FDCP, PACE partner for film educators’ training in Mapúa

 

The Film Development Council of the Philippines, through its Academic Film Society, collaborated with the Philippine Association of Communication Educators and Mapúa University, for the FDCP x PACE Training the Teachers program this July.

The training, held at the Mapúa University Makati campus, aimed to enhance the knowledge of media and communication educators in teaching film amid the rapidly evolving media landscape.

The event brought together more than 130 educators from Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao for a training on film appreciation and across various fields of film production. The initiative underscores the commitment of FDCP and PACE to elevate film education nationwide.

The program started with the welcome and opening remarks from PACE President Mark Lester Del Mundo Chico, FDCP Technical Consultant for Academic Linkages Seymour Sanchez, and Mapúa University Board of Trustees member Yvonne Yuchengco.

Chico highlighted the significance of this partnership, especially in celebration of PACE’s 50th anniversary, emphasizing its role in empowering teachers to provide their students with insights from leading industry experts.

FDCP Chair and CEO Jose Javier Reyes kicked off the educational sessions with a compelling talk on the “Film Teacher and the Study of National Culture and History,” underscoring the crucial role of educators in fostering film appreciation among the youth.

A special screening of the Filipino film classic “Maynila sa mga Kuko ng Liwanag,” directed by Lino Brocka and written by former PACE Board of Trustees member Clodualdo “Doy” Del Mundo Jr., was followed by an in-depth analysis led by Manunuri ng Pelikulang Pilipino members Dr. Roland Tolentino and Dr. Anne Frances Sangil. Moderated by MPP chairperson Dr. Shirley Lua, the discussion commemorated the neo-noir drama’s golden jubilee.

Meanwhile, Filipino Screenwriters Guild members Dustin Celestino and Giancarlo Abrahan facilitated a crash course on story development and scriptwriting while producers Khaye Medina and Mica Oliveros conducted a talk on production management and film producing.

Award-winning documentary filmmakers and educators Adjani Arumpac of the University of the Philippines Film Institute and Kristoffer Brugada of De La Salle University shared their expertise in a forum moderated by Digital Film program chair She Andes of Mapúa School of Media Studies.

On the other hand, “Saving Sally” director Avid Liongoren, “Iti Mapukpukaw” director Carl Joseph Papa, and animator Eru Petrasanta discussed animation as a medium of storytelling in another forum moderated by Directors’ Guild of the Philippines, Inc. president and filmmaker Keith Sicat.

Dr. Patrick Campos of the UP Film Institute and Tito Valiente of MPP discussed world cinema, as moderated by fellow film critic Jason Tan Liwag, following a screening of the French psychological legal drama and Cannes Film Festival Palme d’Or winner “Anatomy of a Fall.”

Cinematographer Lee Briones-Meily, known for her work on films like “American Adobo,” “Baler,” and “Crying Ladies,” engaged educators in a creative drawing exercise. Ilsa Malsi, editor of “Babae at Baril” and “Rookie,” highlighted key editing techniques through scenes from the films she edited.

Mapúa SMS Dean David Corpuz delivered the closing remarks, expressing his gratitude to FDCP and PACE for selecting the campus to host the event.

The partnership between PACE and FDCP for this program was formalized through a memorandum of agreement signed by Chico and PACE Vice President for Luzon Reginald Gonzales with Reyes.

The initiative has provided film educators with essential knowledge spanning film appreciation, pre-production, and the technical aspects of filmmaking, including production and post-production, preparing them to shape the future of film education in the Philippines.