“Desilya” Short Film: CDO Toni Cañete Wins the 21st Mindanao Film Festival
Cagayan de Oro City, Philippines – Cagayan de Oro filmmaker Toni Cañete secured the Best Film accolade at the 21st Mindanao Film Festival in Tagum City for her short film, “Desilya.” The festival, one of the country’s enduring regional film events, took place in Tagum City, Davao del Norte, from December 6 to 9, showcasing over 40 short films nationwide. While pursuing her studies and filmmaking career in Metro Manila as a film major at the University of the Philippines Diliman, Cañete emphasizes that she maintains strong connections with her hometown, Cagayan de Oro.
Despite being a film major at the University of the Philippines Diliman and pursuing her filmmaking career in Metro Manila, Cañete remains connected to her hometown, Cagayan de Oro. She expressed, “My films have always found being a Cagayanon to be inescapable, and this film ‘Desilya’ is no different.”
“Desilya” narrates the story of a 16-year-old balikbayan searching for her mother in the streets of Cagayan de Oro, accompanied by her estranged grandmother. Cañete described the film as addressing the experiences of mothers who are first and foremost daughters, and for all daughters born into a life of mothering.
The accolades for “Desilya” extended beyond the Best Film category, with Cañete winning Best Screenplay, and Wally Walter earning the Best Actress award. Additionally, the non-Mindanaon film “Dog Eaters” from Iloilo, directed by Kevin Piamonte, received the Dayo Award. The quirky Tagum City-shot film “Plastik” secured awards for Best Cinematography, Best Editing, and the Best Student Film Award.
Conrad dela Cruz, the director of the macabre horror short film “Ritwal,” exploring the last descendant of Maria Labo, the mythical aswang, was honored with the Best Director award. “Ritwal” also claimed the Best Production Design Award. Other notable winners included “The Lament of the Silent Crow” for Best Actor (MJ Ong) and Best Musical Score, while the Bukidnon short film “Innocents,” directed by Aldrin Cork, won the award for Best Official Soundtrack.
Cañete’s another directorial venture, “Dala,” earned the Best Sound Award, and the animated short film “Stolen Gift” received a jury prize. The distinguished panel of jurors for the festival included past MFF festival director Rudolph Alama, Mindanaon actress Fe Hyde, and Tagumenyo filmmaker and cinematographer Arnel Barbarona.
The 21st Mindanao Film Festival was organized by the City Government of Tagum and the Mindanao Film and Television Development Foundation Incorporated, with support from the National Commission for the Culture and the Arts.
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