TOFARM FILM FESTIVAL 2017 IS BACK WITH A FRESH HARVEST THIS YEAR!

PHOTOS BY BERNARD SANTOS AND TRIXIE DAUZ

“Bawat pelikula or endeavor of exercising your profession is a great opportunity na mashare mo kung anong meron ka, whether journalism yan, pagduduktor, o kung anupaman.”

Universal Harvester Inc. (UHI) lights up the silver screen with six new and original films to mark the second edition of the TOFARM Film Festival.

The six official entries were chosen from more than a hundred scripts submitted to the screening committee. Shortlisting the entries alone was no easy task as the numbers of the entrants rose to 113 from 76 submitted last year.

The six films included in this year’s TOFARM Film Festival are Topel Lee’s “Baklad,” the coming of age story of a fish pen boy seeking to follow his dream; Tarrah Illenbergers “Hightide”, a film inspired by actual events happening in the country as a result of climate change; Jason Paul Laxamana’s “Instalado”, a film in the science fiction genre set in a farming village a few years into the future; Vic Acedillo’s “Kamunggay”, which tells of how an old man came to know himself more as well as the people around him because of a small vegetable patch; Byron Bryant’s “Sinandomeng”, a heartwarming comedy about a strong-willed woman who took farming into her own hands to save her property; and Joseph Abello’s “What Home Feels Like,” a story of a seaman who struggled with his estrangement from his family after several years of absence.

With different genres and engaging storyline, the six films are expected to cater to different age groups and highlight the farming in the country.

One of the notable achievements of the festival is that for the first time, an Aeta in the person of Garry Cabalic was nominated in the Best Actor Category for this year’s Gawad Urian. His role in “Paglipay” directed by Zig Dulay won him the Best Actor award from last year together with Bembol Roco from “Pauwi Na”. The latter film garnered an Urinan nomination for Paolo Villaluna in the Best Director category.

“The TOFARM Film Festival is primarily a tribute to the hardworking farmers,” states UHI Executive Vice President and TOFARM Chief Advocate Dr. Milagros O. How. “It’s our way to celebrate their lives in an unconventional yet artistic way.”

TOFARM Film Festival will have its theatrical run from July 12 to 18, while the highly anticipated awards night is slated on July 16.

TOFARM Film Festival 2017 is supported by Landbank, SM Cinemas, Gateway, Greenbelt, FDCP Cinematheque, UP Cinema, Net 25, Pinas FM 95.5, and Universal Harvester, Inc.