Globe Studios, the original content production arm of Globe Telecom, recognized and awarded bright, young Filipino talents in its recently concluded Globe Independent Film Festival (GIFF).
Launched towards the end of 2016, GIFF is the first ever online film festival that changed the landscape of independent film fests. GIFF maximized the online platform to rally amateur filmmakers to share their quality films and reach a wider audience.
“When we started GIFF, we really wanted to do a different type of film festival. Something that is more fun, friendly, and most importantly, inclusive. We also aimed to make it more accessible and cost effective for our audience as it is free and can be seen whenever, right on their devices,” said Quark Henares, Director of Globe Studios.
GIFF accepted over 200 hundred entries for 6 major categories: Documentary, Experimental, Animation, Webisodes, Narrative, and Music Video. Each winner per category brought home up to P200,000.
The first ever GIFF winners are as follows:
DOCUMENTARY
1st: Nothing Too Supreme by Felman Jay Jr. Hernandez
2nd: Pelikula Ni Rey by Dino Placino
3rd: Panginabuhi Namo, Sa Kaong Na Giluto by Romel Lozada, Tatiano Molarto, Jori Mae Samillano
EXPERIMENTAL
1st: Isda by Mark Glenn Doroja
2nd: Penafrancia by Gab Mesina
3rd: Girl Magazine by Anna Meer
ANIMATION
1st: Lakas Ng Lahi by Arnold Arre, Emil Flores
2nd: The Well by Juan Alcazaren
3rd: Momo by Avid Liongoren
WEBISODES
1st: Dota Dad by Karlo Policarpio
2nd: Bilucao Warriors IV by Gariendo Encarnacion, Jr.
3rd: Hugot Sword by Karlo Policarpio
NARRATIVE
1st: All Your Algorithms by Alec Figuracion
2nd: TransParent by Adel Clemente
3rd: The Harvest by Brian Patrick Lim
MUSIC VIDEO
1st: BP Valenzuela – Building Too by Christine Joyce Silva
2nd: Nanay Mo – Absent Mind by Gio Puyat
3rd: Escuri – Sepia by Dominic Bekaert, Quintuin P. Cu-Unjieng
There was a bonus award for the most number of views online, on both the website of Globe Studios and its YouTube channel. Penafrancia by Gab Mesina was awarded the winner for the Audience Choice Award.
Globe Studios opened GIFF to all amateur filmmakers and were evaluated by an esteemed panel of judges from the entertainment industry namely, acclaimed film director Antoinette Jadaone, TV personality Bianca Gonzalez, film critic Philbert Dy, and renowned TV commercial director Sid Maderazo.
“Globe Studios’ GIFF Awards Night definitely proved how we gave our brand a whole new way of bringing wonderful entertainment to our customers,” added Henares. “With the event, our vision for Globe Studios has been realized – to advocate local talent and eventually collaborate with them for content. GIFF has allowed us to fuel creativity among filmmakers and we are very proud of these entries that brought these amazing films closer to every Filipino.”
At the GIFF awards night, guests also sang to their favorite tunes from renowned indie artists such as ESCURI, Nanay Mo, B.P. Valenzuela, MOONWLK, Olympia, Taken By Cars, and Pedicab.
To watch the finalists and winning entries, visit Globe Telecom’s YouTube page at https://www.youtube.com/user/globeph or on www.GlobeStudios.ph.