Media Statement, Musika Publiko, August 12, 2024

Three Bikolano arts and culture advocates were featured in the Cultural Center of the Philippines Gawad Alternatibo and Cinemalaya 20 awards nights held in Ayala Malls Manila Bay, August 11-12, 2024.

Multi-awarded singer-songwriter Karl Ramirez, together with his band Pordalab, performed the Gawad Alternatibo theme song, which he composed and produced. The CCP Gawad Para sa Alternatibong Pelikula at Video (Gawad Alternatibo) is the longest-running independent film competition of its kind in Asia. Since 1987, Gawad Alternatibo annually cites the best works of Pinoy filmmakers in the categories of animation, experimental, documentary, and short feature. Karl Ramirez is also the composer and performer of one of Naga City’s recently launched tourism songs, Halina sa Naga.

At the Cinemalaya 20 awards night, Padamlagan (Nightlight) by Nagueña filmmaker Jenn Romano together with Bikol writer Victor Dennis T. Nierva, was announced as one of the top 10 finalists of the coming Cinemalaya 2025. Jenn Romano is a filmmaker who has made a number of short features, all of which have been presented and recognized at various film festivals such as the Tropfest Southeast Asia, Gawad CCP, Sinag Maynila, QC International Pink Festival, Nabifilmex, Cinemarehiyon, among others. Vic Nierva, the writer of the film’s screenplay, is a notable cultural advocate also hailing from Naga City.

The three Bikolanos are actively involved in the Naga City Arts and Culture Coalition. Vic Nierva is its current president; Jenn Romano is the head of the film subsector; and Karl Ramirez is part of the music subsector with their networks Musika Publiko and Bicol Pop. The artist coalition spearheaded the August 2024 Rigmat Arts and Culture Fest, currently in its second year.

About Cinemalaya Film Festival

The Cinemalaya is a film festival held annually during the month of August. Its aim is the development and promotion of Filipino independent films. The film festival is organized by the Cinemalaya Foundation, Inc. with the support of the Cultural Center of the Philippines and Econolink Investments, Inc.

Each year, the festival provides “seed investments” to the independent filmmakers who become the finalists of the festival’s full-length category. Since 2019, the grant award has been increased to ₱1,000,000 per film. In 2023, the Film Development Council of the Philippines (FDCP) matched this amount, bringing the total to ₱2,000,000. The finalists are chosen from hundreds of submissions from all over the Philippines.

Padamlagan: The Story Line

A few days before Ferdinand Marcos Sr. declared Martial Law across the country in 1972, a tragedy struck in the City of Naga. Just before the procession pagoda of Our Lady of Peñafrancia passed through, the Colgante Bridge collapsed, resulting in the death of more than 130 people. Amidst the veil of these two events is the story of Doring’s search for her missing son, Ivan. Along this search, there is a gradual and slow recounting of the small narratives of family, society, politics, ideology, religion, personal dreams, and aspirations that defined the connections of that time. In Doring’s search for her son, there is discovery, recognition, understanding, acceptance, and oblation.

The Film Production

The production of the film Padamlagan will be underway soon. It will be directed by Jenn Romano. The film production team will consist of Vic Nierva, screenplay; Arjanmar Rebeta, cinematography; Boyet Abrenica, art direction/production design; and Khryss Arañas, music. The film will be co-produced by Giya Studios (led by Khaye Medina, Kristine De Leon, Yssa Valdes, and Armanjar Rebeta) and Creative Coconut PH (led by Victor Dennis T. Nierva).

About the Filmmaker

Jenn Romano is a filmmaker and educator from Canaman, Camarines Sur. She has made a number of short features, all of which have been presented and recognized in various film festivals such as the Furora Film Festival in Berlin, Tropfest Film Festival in Malaysia, Gawad CCP, Sinag Maynila, QC International Pink Festival, Nabifilmex, and Cinemarehiyon, among others. She has also worked in various independent full-length film productions. She is a faculty member of the Department of Media Studies at the Ateneo de Naga University. Currently, she is finishing her MA Media Studies major in Film at the University of the Philippines – Diliman.