The ABS News Channel contacted students from the Mindanao State University in Marawi who experienced the war first hand, did a lot of brainstorming about the possible topics for the docus, then chose four young filmmakers to do their own 8 to 9 minute films with a funding of P30,000 per film. Chosen were one female and three males. Three of them were transported by ANC to Manila and presented in a special presscon at ABS-CBN. One of them failed to come to Manila, Omar Ali, as he can’t leave his work with the ARRM.
Sittie Alyssah Diron is 20 years old, taking up journalism. Her film is “Matou”, the story of Mastora Dadayan or Matou, a farmer-fisherman who lost his wife and unborn child in the war. He has an older son to take care of and hopes that he can pick up the broken pieces of his life now that peace has returned to Marawi although it’s said there’s a threat of the war, Part 2.
Geral Jan Nino Omelio is from Bislig, Surigao but was staying in MSU Marawi taking up development communication when the war broke out. He was sleeping when he heard gunshots and it turned out the Mautes are invading the city. He thought it would last only overnight but the war raged on for 153 days. His film is “Kanlungan” or Haven, a place for children orphaned by the war. It focuses on Zomaya and her siblings suffering from PTSS (post traumatic stress syndrome) as they recall a simpler happier life before the Marawi siege.Ali Yusoph is an engineer who teaches math and engineering in MSU. He was in school when terrorists attacked the city. His film is “Islam”, where he stresses that Islam is a religion of peace, love and tolerance, respecting every human being, but his fundamendalists kababayans led by the Maute group distorted it and resorted to violence. He and his wife Sur have since learned the value of patience and are now trying to help rebuild Marawi after it was laid to waste by the war.
Omar Ali took film workshops at Mowelfund and was once an assistant of Joyce Bernal. He’s the recipient of the Eisenhower Fellowship in 2013 to study American Film and TV. He’s now an asst. cabinet sec. at the ARRM and Marawi Rehabilitation. His film is “Suicide Squad”, about a group of rescuers trained for natural disasters who never thought they’ll use their training in saving people from all walks of life during the siege of Marawi.
Don’t miss these four relevant films that will air starting this Monday night within “Early Edition”, “Top Story” and “The World Tonight”. One film will be shown from Monday to Thursday and then, on Friday, they will all be shown together in ‘ANC Presents: New Moon’, hosted by veteran journalist Tina Monzon-Palma. You can also watch it online on iwantv.com.ph or skyondemand.com.ph. For updates, visit abscbnpr.com or news.abs-cbn.com/anc.
