Cebu films gaining ground

By MIER VILLEGAS, RAFI intern
February 7, 2013

CEBU CITY – Local filmmakers remain hopeful that the burgeoning of the Cebuano film scene will eventually usher a film industry in Cebu.

“We are really envisioning that we can make a Cebuano film industry. We continue to produce quality films, we don’t lose hope because we know we’ll reach that goal. At present, it’s Cebuano film scene only, we can’t call it industry yet. It’s still a community of filmmakers,” Remton Zuasola, award-winning Cebuano director, shared during the Feb. 2 episode of "Pagtuki", the official radio program of Ramon Aboitiz Foundation Inc. (RAFI).

Keith Deligero, another award-winning Cebuano filmmaker, added since 2005, when Cebuano filmmaking scene started to bloom, until today, the number of filmmakers is increasing but the number of viewers is not responding well.

But Zuasola also expressed his happiness on the positive, though slow, public response to Cebuano films.

Deligero also pointed out financial constraints in independent filmmaking.

“In Indie, you can avail corporate freedom but the trade off is the limitation in the budget,” Deligero said.

Despite this, he still encourages filmmakers to continue creating films, but they have to be prepared for many challenges.

Karl Damayo, museum collections officer of RAFI Casa Gorordo Museum, related the importance of Cebuano films as a depiction of Cebuano culture.

“Our films are like our old stories, legends, and folktales that are presented visually. They manifest our values, beliefs, and practices as a people,” Damayo said.

He also added that Cebu experienced a "Golden Age of Cebuano Films" in the 1950s. Cebu yielded 10 to 20 films; it was also the time when Cebuano actors Gloria Sevilla and Caridad Sanchez rose to fame.