International Youth Day: BARMM recognizes young film makers, photographers

Cotabato City  – The best film and photograph entries for the Bangsamoro Short Film Peacetival and Photography Contest were awarded during the regional celebration of the International Youth Day 2020 on Wednesday, August 12, in Cotabato City.

Wednesday’s awarding ceremony was led by the Bangsamoro Youth Commission of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BYC-BARMM).

Short film entry “Inged II: Ukha The Story Untold” directed by Hassanodden Hosni Hashim was awarded Best Short Film and received P200,000.00 cash prize.

Inged II is a movie that captures a story of a young breadwinner who joins an insurgent group with the promise of getting an easy way out of hard life to help his sick mother, never expecting to be involved into a much bigger scheme.

The 2nd Best Short Film or the Grand Jury Prize was awarded to “Displaced” directed by Aedrian Araujo and received P100,000.00 cash prize, while the 3rd Best Short Film or Jury Prize was awarded to “Mael” directed by Prince Nor-Anzarrih Matalam and received P75,000.00 cash prize.

Other technical and special awardees include:
Best Director: Aedrian Araojo of “Displaced”
Best Screenplay: “Mael”
Best Cinematography: “Inged II: Ukha The Story Untold”
Best Editing: “Inged II: Ukha The Story Untold”
Best Poster: “Inged”
People’s Choice Award: “Inged II: Ukha The Story Untold”
Best Performance: Boks Mamadra from “Mael” and Mohammad Kouzbary Lucman Dias of “Inged II: Ukha The Story Untold”

The winners each received a cash prize worth P20,000.00, and the other five film entries also received P20,000.00 consolation prize.

Teng Mangansakan, along with Edward Cabagnot and Joe Bacus were the judges for the film festival. “We hope that the Bangsamoro film makers will be instrumental in reshaping the landscape of our national cinema,” Mangsansakan said.

Meanwhile, winners of the Photography Contest were also awarded. 1st Best Photograph was the “Ilaw ng Tahanan” by Bulawan Dizal. The photograph shows a mother helping her child studying in a candle-lit nipa house.

Dizal said the photo magnifies importance of education in the lives of the Bangsamoro people. “Kahit laki tayo sa hirap, nothing is impossible as long as we support education of our children,” Dizal added.

The 2nd Best Photograph was the “Innocence Pain” by Mohammad Kouzbary Lucman Said, and the 3rd Best Photograph is the entry by Aljiber Ismael. Winners received a cash prize amounting to P20,000.00, P15,000.00 and P10,000.00, respectively. The “Yes for Peace” entry of Farida Dizal bagged the Online Choice Award and received P5,000.00 cash prize.

Ten other photography entries each received P5,000.00 consolation prize.

Mark Navales, together with Bennajar Hajan and Joeffrey Maitem, led the jury for the photography contest.

Executive Secretary Abdulraof Macacua said the Bangsamoro Government needs inspired and positive-thinking youth in order to contribute in nation-building. Cabinet Secretary Mohd Asnin Pendatun also delivered an inspirational message.

“We have gathered here not just to celebrate the creativity of Young Bangsamoro but also to give due regard to our values and morals which these qualifiers have demonstrated,” said Marjanie Macasalong, chairperson of the BYC and Member of the Parliament of Bangsamoro Transition Authority.

“The short film peacetival and photography contest mainstream BARMM community-based stories of peace, conflicts, survival, and hopes,” Nass Dunding, chair of programs and operations of BYC-BARMM,” said.

International Youth Day is an international day dedicated by the United Nations to raise awareness on the cultural and legal issues surrounding the youth. This year’s celebration bears the theme “Youth Engagement for Global Action.” (Bureau of the Public Information)