About 120 students, teachers, and aspiring filmmakers in the Negros Occidental 2nd District attended the first-ever “Segu-Segundo Film Workshops” at the Balay Kauswagan in Sagay City, recently.
The participants attended the two-day event with separate sessions on film appreciation and basic documentary filmmaking with film critic Tito Valiente and documentary filmmaker Victor Tagaro, a press release from Sagay City said Tuesday, Nov. 5.
The workshop was organized in preparation for the next Margaha Film Festivals as it plans to accept entries within the district and outside of Negros Occidental through the new festival sections that will be introduced, it said
The festival organizers partnered with the Office of 2nd District Rep. Alfredo Marañon III, the City Government of Sagay and Film Development Council of the Philippines.
Marañon said that the film workshops were important as they helped in appreciating the importance of making films as well as expand our knowledge of art.
This can also help document important cultural property in the District, he said.
Marañon said one of the thrust of his office is to support young talents and opportunities like this is essential to discover emerging artists thriving in the district.
During the Film Appreciation workshop, the participants discussed and watched regional films, while Valiente guided them in formulating their film criticisms and learning rubric for teachers.
DepEd Sagay through MAPEH Supervisor Rene Encabo plans to form a Film Critic Circle.
Tagaro and the documentary filmmaking workshop participants were also able to shoot and edit their 1-minute documentary in teams.
The 2025 would be an exciting year for Sine Margaha as short film grants are now at P50,000 for Sagaynon filmmakers, as well as new programs will be introduced to elevate the festivities of the of the only film festival in the country by the sea, the press release said.
The seed fund will come from NCCA and Vice Mayor Leo Rafael Cueva’s personal fund.*