Editors’ Note: During the 9-day celebration of the 2023 Fiesta of Our Lady of Peñafrancia, we curated special articles about the devotion of the Bikolanos. We bookend this series by featuring the enduring short film “Harayo, Harani Man (Right Here)” by Arjanmar Rebeta, which won the People’s Award and 2nd Best Picture at the 2014 Peñafrancia Short Film Festival.
Synopsis
It’s Peñafrancia Festival season. All roads lead to Naga City. But Eman, an eight-year-old boy, is left in his far hometown. He envies other kids and classmates who are going to the city. But because his family is poor, he has nowhere to go but to stay home. His only company is his father as his mother works overseas as an OFW in Iraq. He misses her terribly. In his loneliness and sadness, his father guides him and keeps him encouraged. In the absence of his mother, in prayer he soon discovers the motherly love and care of Ina (Our Lady of Peñafrancia).
Pepe, on the other hand, is an upright man whose virtue is tested by the community he lives in. Though the temptations are many, his righteousness endures. Because of his steadfastness, he becomes a living inspiration to others. With his strong devotion to Ina, he transforms himself for the better and his example ripples to every heart in the community.
Challenges come to Pepe and Eman, but their devotion to Ina helps them to survive. They find Ina everywhere they go because they place her in their own hearts. They discover that love is not measured by distance but how they live it. They feel that Ina is always present in their midst to lead them to goodness of heart and to bring them closer to her Son Jesus Christ. Thus, the underlying sentiment, “Harayo, Harani Man.”
About the film
HARAYO, HARANI MAN, 2014. Running Time: 30 minutes. Produced by: Arjanmar H. Rebeta Films and Giya Studios. In cooperation with St. Bernardine of Siena Parish and LGU Cabusao Camagong Brgy. Council. Lead roles: Eubert Orlanda – as Eman and Roberto Dapunan – as Pepe. Features the songs, “Himno a Nuestra Senora de Penafrancia” and “Ina kan Kabikolan,” Hymn of the Celebration of the Tercenary of Penafrancia Devotion, music and lyrics by Joseph Ruberiano, lead vocals by Ena Maria Aldecoa. Executive Producers: Rolly Geronimo, Arjanmar H. Rebeta. Director and Writer: Arjanmar H. Rebeta.
The film won awards during the 2nd Peñafrancia Short Film Festival, 2014, Naga City, Camarines Sur: Best Cinematography, People’s Choice, Best Child Performer (Eubert Orlanda), and, Second Best Picture.
The film was also officially entered in international film festivals: 7th CMS International Children’s Film Festival in Lucknow, India on April 7-15, 2015; International Children Film Festival of Balangir 2015; First International Children’s Film Festival Of Odisha in Lucknow, India on May 15-17, 2015; 11th International Children’s Film Festival Bangladesh 2018; Dhaka, Bangladesh; January 27-February 2, 2018; Diwa Filipino Film Showcase of Seattle (Washington, USA; June 1-2, 2019); and, Green Mountain Christian Film Festival (Vermont, USA; October 16-17, 2019)
About the filmmaker:
ARJANMAR H. REBETA is a Filipino photographer and filmmaker born and raised in Camarines Sur. His first exposure to film was finding film strips formed as toy trumpets during his childhood—seeing images within the frames gave him wonder. The series of visuals in the film stirred his imagination and moved him to dream about life ahead of him. As a curious teenager, he experimented early on with a point and shoot camera. He created a comedy video which he presented during school family day. Back then, it was a novelty in his school.
He developed much enthusiasm and passion for filmmaking and started to make his way into the industry through workshops and film festivals. He challenged himself to create films using different forms and styles. He had made short films shot entirely with mobile phones, camera-360, “oner” (one single-take), vertical or square format, interactive film, and game.
He is an alumnus of notable filmmaking training programs in the Philippines, such as the Ricky Lee Film Scriptwriting Workshop, Film and Media for Human Rights Advocacy Workshop, Mindanao Screen Lab, and the first Cinemalaya Film Lab.
