‘Tan-ok ni Ilocano’ Film Festival returns for 3rd year

FILM FESTIVAL. Local filmmakers answer questions from the media on Saturday (Feb. 11, 2023) about their entries in the Tan-ok ni Ilocano film festival. The screening will run until Feb. 19, 2023 at the Robinsons Ilocos Movieworld Cinema 5 in Laoag City. (Photo by Leilanie Adriano)

LAOAG CITY – The third installation of the Tan-ok ni Ilocano Film Festival is back on the big screen, showing at least six short documentary films and two narratives featuring the diverse culture, values, and traditions of the local community.

In his short speech before the film screening at Robinsons Movieworld Ilocos here, Governor Matthew Joseph Manotoc reassured the local artists and talents that the Ilocos Norte provincial government is poised to revive the multimedia industry.

“As we know, culture and the arts are powerful instruments in fostering not only pride in our heritage but also unity in the community. The provincial government has incorporated these tools in our leadership in the province by developing premier cultural events and initiating more movement within the artistic industry,” said Manotoc as he pledged support to the creative sector.

For his part, provincial tourism officer Aianree Raquel, in a press conference on Saturday, expressed hope that more filmmakers will be inspired to join the local competition and show their ingenuity to the world.

The selected entries are shown for free at the Robinsons Place Ilocos Movieworld on Feb. 11-12 and on Feb. 18-19, from 9 a.m. until noon.

Previously, at least three documentary films that were produced during the first-ever Tan-ok ni Ilocano Online Film Festival of the Ilocos Norte government made it to various film festivals here and abroad.

These include the “Panagwawagi” (Brotherhood) by Gabb Gantala that bagged the top prize a the Rad Fest Short Film Competition 2021, a project by Blackbox Studios founded by Carlo Alvarez.

It was also nominated for “Film of the Month” at the Viddsee Shortee Award by a Singapore-based video entertainment platform that recognizes and celebrates the most-watched, shared, and talked about Asian short film on Viddsee every month.

Similarly, Kevin Jay Ayson’s “Ang Mga Nawalang Pag-asa at Panlasa” (The Lost Sense of Hope and Taste) was awarded 2nd Best Film and chosen as one of the 13 short feature finalists in the Cinemalaya Philippine Independent Film Festival in 2021.

Meanwhile, Melver Ritz Gomez’s “Iyallatiw” (To Transfer) was selected as an official entry to the International Film Festival Manhattan (IFFM) and screened at the Diwa Filipino Film Showcase of Seattle in Washington, USA. “Iyallatiw” was also chosen as part of the Viddsee Juree Awards in 2021.

“Panagwawagi” portrays a brotherhood that could withstand disparate and ageless circumstances and trying times.

“Ang Mga Nawalang Pag-asa at Panlasa” narrates the battles and struggles of Ilocano food entrepreneurs amid the pandemic, while “Iyallatiw” portrays an almost dying oral tradition in the town of Paoay, Ilocos Norte, and how a “manglualo” (prayer leader) will transfer the practice to the younger generation.

In support of the local filmmakers, the Ilocos Norte government provided a seed grant of PHP50,000 for each of the entries.