The Tofarm Film Festival of Dr. Milagros Ong-how Makes Farming Cool Once Again


“Napansin ko sa isang oras na travel namin from Manila to Baguio (chopper), panay lupa,” said a concerned Maryo J. De Los Reyes, the festival director. Together with the company owned by the female doctor who said she was touched by stories of different farmers she met across the country, Direk Maryo and Universal Harvester Incorporated (UHI) aim to revitalize the agricultural industry. The theme for the first installation of this filmfest is “The Plight of the Farmer: His Trials and Triumphs”.

Some winners are grateful to Dr. Ong-how, The Executive Vice President of Universal Harvester Inc., primarily because she changed their views regarding farming. “Akala ko po sa kanayunan lang may taniman, yun pala pwede rin sa siyudad,” said Danilo Agliham, the 2014 winner in the City Farming Division. “Kami po ay dinala niya [Dr. Ong-how] sa pagkakataong ito para mapakitang huwag kaming susuko sa pagsasaka,” said the 2014 winner in the Livestock Division.

The festival runs in Metro Manila from July 13-19 with screenings at SM Megamall and SM North. Other confirmed screenings are on Aug. 24-30 (SM Cabanatuan and SM Pampanga), Sept. 14-20 (SM Cebu) , and Oct. 12-18 (SM Davao). For more information, you may visit [email protected] or visit www.tofarm.org.

The finalists for the 1st Tofarm Film Festival are Free Range (dir. Dennis Marasigan), Pauwi Na (dir. Paolo Villaluna), Paglipay (dir. Zig Dulay), Pitong Kabang Palay (dir. Maricel Cariaga), Kakampi (dir. Vic Acedillo Jr.), and Pilapil (dir. Jose Johnny Nadela). Each filmmaker received a grant of PhP1.5M each to complete his/her oeuvre. The synopses and the trailers are below.

 

PAGLIPAY TRAILER:

PAGLIPAY (Crossing) Official TrailerAnna J. Luna Joan Dela Cruz Marinella Sevidal Natasha Cabrera Gigi Locsin Joel Saracho Upeng Galang Fernandez Kenken Nuyad JC Santos Keep Me Posted, Inc Drew Milallos Gian Gianan Albert Banzon Joseph Delos Reyes Ljay Fernandez De Guzman Jed Medrano Regina Valenzuela Maryo J. Delos Reyes Norman King Tess De Guzman Larry Castillo Paul Sta Ana Danieson Gonzalvo Joe-Nico Ebora Wence Trajano Christianare Joy Dela Cruz Kimmy Oh Sandoval Martinez Mareck Denelle Jingco Ryndon Leonard Barrios Claver Charlotte Rodriguez Mark Locsin Mico Man John Joseph Tan Jan Joseph Llona

Zig Dulay 发布于 2016年6月6日

 

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SYNOPSIS: The film focuses on ATAN, an Aeta from Baytan village in Zambales, who makes a living from traditional farming system kaingin and hunting on the foothills of Mt. Pinatubo. The narrative opens as we follow Atan’s fulfillment of his arranged marriage with a fellow Aeta, ANI. He has to accomplish a number of responsibilities which includes the offering of bandi or bride price to Ani’s parents.

Atan needs to cross the mountain river going to Banwa, the town where he could earn the necessary amount for the bride price. In order to find a job, he needs to adapt himself with the modern way of life in town, including change in appearance, manner of clothing, religious practice, and even the use of different language in order to associate himself with the Unat or “straight-haired ones,” such as RAIN, a young lass from Manila who would make his life turn.

Rain has to immerse with the Aetas of Banwa for her thesis, and Atan is commissioned to accompany her in researches and interviews with the locals. Atan develops special feelings with Rain in his daily encounters with her. Slowly, the young Aeta forgets the very reason of his journey—the bandi, and the arrangement with Ani.

On his effort to accommodate himself in a modern society, Atan faces cross-cultural modifications amid changes in the mountain brought about by immense modernity.

“Paglipay” is a Sambal Ayta term being used by Aetas when crossing the mountain river going to town.

 

SYNOPSIS: Chito is the son of the owners of a lodge in Coron, Palawan. Because of a shortage in eggs in the town, he gets encouraged to go into growing organic chickens. He undergoes trainings and situates the farm in a property owned by his father. Just when the business is about to take off, Chito’s father suffers a stroke. Chito is unable to be beside him right away as a storm hits Coron.

Some of the bookings they have at the lodge are cancelled, and 200 out of the 500 chickens they have at the farm are dead. As funds are scarce and hard to get by, a corporation offers to buy the farm from him, apparently because a mall is to be built nearby. Chito is also offered to run for a political position, in exchange for him divesting in some of his businesses. Then his father dies and his wife leaves for a trip to the US where she intends to get some work.

Chito decides to continue with the farm and to manage the lodge at the same time, with difficulty. His perseverance pays off as the tourism business picks up and he gets regular buyers for the farm’s eggs and dressed chicken products. His mother recovers from her heart ache and goes back to managing the farm, while his wife helps him find new markets for their farm products.

 

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SYNOPSIS: The film tells the story of a sickly man, a blind pregnant woman, a dog, and Jesus Christ as they take a tragicomically infused journey from Manila to Bicol by just pedaling their way home. This was inspired by the Sept. 7, 2003 PDI news article.

 

SYNOPSIS: On the rice fields of Isabela, the dela Cruz family lives a simple, frugal life, devoid of electricity or any luxury, making ends meet by planting rice and gathering what the season offers. The young Balong dreams of graduating and helping his parents, as he and his siblings witness the daily struggles their parents experience.

As his mother Deling and father Jaime try to find ways to feed the family while supporting their studies, Balong and his brother Lito try to compensate by studying hard and earning honors at school. Dreaming of a better life, Balong counts the sacks of rice they have left, the money they need, and the little moments that led to an inevitable departure that will leave them all affected.

 

SYNOPSIS: An ordinary taxi ride takes Jun, a young executive, into the unusual story of Ben, a 35 year-old taxi driver in Manila on how he became a lanzones farmer in Camiguin island, Mindanao. His story starts a few years back. Ben (30) is an arrogant sales executive who works for a cellphone eller in Manila. He comes home to Camiguin Island, because he thought he’s going to inherit a large farmland which he plans to turn into a vacation resort. But it turns out the farmland was not as big as he imagined.

He also finds out he’s not even inheriting the farmland. But it was a small farm that unbelievably yields many times more than other larger farmlands. He was asked to come to Camiguin because his Lola (75) wants him to SAVE the farm because the trees have stopped bearing fruit ever since his Lolo said he passed it on to his “apo” with zero farming knowledge Ben’s clues to the puzzle are his blurred pieces of memory with his Lolo when he was 7 years-old and from the way of life of the locals themselves. It twists Ben’s life from the familiar world to the worried and bizarre.

“Kakampi” talks about an almost extinct traditional farming practice in the Philippines but still done by very few small clandestine farms in certain parts of the country. It is shrouded by skepticism because it is unscientific but it teaches us one great thing: To treat nature and all of life with love, humility and respect.) Inspired by a real taxi driver conversation experienced by the author while in Manila.

 

SYNOPSIS: They have different paths to take. A man wants to escape the farm life to seek greener pastures, while a young boy considers it his paradise. In one stroke of fate, their lives cross. Will the man learn from the boy that he need not to go anywhere else? That it is his heart that needs to be cultivated just so he would go back to his roots? Will he, like the boy, love the farm and see it as the paradise that it is?

 

 

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