayas.
I’m throwing in “International” in the mix firstly because I want to accommodate films made by Filipinos abroad.
And since we will have that, I said, Why not accommodate films from abroad made by non-Filipinos as well?
Thus, the international-international.
*
I still expect a lot of film submissions from Iloilo and Western Visayas.
And my idea is that, If the films we produce locally are really superior, they will triumph over submissions from anywhere else in the world.
I also think that putting “international” there at the very start will set a higher standard even before our local participants begin planning for their films to be entered in the competition.
I really think that’s a very smart idea.
*
Obviously, the biggest prize for the films in competition will be the most coveted Peter’s Prize.
Which was originally designed in 2013 solely for excellence in Hiligaynon writing.
(The Foundation has always been aware of its budgetary and financial limitations.)
The PSN Foundation and the Peter’s Prize, however, have expanded through the years.
Since 2014, Peter’s Prize medallions have been awarded to such diverse categories as the Visual Arts, Theatre and Performing Arts, Literary Scholarship—both in Criticism, Translation, and Literary Studies, and even Cultural Dissemination.
So, indeed, why not a Film category?
After all, “the” Peter Solis Nery is a celebrated auteur himself.
*
Now, with the proliferation of film festivals all over the country (err, make that all over the world), how does The PSNFIFF distinguish itself?
In just three simple ways:
Firstly, on its debut year, The PSNFIFF will only accept silent films.
Secondly, the films in competition should only be 3 minutes long maximum; and that includes the credit roll.
Thirdly, the participating films will be screened in several (international) places over the course of the year.
If that is not a brilliant enough idea, you be “the” Peter Solis Nery. Haha.
*
Why silent films?
I can be flippant and just say, “Because that’s what I feel at the moment.”
But really, why not?
I mean, the film as a medium does not need great literature to be great.
If it’s a good film, it must be able to tell the story through cinematic images.
At least on the initial year of the Peter’s Prize for Film, I want to challenge filmmakers, and encourage people, to tell stories without words.
I mean, if the filmmakers desperately need words, shouldn’t they be writers instead?
*
What will The PSNFIFF consider a silent film?
As far as The PSNFIFF is concerned, a silent film is a film with or without accompanying sound.
Accompanying sounds could mean film scoring.
Or simply ambient sounds.
Or music, songs—preferably original; composed for the film.
*
Filmmakers should be responsible to incorporate only music that they have the permission to use.
Because if some music company (or some other musical entity) holds the copyright, and the filmmakers don’t have the “expressed” permission (proof will be required by The PSNFIFF) to use the music, their films are not going anywhere.
And I may even file IPR theft charges in court just to teach people a lesson about the value of recognizing, and getting permission for, the work of others.
*
If words are really necessary for their films, I would also like people to rediscover the title cards, also known as intertitle.
Go ahead, and read about “intertitle” on Wikipedia.
The Wikipedia article has everything I have to say on the matter.
*
I think that silent films will be exciting.
It will solve a lot of problems for filmmakers.
Not the least of which is the problem with beautiful actors who do not have quality voices.
The silent films can even open opportunities to cast beautiful speech handicapped—and I mean “mute”—people.
I really believe silent films will transcend language barriers in more ways than one.
*
But I think that most of the films will have some sound to it anyway.
And knowing Ilonggos, I think there will be film music, film score.
Even original songs.
If not that, well, it’s only three minutes—180 seconds of complete silence.
I think we can all deal with that.
*
I don’t delude myself that The PSNFIFF will be the greatest film festival in the world.
But I have high hopes.
Because a brilliant idea will ultimately have its time.
I mean, in my life, artistically or otherwise, I’ve always been ahead of my time.
I have seen these things happen to me many times over.
Like, how my ideas of ten years ago are just beginning to enjoy popularity in the present time.
*
So, this year, it’s The PSNFIFF and the Peter’s Prize for Film.
More information and details on Wednesday as this piece continues. (500tinaga@gmail.com/PN)
