After its recognition in the US, this Benilde thesis film is screening in the Philippines
“Arena” film poster from Gawad Alternatibo and film crew | Photos courtesy of Seymour Sanchez
During the pre-chronically online era, kids would often wander outside and play movement-based games. Luksong baka? Chinese garter? Patintero? Players would compete like it’s the Olympics. One of the more interestingly peculiar though, I think, would be thumb wars.
Nothing beats the tension between two players who try their best to maintain focus and force, as they outdo their opponent’s hand strength and outsmart their strategy. This game may just be a blip in our childhood, but in a particular Filipino film, this is where the world-building starts.
It’s called “Arena,” a thesis film by Nicole Yvonne Lee, a digital filmmaking graduate from De La Salle-College of St. Benilde. The coming-of-age capstone project, which runs for almost 20 minutes, bagged the Benilde Best Thesis Film award at the Cinematheque Centre Manila in April, a press release reveals.
Director-writer Nicole Yvonne Lee | Photo courtesy of Seymour Sanchez
Completing Lee’s team are Krissel Bernabe (production manager), Iezer Yap Magallon (director of photography), Grant Frondozo (production designer), Ivan Balmaceda (assistant director), Giulia Saavedra (script continuity supervisor), Paul Van Guzman (sound supervisor), Clarisse Llaguno (wardrobe master), Tyrone James Luanzon (colorist), Rose Go (hair and makeup artist), and Sheina Bensurto and Rodora Bagapuro (production assistants).
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“As a filmmaker, I just really want to make people laugh and be happy using the films I made. Since I was a student, my school projects have been in the comedy genre. Arena was made from my playful imagination,” said Lee who wrote, edited, scored, directed, and co-produced the film, according to Seymour Sanchez, her thesis mentor.
The “Arena” production team | Photo courtesy of Seymour Sanchez
The film, which spotlights actors Matthew Stanley, Shawn Niño Gabriel, and Miaka Mon, brings its viewers to a neighborhood thumb wrestling tournament and lets us follow a boy named Bochog who competes with Paeng, a seemingly unbeatable kid. To reach success, Bochog continues his practice with the help of Mik-mik, his coach.
If you can’t wait to see this for yourself, this short film is included in the 35th Gawad CCP (Cultural Center of the Philippines) Para sa Alternatibong Pelikula at Video in the short feature category. This year’s Gawad Alternatibo competition roster promises “interesting, mind blowing, and eye opening messages that will surely knock some sense off of you,” according to its official Facebook page. You can catch it for free at the Tanghalang Ignacio Gimenez (CCP Blackbox Theatre) from Aug. 5 to 7, 2023.
But prior to its CCP debut, did you know that this project already gained recognition in the US? “Arena” competed at the recent Student World Impact Film Festival (SWIFF) 2023, where it was awarded first place in the comedy (18 years old or older) category.
SWIFF aims to create “a more inclusive, culturally-accepting, and equitable society” and puts a premium on “voices of young storytellers from historically marginalized races, backgrounds, and cultures to give them the opportunity to share their stories with the world.”
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