active vista 2010 - Commission on Human Rights – Philippines

This year, we mark the 62nd anniversary of the signing of the Universal Declaration of
Human Rights, the commemoration of the 38th year of the Declaration of Martial Law in
the Philippines and the 24th anniversary of the Edsa Revolution yet the language of
human rights remains a lingering hope of our nation.
This year, the country also faces a period of uncertainty and change. The shadow of
political turmoil, extra judicial killings, environmental degradation and climate change,
hunger, war, corruption, job insecurity, gender discrimination, homelessness,
unaccessible health care and extreme poverty loom over the nation. Every day we are
faced with making difficult decisions that affect our every day rights and freedoms. Most
often than not, human rights become a privilege of those who can afford to buy them,
but not for those who are marginalized by society.
The challenge for the Filipinos is to ensure that these fundamental human rights remain
inalienable, indivisible and universal. The struggle for the everyday “Juan” is to assert
these rights and keep it alive amidst the threat of practical politics and economic
realities.
The Active Vista Film Festival is an avenue to
promote a vision of society that respects, upholds
and values the dignity, rights and freedom of its
people.
“While art may not change the world,
it can change the way we view the world
for true revolution begins in the imagination.”
The Active Vista Film Festival challenges to define a
spectrum in the use of cinema as a powerful tool in shaping the consciousness of a new
generation into the importance of knowing and understanding human rights as an
integral foundation of responsible citizenship and nation building.
Active Vista encourages critical thinking and dynamism in views as fundamental
requirements in addressing methods and directions of social transformation. It allows an
opportunity to debate, discuss and shape society as we arrive at a collective
understanding of human rights as the backbone of the development of a nation.
Active Vista aspires to bring its audience to this understanding through the cinematic
experience itself - the ability of cinema to convey a thousand meanings with a single
visual imagery. By shaping a revolution on the minds of the Filipino audience, Active
Vista becomes a step towards their education as citizens.
While Active Vista recognizes that no film, no song, no painting, no novel or no poem
has ever stopped a tank, prevented a bullet, fed a hungry child or overthrown a corrupt
government, the power of every art form cannot be rivaled. While art may not change the
world, it can change the way we view the world. True revolution begins in the
imagination.
The Active Vista Film Festival is not your ordinary film festival. It presents a dynamic
vision that empowers its public towards relevant social change.
festival program
Pelikula at Lipunan: film screenings
Films possess a power not only to entertain but also to educate. The power of cinema is
its ability to shape the consciousness of its audience. Philippine cinema remains deeply
intertwined with the prevailing conditions of our nation. The Active Vista Film Festival
presents a plethora of films that embody the power of cinema to make a difference. The
films to be shown illuminate life and make real the stories behind the headlines and
statistics so that we may be able to empathize with these struggles and embrace it as
our own.
The Active Vista Film Festival seeks to
reach out the broadest audience possible.
It will happen in seventeen (17) areas
to experiment, to challenge, to pioneer,
nationwide: 1) Baguio; 2) Pampanga; 3)
to question, to follow, to defy, to dare,
Laguna; 4) Batangas; 5) Puerto Princesa; 6)
Naga; 7) Legaspi; 8) Bacolod; 9) Iloilo; 10)
to fashion, to conceive, to define, to label,
Cebu; 11) Dumaguete 12) Zamboanga; 13)
to unmask , to push, to astound,
Cagayan de Oro; 14) Iligan; 15) Davao; 16)
General Santos and 17) Metro Manila. The
to assert, to enlighten, to stand,
Festival will feature twenty human rights
to empower and to inspire themed
films
(full
length,
short,
and our freedom to make our own choices.
documentary or animation) in more than
30 schools nationwide. An estimated
audience of 10,000 to 15,000 young
people are expected to watch these films
by the country’s most respected film makers. The Film Festival will open in June and end
on December 10, 2010 - the International day for Human Rights.
Active Vista 2010 is a celebration of our rights -
BUGSO: film discussions
Bugso is a venue to hear the views of noted personalities from the film industry, civil
society and the academe on the films presented and the use of these films for social
awakening and people empowerment. For the whole leg of the festivals, every film
screening will be followed by the “bugso” discussions where the audience may engage in
a free exchange of ideas with artists, filmmakers, educators and social activists.
HASIK: advocacy filmmaking
Hasik (to spread) is a platform to spread the power that films possess in shaping the
consciousness of its audience. HASIK seeks to empower the new generation of
filmmakers into creating films that inspire positive change from its public. Hasik will
challenge new filmmakers to dare to spark change through cinema and to empower its
audience towards social involvement.
This advocacy cinema lecture and workshop
sessions shall provide an opportunity to 150
young film makers and students to be
mentored by the film industry’s most brilliant
and respected personalities. Three batches of
participants from Luzon, Visayas and
Mindanao will be selected to pioneer the
Hasik: Advocacy Cinema Learning Sessions.
ALAB: short film competition
Alab calls on aspiring and new film makers to
submit short films that dwell on the issues of
human rights. The competition looks for
films that stimulate passionate discussion
about human rights and captures the
intensity of these film makers as they view
the world with their young eyes.
Alab is an attempt to feature short films that
can tell stories of people whose freedom and
rights are trampled upon and give voice for
those who suffer in silence.
At the same time, Alab looks for young film
makers whose fresh takes and innovative
approaches to films will inspire revolutions of
the mind and create movements.
Alab seeks for new revolutionaries - men and
women who dare to use change to incite
change.