His short film, “An Sadit na Planeta,” won NETPAC Jury Prize and Special Jury Prize at the 17th Cinemalaya Philippine Independent Film Festival. His short films “Palabas” (A Country in Moving Pictures) and “My Father is an Astro-Not” were nominated for the Best Short Film at the 42nd and 44th Gawad Urian (Filipino Film Critics), respectively.
He made films in collaboration and co-production with different entities and production companies. “A Boxing Country” was made through a Philippines-Thailand co-production with ANPUD (Bangkok). He was commissioned to film “My Father is an Astro-Not” by the Coalition Against Death Penalty and the Commission on Human Rights. “Viral Kids” was produced by ABS-CBN Corporation. “Super-Able” is a short documentary film produced by Film Development Council of the Philippines, Department of Interior and Local Government and by the Quezon City Film Development Commission.
He also made an inter-active educational film-game entitled “The Principal” commissioned by SEAMEO INNOTECH, an organization which aims to promote cooperation among the Southeast Asian nations through education, science and culture. He is a recipient of “Harvest of Honors” Award for Cinema by the National Commission for Culture and the Arts, Film Ambassador by Film Development Council of the Philippines, and Indie Bravo Award by Inquirer Philippines.
Some of his other significant awards are Best Short Narrative Film at the 15th Belize International Film Festival (Belize), Best Director at the 7th Hak-İş International Short Film Festival (Turkey), Silver Award at the 25th ifva Award (Hong Kong), Signs Award at 17th Festival International Signs of the Night (Germany), Best Film at Nespresso Talents (Philippines), Best Short Film at Pista ng Pelikulang Pilipino 5 Sine Isla (Philippines), Special Mention Award at 21st Ismailia International Film Festival For Documentaries and Shorts (Egypt) Best Film at 15th Mini Film Festival (Malaysia), Grand Jury Prize at the 5th Festival Internacional de Cineminutos de Córdoba (Argentina), Best Experimental Short Film at Dolgoji Experimental Shorts (South Korea) and Best Documentary Film at 3rd Asia Peace Film Festival (Pakistan).
Arjanmar loves to share his knowledge and accepts invitations to be a speaker at different local schools and institutions like the Film Development Council of the Philippines, National Commission for Culture and the Arts, the Philippine Navy, the University of the Philippines, the University of Santo Tomas, Polytechnic University of the Philippines, etc. He was also invited to be a filmmaking expert speaker at the 2019 Lampa International Film Festival in Perm, Russia. In February 2020, he was the only Asian filmmaker to be invited as a speaker at the United Nations Headquarters for the Breakout session with the theme: “Social impact films as a means of expanding and popularizing inclusion” within the framework of the 58th Session of the Commission for Social Development.
He served as a jury, mentor & selection committee member in different film festivals like SineKabataan (Manila), Sorok Short Film Festival (Manila), Montañosa Film Festival (Baguio), Peñafrancia Short Film Festival (Camarines Sur), Abrenian Heritage Film Festival (Abra).
As a photographer, IPA, International Photography Awards – Philippines, awarded him as the “Event Photographer of the Year” (2017 & 2018), “Sports Photographer of the Year” (2017 & 2018), “Moving Image Photographer of the Year” (2018) and “Deeper Perspective Photographer of the Year” (2018). He was also a finalist for the 16th Annual Lucie Awards in New York (2018). He was awarded Gold & 2 Silver Awards at the 2018 Tokyo International Foto Awards. His photograph “Flying Bull” was featured on Smithsonian.com and National Geographic websites. His photograph “In the Wave of Faith” was included in the 30 Great Photos by Filipino Photographers 2017 by IPA (International Photography Awards) – Philippines. He was featured as Photographer of the Week in Picture Perfect section of the Manila Bulletin national newspaper.
(Reference: The filmmaker’s website, ahrebeta.wixsite.com; images by Arjanmar Rebeta)