Award-winning filmmaker leads Benilde Film winners at Gawad Alternatibo

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A film graduate from De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde bagged third prize in the 35th Gawad CCP Para sa Alternatibong Pelikula at Video, also known as Gawad Alternatibo, for his capstone project, two months after it was shown at the Diwa Filipino Film Festival of Seattle.

Chauncy Cruz, who recently earned his degree from DLS-CSB, led four other winners from the Benilde Film program with the victory of his thesis film “Sa Mga Mata ng Bata” (Through the Eyes of a Child) at Gawad Alternatibo, the longest-running independent film competition of its kind in Asia.

“Sa Mga Mata ng Bata” is about Philip (Kenshin Lagutan), a grade school student who looks up to his politician father Freddy (Adrian Castañares) very highly and sees him as a hero until he realizes who his father really is. Struggling with his class presentation about his father, the boy asks his father’s help. However, after a very enthusiastic performance, he receives negative feedback from his classmates that causes him to burst out with threats to them. Freddy comforts him and assures Philip that everything will be alright if they both come to class the next day to “apologize.”

The short film previously won the Silver Award, Award of Virtue, Silip@Lente Adamson University (SILAU) Choice Award, and Best Actor award for Lagutan at the Realifilm 2023 organized by SILAU.

Cruz, who directed, edited, and wrote the screenplay for the film under the supervision of Benilde Film program chair Jose Javier “Direk Joey” Reyes and thesis mentor and creative producer Seymour Sanchez, also received ample support from his co-executive producer Jhoana Rabino, director of photography and colorist John Lexter Laguinday, assistant director Corlisse Nicolas, production manager Angel Hildawa, production designer Alexa Abrianna Manalang, sound recordist Paul Van Guzman, musical scorer Gabriel Grindulo, and camera operator Gillian Navarro.

“It’s a very surreal feeling to get recognized by institutions like Gawad Alternatibo and it’s still not processing but at the same time it’s such an honor and it’s all thanks to the people in the film’s rolling credits because I just want to make a simple short thesis film but the people who supported, guided, and helped me, made it festival worthy,” Cruz shared.

Apart from Cruz, fellow Benildean filmmakers Vahn Leinard Pascual (“Alingasngas ng mga Kuliglig”), Giancarlo P. Barredo (“Tears Are Water Too”) Eira Krizette Camara (“Bakit Di Natutulog si Kael?”), and Grant “Augustine” Franzuela (“The Secret Band of Thebes”) got honorable mention awards in the short feature, experimental, animation, and documentary categories, respectively, of Gawad Alternatibo.

Three other Benilde Film homegrown talents, Nicole Yvonne Lee (“Arena”), Mike Cabarles (“Diak Kayat Magna Maisa”/I Don't Want to Walk Alone), and Ryan Miguel Capili (“Elehiya Para sa Mga Memorya”/An Elegy for the Memories), and faculty member Rianne Hill Soriano (“Atin 'to“) also competed as finalists.

Meanwhile, Benilde Animation graduate Arlo Jhan Bayot won second place and best regional entry in the animation category for his work “Dati” (Before). In the animated film, two brothers share a simple but sufficient life in a hidden paradise somewhere in the Philippines. Things change when an unexpected visitor brings a new-found attention to their island home. With their idyllic island now in the tourism spotlight, they are now forced to cope with the perils of uncontrolled urbanization.

Gawad Alternatibo, which was established in 1987, highlights the best of Filipino alternative storytelling and filmmaking every year. The competing films can still be seen at the Cinemata streaming platform.

LCCM alumna rules filmmaking workshop showcase

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A recent graduate of La Consolacion College Manila bagged the Best Picture award in the fifth SineOmni Film Festival held last August 25 at the Cinematheque Centre Manila.

Maria Del Carmen “Mikee” Villapol, who previously won Best Picture in the Mini Short category of IKLI: Super Short Film Festival for her work “Bitin,” topped SineOmni with her new short film “Da Master Plan.” She is an alumna of LCCM and its resident film and theater organization SineDulaang Agustino.

“Da Master Plan” tells the story of Macoy, an imaginative young boy who seeks help from his toy companions to confront the sinister monster tormenting him. Without his disbelieving mother’s support, he must defeat the monster once and for all. It also won Best Sound Design for Jalen Buenaseda.

Mick Quito’s “The Prodigal Daughter” and Angelica Manipol’s “Magdalena” placed second and third, respectively. In “The Prodigal Daughter,” Penelope, a 20-year-old Filipino-American, visits Manila to meet her estranged father for the first time, hoping to understand his departure from her life. Meanwhile, in “Magdalena,” a determined 22-year-old woman named Aira Magdalena navigates the dark and dangerous world of prostitution in a relentless pursuit to escape poverty and complete her education.

“The Prodigal Daughter” also received awards for Best Director for Quito, Best Actress for Ivanka Marie Guillermo, and Best Supporting Actor for Soliman Cruz. On the other hand, “Magdalena” also got Best Screenplay for Manipol and Best Production Design for Cire Alessandra Yaptengco and Khryza Maaba.

