De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde (DLS-CSB) Digital Filmmaking student Will Sim Garcia was given the Golden Palm award for student category in the recently held Mexico International Film Festival for her thesis film entitled ‘Gamu-Gamo’. Winners were announced last May 1.
Inspired by an old Spanish children’s cartoon TV show entitled “Pablito y Virginia”, the coming-of-age film dives into what happens when two girls mix up a pornographic film with a horror film. Like the TV show, her film “explores how children are eager to understand the concept of genitalia, and how their guardian explains things to them clearly.”
“Me and my co-writer, MK Jannin Ventura, wanted to make a voice for responsible parenting and the effects of pornography on children,” shared Garcia.
According to Garcia, preproduction of the film took two weeks on ocular stage (excluding concept and writing stage), budget planning, production design and casting. Two and a half days were allotted for the shooting itself, while two to three months were allotted for editing.
Aside from the Grand Palm award, the film also garnered the Best Storyline at UP Cebu’s UPelikula 2015 and Best Cinematography at CineSB 5inco Independent Film Festival’s The Chair Benildean thesis competition. It is also an official selection for the Diwa Film Showcase in Seattle, USA to be held this June; the Biennial Edition of Cinewoman Film Festival, Sunderland Shorts Film Festival to be held in July; and it was chosen last month for The Monthly Film Festival.
“My stay in Benilde helped me [to produce] Gamugamo (Embers) by training us to work under pressure. It has made my film crew versatile, competitive and professional to work with,” she added.
The Mexico International Film Festival, running for 10 years this 2015, is a “celebration of cinematic discovery and innovation,” which honors the best films internationally in categories such as Feature Films, Documentaries, Short Films, Foreign Films, Mexican Films, a short and feature length Screenplay Competition, Music Videos, Experimental Films, Television Pilots, Environmental Films, and more.
Besides being a digital filmmaker, Garcia is also a film colorist and scriptwriter. She won the Best Screenplay award for her film Adda Namnama (There is Hope) in the first Convergence Documentary Film Festival held last March 14 at the National Commission for Culture and the Arts.
“I want to make more films, do AVPs, take workshops nonstop and study again. Also, I need to travel more. Eat more. Live more,” she said.
