March is Montañosa Film Festival in Baguio

Baguio, being a UNESCO-designated Creative City for Crafts and Folk Arts, declared the whole month of March 2022 as Montañosa Film Festival (MFF) celebration.

Mayor Benjamin B. Magalong issued Executive Order No. 10, series of 2022 declaring March 1-30, 2022 as MFF – the first-ever independent film festival for the Cordillerans in Baguio City.

This year’s MFF activity will carry the theme, “Mindset Change for Climate Change.”

Pre-event activities started August last year up to February this year with event coordination, call for entries, promotions and marketing, selection and awarding of grants as well as a filmmaker’s boot camp. Production of films in competition during the period ready for presentations during the festival.

Activities lined-up for the month of March include several workshops such as: film appreciation, acting for film, story development and scriptwriting, cinematography, directing, production design, lights and sounds, production management, pitching, as well as release and distribution.

A Film Camp and Filmmakers’ Forum are yet to be scheduled including a movie caravan particularly drive-in cinema, pop-up cinema, movies at the lake, horror movies, plus a Sagada and Ifugao film camp.

Film screening of the competing entries will also be done in March. Categories are Narrative (10-12 minutes), Documentary (10-12 minutes) and Mobile Phone Short (3-5 minutes).

Other films to look forward to include Cine Luzviminda – Philippine regional films, Cine Montañosa – films from the Cordillera region, and experimental films. There will also be international films to show from Southeast Asian regional short films and the European film section.

A music and food fair are included in the list of activities before the closing and awards night.

The MFF is privately-driven activity with support from the city government while the Creative Baguio City Council (CBCC) is designated as co-presenter and lead implementer for the festival. – Jessa P. Samidan