The other winners are Edrey Paul Biteng, Jury Prize, and Heidi Bayani, Best Cinematography, for “Magic Memory,” Miguel Luis Nera, Best Actor, and Elizabeth Santos-Nera, Best Supporting Actress for “Genesis,” Adrian Bolante, Best Editing for “Rad,” and Justine Cusipag, Best Musical Score for “Pahimuyong.”

Biteng’s “Magic Memory” is about an emerging local DJ who crosses paths with a girl who offers him a cryptic cigarette, sparking a shared night of indulgence and vulnerability they will eventually forget.

In “Genesis,” also directed by Nera, the titular character reconnects with God as he tries to seek repentance while battling his worsening condition, with the hope of finding his way to heaven.

“Rad,” also directed by Bolante, zeroes in on a man and his dog trying to find a way out of an isolated town exposed to radiation.

In “Pahimuyong” by Randy Pimentel Olesco, Chona, a single mother of two children named Miko and Dante, is involved in illegal drugs and she needs to get their lives out of danger before it is too late.

“Balasa” by Rhonn Mercene, “Byaheng Sikmura” by Kathrino V. Resurreccion, “Chess” by Szackobe Kabro Z. Sanchez, “Crossroads” by Beatrice Talagtag, “Golden Hour” by Nehemiarey Dallego and Ruzzel John Palomillo, “Mamay” by Marione Morales, and “Saida” by Catherine Sevilla complete the entries.

SineOmni is a showcase of the films produced by workshop participants of the Screen/Stage Performing Arts Course for Enthusiasts (SPACE) facilitated by award-winning director Arvin “Kadiboy” Belarmino and Jonathan Montes with mentors Elora Españo, Veronica Reyes, Bel Paquiz, and Tim Rone Villanueva.

Aside from featuring eight new filmmakers and six returning directors, the culmination of this year’s filmmaking workshop also paid tribute to the late filmmaker and mentor Sigfreid Barros-Sanchez.

Mintel's APAC Food and Drink Landscape 2023 spotlights senior nutrition, brain health and guilt-free indulgence

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Mintel releases its annual APAC Food and Drink Landscape report, exploring key consumer needs and opportunities for brands across three distinct areas: ageing consumers, brain health benefits, and indulgence.


Silver Economy: Catering to an ageing population

Nutrition is a key focus area among adults aged 55+. The report discusses how consumers’ desire for overall health creates avenues for brands to introduce diverse products tailored to the specific health and nutrition requirements of seniors.

The COVID-19 pandemic has further underscored the significance of health for seniors, with 46% of Chinese consumers aged 50-59 agreeing that health-specific products contribute to maintaining a healthy lifestyle, according to Mintel research.

However, data from Mintel Global New Products Database (GNPD) shows that less than one per cent of global food, drink and vitamins, minerals and supplements (VMS) launches between October 2017 and September 2022 hold a senior claim.

Brands can support seniors’ holistic health by incorporating key botanicals and nutrients such as lutein and folic acid. Mintel suggests brands can highlight ingredients that support specific benefits like beauty, urinary tract health and circulatory health.



Staying Sharp: Focus, energy and brain health

Another window of opportunity for food and drink brands highlighted in the new report is brain health. Products containing B vitamins, choline, adaptogens, and natural caffeine can enhance focus, clarity and support brain health. Mintel research reveals four key ingredients for ‘Staying Sharp’: alternative caffeine, B vitamins, adaptogens, and choline.

While coffee and tea are natural sources of caffeine, their use as an added ingredient is often synthetic. Brands have the opportunity to educate consumers about less conventional sources of caffeine. B vitamins, encompassing B1 to B12, can be positioned as familiar and safe nutrients for mood and cognitive health, supporting metabolism and energy production.

Adaptogens are botanical substances that restore balance and manage physical and mental stress. Among the notable adaptogens to watch are ashwagandha, holy basil, schisandra, and brahmi. Choline, an essential nutrient with under-discussed benefits, supports positive outcomes at all life stages.

Brands also have the opportunity to attract parents with kids who don’t drink enough water by leveraging traditional trusted nutrients to boost their child’s brain performance. In Thailand, over half of parents are willing to pay more for packaged drinks with added Thai herbal ingredients that improve cognitive function, according to Mintel research. Such claims must, however, be substantiated with scientific proof.


Unguilty Pleasures: Ushering a new level of indulgence


Mintel’s 2023 Food and Drink Trend Unguilty Pleasures looks at how brands can support consumers to indulge in the enjoyment that food and drink delivers without feeling guilty about the experience. In the carbonated soft drinks category, brands can engage new consumers and broaden consumption occasions by evoking comforting flavours reminiscent of childhood treats like candy or ice cream. Incorporating traditional sugar confectionery flavours can also appeal to younger consumers who are proud of their culture.

Lastly, Gen Z's nighttime snacking habits offer another avenue for food and drink brands. By understanding these habits, brands can offer products that provide comfort and satiate hunger pangs. In the US, almost three in five Gen Z snackers snack to relax, while two in five say they snack to relieve stress. Salty snack brands can explore adding adaptogenic ingredients that help consumers relax in preparation for a good night’s sleep.