The Judge: Tuguegiraw Film Festival 2022
December 23, 2022
TUGUEGARAO, PH — I had the absolute pleasure of sitting on the jury for the FIRST EVER annual Tuguegiraw Film Festival.
Dreamt into reality by North Luzon Cinema Guild’s Jerome Dulin and Sef Arcegono, in collaboration with Bloggers of Tuguegarao, the festival held its premiere at the new SM City Cinema One. The festival name is a play on the words “Tuguegarao” (the city where it takes place), and “giraw,” which loosely translates to “watch” in Ibanag.
As a jury member, I wasn't sure what to expect. I've applied for and attended festivals, but never sat on a jury. And in this case, each film was made specifically for the festival – the filmmakers were given around six weeks to take their projects from concept to completion, prompted by collaboration with local government departments. Jerome and Sef, long-time film educators and makers, offered expert guidance along the way.
In my experience (in the U.S.), filmmakers are pressured to migrate to big cities to access resources and get “discovered.” But the Tuguegiraw Film Festival called for local artists and the premise of the competition focused on their hometown. As a recent Tuguegarao transplant, I can recognize certain locations, languages, and even interactions, but of course, each film looked much deeper, leaving a trail of personal notes about life in Tuguegarao for us to find. The six films also spanned across genres! Though I had expected quiet, slice of life dramas, there was action, thriller, and even traces of horror and magical realism. The films touched on poverty, healthcare, and abuse, weighed the beauty and the struggles of rural life, reflected on realities of mental illness, and challenged the notorious influence of false information. Though these are all universal themes, the films captured uniquely Filipino and specifically Tuguegarao-esque attitudes through familiar visuals and signage, clever references in dialogue and language, and even costume, props, and set design.
Along with the premiere, festival organizers and the Cagayan Museum and Historical Research Center co-hosted a public outdoor screening in Rizal Park at the center of town. Folks young and old flocked to the square in sweatshirts on the chilly Friday evening before Christmas to watch and celebrate.
In film today, there is often a strange balance between the personal, the fictional, and the relatable. Sometimes the personal draws more connection, sometimes that appears in fictional or fictionalized moments. Always, a film’s perception depends upon the audience members and their own interpretations. Finding the right balance and also accepting that you cannot control another’s outlook can feel overwhelming, and has been on my mind constantly since my arrival. Cheesy as it may seem, there is a touch of bravery to sharing within one’s own community, and I felt emboldened watching fellow filmmakers share their films at home.
Artists often say we want to “bring community together” with our work. Sometimes, that outcome is hard to measure. But as I watched the crowd gather, heard them laugh and cheer, and even occupy each other happily through technical difficulties, the togetherness felt warm and powerful.