Ten best short films on human rights shall be
chosen and will be screened during the
Festival Closing and Awards Night on
December 10, 2010.
Festival Theme
Katuwiran, Karapatan at Kapayapaan
films that depict the continuing struggle
for justice, gender equality, human
rights and peace so that we can lay
down the foundations of an empowered
citizenry
Kalikasan
we can wax all the poetic sbout the
environment but ultimately it is not
s o m e t h i n g t h a t l i v e s m e r e ly i n
postcards but a living, breathing
political entity of which we are all active
participants.
Kabataan
because the hopes and struggles of a
child and his future are as equally
important as the most pressing social
concerns
Kaunlaran, Kalayaan at Kasarinlan
films that depict the struggles of the
common man in a country that despite
the promise of progress has failed to
provide children with quality education,
families of decent shelter, workers of
fair wages, farmers with a land of their
own and the majority of the population
with dignity of life.
our partners
For the Active Vista Film Festival 2010, the Embassy of the Kingdom of Netherlands
and the Embassy of Australia have joined our mission of raising public awareness for
social issues and inspiring positive change through cinema.
about the active vista film festival
In the past, the festival has exhibited a balance of socially relevant, unique and artistic
visions that engaged its audiences in thought-provoking dialogues through its
partnerships with the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA), Philippine
Independent Filmmakers Cooperative, development organizations (PAHRA, Foundation
for A Sustainable Society, Initiatives for International Dialogue, World Vision, C4CC,
Philippine Legislators Committee on Population and Development, Mindanao
Peaceweavers, Team RP, Code NGO, Global Coalition Against Poverty), student
organizations (Ateneo de Manila Loyola Film Circle, University Student Council of UP
Manila, Tapat of De La Salle University, UP Politica, San Beda Student Council, Teatro
Kolehiyo ng Miriam, La Consolacion Student Council, and the Association of Political
Science Organizations of the Philippines); media institutions (Philippine Daily Inquirer,
The Probe Team, Brewrats Radio, Solar Network, Jam 88.3, 99.5RT, Click the City, TV5)
and companies (Philam Life, URC, Samsung, Robinson’s Movieworld).
In 2008, we have screened films as diverse as the then declared subversive film,
“Orapronobis”; recent award winning films such as “Tribu’, “Brutus”, “Jay”, Ang Daan
Patungong Kalimugtong”, “Pisay”, “Ploning”; indie classics such as “Bayani”, “Anino”,
“Bunso”, the cult tv hit “Strangebrew”; and the satirical film, “Kakabakaba ka ba?”. We
have also the privileged of screening the world premiere of Mike de Leon’s “Signos.”
Prominent artists and filmmakers such as Pete Lacaba, Bembol Rocco, Brillante Mendoza,
Ditsi Carolino, Jim Libiran, Dante Garcia, Bayang Barrios, Lourd de Veyra, Parokya ni
Edgar, Tado, Ramon Bautista, and Ping Medina have also graced the festival.
dakila - philippine collective for modern heroism
The Active Vista Film Festival is a
project of DAKILA - Philippine
Collective for Modern Heroism
in cooperation with the Embassy
of Australia and the Embassy of
the Kingdom of Netherlands.
Dakila is a collective of artists and individuals committed to
instill awareness, educate and inspire involvement on social
concerns by providing avenues of creative expression geared
towards achieving the common good. Dakila envisions a nation
of heroes. Its mission is to build a movement that inspires
nobility of thought and action to effect social transformation by
collectively providing creative avenues to awaken the individual,
dismantle apathy and unleash their inner heroes.
The core of the collective are three time Palanca Awarded writer and
frontman of the band Radioactive Sago Project, Lourd de Veyra;
Parokya ni Edgar bassist, Buhawi Meneses; singer-songwriter Noel
Cabangon; veteran theater and film actor Ronnie Lazaro; and actorcomedian, Tado. Its membership and volunteers comprise of artists
from various fields of arts such as directors, Jim Libiran, RA Rivera,
Ditsi Carolino; musicians like Bayang Barrios, Cooky Chua, Ebe Dancel
of Sugarfree, Aia de Leon of Imago, Vin Dancel of Peryodiko, Armi
Millare of Up Dharma Down, Kat Agarado of Sinosikat, Bituin Escalante;
visual artists like Poklong Anading, Eghai Roxas; celebrities like
Ramon Bautista and Ping Medina.
Dakila’s first project was “Linisin ang Pilipinas”, a literal and symbolical
cleaning of the Philippines (relief map in Luneta). It has partnered with
various NGOs such as Rocked Philippines for the “Rock the Riles”, an
annual concert promoting the Millennium Development Goals; the
SBMA for the Subic Earth Day Festival; Sulong CARHRIHL for the
“Peacetahan 2008”; the National Commission for Culture and the Arts
for “Active Vista Film Festival 2008”; the Virlaine Foundation, Child
Hope Asia and Nokia for the Creative Workshops Program and most
recently, with Oxfam International for the “Tik Tok Global Campaign
for Climate Action”.
Dakila was also part of the cult hit radio show, Brewrats, hosted by
Ramon Bautista, Angel Rivero and Tado at the U92.3 FM for a segment
called “Educational Mondays with Dakila”. Dakila has also released two
50 artist collaborative songs and music video: “Kaya Mong Maging
Dakila (2008)” and “No Time to Waste (2009)” which were both
composed by Noel Cabangon. The music videos were directed by Tado
and RA Rivera.