For the love of digital art: Salida features short flicks 'by Victor Louie Villanueva'

Like most gifted young adults of today, independent filmmaker Victor Louie Villanueva spends life in dabbling with drawing, digital art, cartooning, and surfing; panning his interest from combat sports to graphic design, to advertising, and then to travel. Pursuits that capture in frames his restlessness!

He may not be as visible as other proponent in making "Ang Pagdadalaga ni Maximo Oliveros" roll reels in cinemas for two weeks here (credited to intensive marketing of the product under Ms. Amor Olaguer of UFO Pictures where he was marketing assistant), but Victor was one of those given a thundering applause at the Handuraw Events Café in Mabolo for his wackiness, wag and wit embedded in his creations - two short films "Bitin na Pagmamahal" (Interrupted Love) and "Naglaway" (Saliva-ing) featured along with other eight short flicks for Salida, a quarterly film viewing activity at Handuraw, a sister establishment of Kahayag Café.

Other films screened include the works of Jurly Maloloy-on, Jr. ("The Witness" and "Sila" with Denis Judilla and Benjie Ordoñez), and "Kadauwan" (Everytime It Rains) by Benjie Ordoñez that employs the music produced by the kubing (jaw harp) of indie reggae band Balde ni Allan. Also featured were "Mata" and "Pusod" by Cheryl Baldicantos, "Zwangtta" (Korean word for loser) by Michael Barrientos, "Miko" by Paolo Dy, "Night Shift" by JK Go, and "The Haunted" by Jerrold Tarog.

The audience roared with the display of Victor's wit, cooed to his obviously incurable romantic nature, and applauded for his play-up of the elements of fantasy. He bagged second place for the 60-second film "Bitin na Pagmamahal" submitted to MOV International Digital Film Festival 2005 by Filmless Films, under "Smart Cuts" (a 60-second filmmaking contest by Smart) incorporating the concept of short messaging service in typical Filipino courtship set during the Spanish era. To know more about this, log on to www.movfest.com.

As a film buff, Victor considers "Citizen Kane" by Orson Welles, the story of publisher William Randolph Hearst, one of best films ever created. Though he is more into the play-up of fantasy elements, he spoke of Citizen Kane's revolution in cinematic and narrative techniques and experimental innovations in photography, editing and sound, which he said serve as inspiration to move on with innovations in filmmaking along with a host of other "cinematic" influences.

And too he has the praises for "Battle Royale" and "Princess Mononoke" (animated), both Japanese films, because according to him, these movies reflect more of his personality.

He is glad his works found their way into Salida, organized by Sinebuano. Salida is an event that showcases works by Cebuano movie enthusiasts and filmmakers themselves. The activity aims to create awareness that new Cebuano films do exist here. Sinebuano is a small group of passionate independent filmmakers that can be reached through the Visayan online community called "iStorya.net", a message board for topics on indie filmmaking.

Though Victor is not at all a member of Sinebuano, he said he backs up the Sinebuano team's effort as they burn images captured by portable videocams in one advocacy. This is because in an uphill struggle for Cebuano independent filmmakers, there are lots of awareness programs that still have to be put in place to make people realize that there are Cebuano digital films that are being made. The very reason why the event Salida was initiated.

Though far from becoming "a movie hub in Asia" as Cebu is back to square one in the field of moviemaking, they have to make people aware that there are new digital Cebuano films being made here after movies that long ago spoke of Sugbuano lifestyle like "Manok ni San Pedro", "Badlis sa Kinabuhi", "Bugas Mais", and "Mutya sa Saging Tindok". This was learned form Sinebuano executive director Benjamin "Benjie" Ordoñez.

Hoping yet to come up with full-length movies, 21-year-old Victor Louie Villanueva, an advertising graduate from the University of San Carlos-Talamban campus has had workshops in actual shoots at the International Academy of Film and Television in preparation for the wider picture. He is currently working on two new short flicks - in the comedy and fantasy genres - scheduled for viewing for the next Salida in the second quarter of this year in a bid to boost local digital filmmaking.

* * *

TEXTPRESS URSELF! 8-Feb 07:49:23 "Gud mrng! I just read ur article about lisa & todd beamer, I love reading it. Whn I read d latter part, I cnt hid my tears falling- Mrs. Lyn Villanueva, Lapu-Lapu City; 13-Feb 19:55:28 " I rily lykd ur articl abwt d musician, armor. Im Eric Lomocso of blood of d stone. My song vigilante s currently being aird on smash fm." 14-Feb 14:03:43 "Happy Valentines! U knw I always read ur article coz it's very informative, am one of ur fans. Am 53 yr od, a mother of 3." - Mrs. Eva Ponce-Pinat. Mobile phone numbers withheld. For your comments, reactions, suggestions, and contributions crank up my email addy: [email protected]. Or visit my updated site: www.pinaymangatkatay.blogspot.com. Buzz me at 09215323616. Thanks for making The FREEMAN a part of your reading habit!

* * *

Visit www.pinaymangatkatay.blogspot.com