CCC, OML Center launch second edition of Klima Film Festival for young Filipino filmmakers
November 02, 2021 Tuesday
MANILA, 3 November 2021 — The Climate Change Commission, in partnership with the Oscar M. Lopez Center, has launched the second Klima Film Festival (KFF) 2021 with the theme, “Adapting for a Sustainable Future: Stepping Up Local Climate Action in a Post-Pandemic World” as it aims to reach young filmmakers and mobilize them as communicators on the importance of scaling up local climate action. This year’s KFF specifically focuses on harnessing the potential of films in building awareness and understanding of the climate crisis, and driving action to address its causes and impacts; urging the youth in amplifying the importance of local climate solutions to further increase their influence on local climate policy-making, and generating local climate adaptation stories as viewed by young Filipino filmmakers by providing venue for the production and promotion of climate science-based short films. In the digital launch held October 29, the CCC and OMLC welcomed the interested youth participants and introduced the mechanics of the film festival. “On this second year of KFF, I am confident that our youth will make us proud again. Give all your best. Let your creativity flow and shine through. And make a world of difference in building a healthier, safer, and more secure future for all Filipinos,” said CCC Secretary Emmanuel M. De Guzman. “I'm looking forward to the entries for this year's Klima Film Festival. The youth is the future, not just of our nation, but of the planetary climate. You will inherit the climate, and to a large degree, you are also influencing what the future climate will be. Therefore, your voice is so important in this conversation,” said OML Center Executive Director Dr. Rodel D. Lasco. “As one of the members of the youth who have the dedication, the resiliency or have the ability to adapt to change, our love for making different films were affected too by the pandemic. However, let's remember, fellow youth, that if one door has closed, there's always hope that it will open a new opportunity to come,” said Jerome Pineda of Aquarian Eye Media, who was awarded last year for Best Film for his KFF entry ‘Our World’. “This prestigious event will not just showcase the talents of the youth, but enables them to learn more about climate change in their locality and translate it into a creative way. By this, the youth will become the tool to educate the people about what we can do to have a sustainable future, and how much time we have left, that we have to move, and that we have to take responsibility as it is all in our hands,” said Mikone Joshua Calungsod of Ang Maharlika Productions, winner of the KFF 2020 Second Best Film for "Verdant." Chairperson Mary Liza B. Diño of the Film Development Council of the Philippines (FDCP), and Mr. Butch Ibañez, Vice Head of the National Committee on Cinema of the National Commission for Culture and the Arts, were present to support the launch. “We need loud, energetic, aggressive voices to disturb the downturn and talk about saving rather than wasting. Like Greta Thunberg, KFF and its young invested filmmakers are now about to join this revolution," said Chair Diño. “The best part of watching any films is what comes right after. The impact. To all the filmmakers, may your films shine a light into array, a spark may be small but within us all, it can be mighty,” said Mr. Ibañez. The youth participants also joined the General Assembly – the first of the two-part learning workshops for the KFF, where the rationale of the KFF theme, contest mechanics, forms, and gender considerations were discussed. For the next steps, participants are expected to submit their film concept or synopsis and their team information through the Official Registration of the KFF which can be accessed through this link https://bit.ly/KFF2021TeamRegistration to proceed to the Climate Film Labs. Each Climate Film Lab will involve science and film mentors who shall guide the teams on the technical soundness of storytelling and the craft of filmmaking. For more details about the Klima Film Festival, visit the official Facebook pages of the Climate Change Commission and Oscar M. Lopez Center at https://www.facebook.com/CCCPhl and https://www.facebook.com/OMLopezCenter. To access the 2020 KFF winners and entries, contact the KFF Secretariat at klimafilmfestival2021@gmail.com.
