Last year, we talked about the finalists for the Viddsee Juree Philippines competition, and it contained a number of really good short films (some of which were my favorite films of that year). This year, we get a really strong lineup of short films, and you have the chance to watch them for free! Aside from the 10 competition films, there are literally dozens of non-competition films that you can see there, for free.
click here to go and watch some pretty cool films~
On the other hand, you can also watch these films in a proper theater and auditorium (complete with guest speakers!) You can do just that, and that's going to happen from 26th - 29th September 2018, at De La Salle - College of St. Benilde, SDA Cinema (12th Floor) and FDCP Cinematheque. Screening schedule and other details are at viddseeph2018.peatix.com.
So in the meantime, let's take a look at the finalists of Viddsee Juree Philippines 2018.
Viddsee Juree Philippines 2018 Short Shorts Reviews
Although it's based on a relatively simple premise, Ginhawa delivers a knockout punch because of a remarkable lead performance from Christian Lat, who also directed the film. The punches and fight choreography look convincing, and it's a pretty decent overall package.
The sole horror movie finalist, Ah reminds one of films like The Babadook, where a sinister book foretells evil and harm to the people unfortunate enough to harm them. It feels and looks like a conventional horror film. But the film is also a treatise on latchkey children, raised by parents who are forced to neglect raising their children in order to earn money.
As Time Flows By (Pag-agos ng Panahon) is a simple and artful story about a woman and her coming to terms with her own sexuality. There are religious and societal factors at play here, and when understanding does eventually come at the end, it's tragically too little, too late.
Susing reminds me of this year's So Connected, in that both films talk about the impact social media has on the lives of people, and how viral stories often lack context. It starts out funny and ends in a particularly heartbreaking moment.
The Lessons of the Night (Ang Mga Turo ng Gabi) is probably one of my favorites of this very strong batch of films. It manages to pack a lot of things in a very short timeframe without oversaturating the narrative too much. This is the kind of story that can be expanded, but is generally fine as it is.
The biggest enemy in Divine XY is bureaucracy, and this film indicts bureaucracies everywhere as slow, lumbering and insensitive. Thanks to a small clerical mistake, the lead character of this film undergoes all sorts of indignities just to set things right. It's damning stuff, and it should be.
Stand Up is the lightest of all the short films in this set, as it tells the Pygmalion-esque story of a lonely, unsuccessful comedian who falls in love with his own subconscious creation. It's hilarious fun, and if the director manages to make this kind of tone and humor with a feature length film, it could be a promising thing. Kudos also to Karl Medina for delivering a great deadpan performance.
You Are The Star to My Night (Ikaw ang Tala, Ako ang Gabi) tells the story of an aging movie star who visits her old showbiz rival. While there are some imperfections in the acting, the film manages to create something genuinely affecting, while being a critique of the showbiz industry (with its propensity to fabricate conflict and relationships) and a meditation on loneliness.
The most technically proficient film in this set is In the Name of the Father (Sa Ngalan ng Ama), about a priest who does shady stuff and a boy who calls him on his shenanigans. When watching this, take a close look at the characters' clothes: the priest, steeped in black robes, and the boy, wearing white (at first.) In showing the contrast of values between the priest and the boy, it sheds light on the inherent hypocrisies of human nature and blind faith.
And finally, Igme and Gani are both children who find meaning in each other, but are soon separated by the realities of life. It's quite interesting stuff, though I wish the film had provided a little more context and backstory.
That's it for this year's Viddsee Juree Finalists. I haven't even scratched the surface, because there are several times as many non-competition entries in this year's program. Enjoy, take a look at the Viddsee site or app, and see you at the movies!
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