‘Kalakalaro’ bags Best Short Film, Best Director in Sine Kabataan 2019
Kalakalaro, a short film directed by DLSU-D alumnus Rodson Suarez, won Best Short Film and Best Director in Sine Kabataan 2019 during Pista ng Pelikulang Pilipino Gabi ng Parangal, held on September 15 at One Esplanade, Manila.
CONGRATULATIONS to all the winners of this year’s Pista ng Pelikulang Pilipino! Mabuhay kayo ay ang pelikulang Pilipino! #PPP3GabingParangalatPasasalamat #PPP2019 #PPP2019NowShowing pic.twitter.com/0enYcYiPik
— Pista ng Pelikulang Pilipino (@FDCP_PPP) September 15, 2019
“We never really expected anything from this film right from the start. It was just a simple project given to us, but seeing this level of recognition we can only say that we are blessed and is guided by the right people that has brought us where we are now,” Suarez said.
What If Productions is comprised of AB Communication graduates: director Rodson Suarez, assistant director Raya Solomo, producers Karlotta Monzon and Germain Peñaflor, screenplay writer Chelesa Orale, sound editor Keiko Ann Maruyama, personal assistant Vern Capuno, and their head coach Rahyan Carlos of the Communication and Journalism Department.
Sine Kabataan: Best Director – Roddson Verr Suarez Kalakalaro pic.twitter.com/nJvxwPLcMN
— Ganiel Krishnan (@KrishnanGaniel) September 15, 2019
Following the life of Benok, this short film produced in January 2019 intends to show poverty in the Philippines through the eyes of an eight-year-old child who missed his chance to play with other kids, after being forced to work by his mother. Suarez, the 21-year-old director of the film shared that the story’s idea and inspiration root from children playing hide-and-seek and APO Hiking Society’s Bawat Bata.
In this first brush of success after graduation, Suarez thinks of the win as a “humbling and affirming experience.”
He also shared that he takes pride from this film having produced by students from Cavite. “I think it’s good not to be clustered in a certain area when we talk about film, because film is universal and is a collaborative medium. The rising youth film scene in Cavite is a good indication that people are becoming more interested.”
What If Productions plans to use the prize they won for funding future films, while Kalakalaro will soon be screened in Cinestudyante on September 25 to October 1, 2019.
