The Languages Department of the School of Liberal Arts and the Ateneo Peace and Culture Institute joined together to host the 1st Documentary Film Festival 2010. The grand premiere and awarding ceremony were held last February 23, 2010 at the Carlos Dominguez Hall, Ateneo de Zamboanga University with the theme “Weaving Stories of Social Truths through Media- the Ateneo Way”.
The project aimed to provide the students of the Ateneo de Zamboanga University, who are enrolled in Literature classes, an opportunity to creatively express their views about existing social structures in the Zamboanga Peninsula through a mini documentary. The following are the entries for this year’s competition: Literature 101 A Double Crisis, Literature 101 B Atenista: Sa Mata Nila, Literature 101 C Behind His Dance, Literature 101 D Budjang Manlulurok (Lady Diver), Literature 101 H Documentarist, Literature 101 K Kuya, Atenista Po Ako, Literature 101 M Kamatis, Literature 101 N Sa Kanyang Isipan, Literature 101 O Limos, Literature 102 C Take a Walk in My Shoes, Literature 102 D Batang Paseo, and Literature 102 F Batang Porter.
The students were given one semester to conceptualize, produce, and edit their entries. Mr Sheron Dayoc, a Zamboangueno film maker, Ms Monabelle Blanco Delgado, producer and media practicioner, and Mr Jonathan Siason, a creative writer and professor from the Languages Department, composed the panel of judges.
Four entries emerged as winner of the Peace Advocacy Documentary Award namely: Batang Paseo (Literature 102 D), Batang Porter (Literature 102 F), Kamatis (Literature 101 M), and Atenista: Sa Mata Nila (Literature 101 B). These entries were viewed during the gala premiere and received a cash prize of 1,200.00 each.
Individual Awards were also given to students who excelled in various aspects of the mini-documentary film making. The winners for the Salam Editor Award were Ma. Lourdes Ruste and Krizzell Wee and The Kalinaw Award for Cinematography Award was also given to Literature 101 B for their entry Atenista Sa Mata Nila. The PAZ Writer Awardees were Hazel Ann Etiong and Vincent Kenneth Resullar while Kevin Roy Jimera received the Kapayapaan Director Award for their entry Kamatis. Nhordiya Jawali of Literature 102 F received The Sanyang Documentary Host Award for Batang Porter.
The APCI and Languages Department hope to conduct this Documentary Festival annually to foster a sense of involvement and initiative in the students.