Photo courtesy of Bacolod Film Festival Facebook page
Nine Bacolod filmmakers will each receive Php 100,000 to turn their short-film concepts into finished productions for the third Bacolod Film Festival, set from Nov. 27 to 29.
The finalists will compete under this year’s theme, “Pag-angot: Celebrating Heritage, Shaping Our Future,” with their films expected to put the city’s culture, communities and identity at the center of their stories.
The selected projects are “Be ’Ware of Dog,” “Si Balong Gin Bulang,” “Buklod Balod Bakod Bacolod,” “Ka Aslum sang Batwan,” “Princaesar,” “Lumay,” “Duwa Duwa,” “Tukturuok” and “Ang Tagabantay.”
Festival director Tanya Lopez said the city-funded grants would help cover production expenses, with filming primarily taking place in Bacolod. The assistance will be released in two tranches.
Aside from funding, the filmmakers will undergo script consultations, workshops and production mentoring as they prepare their entries for the November festival.
Each finished film must run between 15 and 20 minutes and incorporate three to five recognizable elements of Bacolod heritage. These may include local communities, landmarks, traditions, festivals, cuisine and other cultural assets.
Mayor Greg Gasataya said the city was also supporting its creative sector through G-Hive at the Mansilingan Activity Center, where local creatives can access a film studio and filmmaking equipment.
The festival is backed by City Ordinance 1061, or the Bacolod Film Festival Ordinance, which was enacted in 2024 to strengthen local film production and provide Bacolod filmmakers with a platform for their work.
