‘Lasallian Film Director’ Exhibit Honors Filmmakers on Philippine Film Industry Month
‘Lasallian Film Director’ Exhibit Honors Filmmakers on Philippine Film Industry Month
16 September 2024
As declared by the Film Development Council of the Philippines (FDCP), September celebrates the Philippine Film Industry Month. Last September 12, commemorating the release of the first Filipino-directed feature film, Jose Nepomuceno’s “Dalagang Bukid,” on the same day in 1919, Benilde Center for Campus Arts (CCA) unveiled the “Lasallian Film Director”—a permanent exhibit honoring directors from La Salle schools at the hallway of the 12th Floor at the Design+Arts Campus.
Spearheaded by CCA Director and Curator Ar. Gerry Torres, the event featured the works of 29 Lasallian directors from across the country, including that of Borgy Torre, Don Escudero, De La Salle University (DLSU) Professor Emeritus and University Fellow Clodualdo “Doy” del Mundo Jr., Emerson Reyes, Erik Matti, Gabriel Fernandez, Ida del Mundo, Gino Santos, James Mayo, Jay Abello, FDCP Chief Executive Officer and a DLSU faculty Joey Reyes, Kurt Soberano, Lawrence Fajardo, Mike Sandejas, Pepe Diokno, Peque Gallaga, Rica Arevalo, Sheenly Gener, Thop Nazareno, and Iar Arondaing.
In his welcoming remarks, Torres revealed that the idea for such an exhibit came to be in 2018. When he was curating the list of installations, he began thinking of directors he personally knew and those whom he never met but have done exemplary work as well. “I realized back then that there was one common thread connecting all these directors: a Lasallian education. We are all products of De La Salle schools,” he declared.
It was from this that the list of directors expanded while focusing on two definitions: “director” and “Lasallian.” “For this exhibit, I focused on directors who have made at least one full-length film publicly screened in the cinemas, in the Philippines or overseas,” Torres explained.
On the other hand, the definition of “Lasallian” came from De La Salle Alumni Association’s, which defines a Lasallian as someone who has spent at least two years in a La Salle school.
To draw up the initial list of directors, the first reference Torres used was the 10th Anniversary of Cinemalaya book, “Making Waves,” which listed the educational attainment of most directors. The rest, he said, were personal contacts and names forwarded by other directors.
Acknowledging that the list is not as exhaustive as he would want, he mentioned that there is still space for additional installations in the gallery. “In the future, [the exhibit] may be expanded to include those whose works appear on smaller screens, such as on television or alternative platforms like streaming services. In time, other Lasallians from the industry—cinematographer, scriptwriters, production designers, editors, and others—would be featured too,” he expressed.
Still, the exhibit affirms Benilde’s efforts to begin acknowledging Lasallian filmmakers, many of which, according to Torres, have produced exemplary works and have contributed greatly to the industry. “Future curators and administrators would have the opportunity to build on this foundation, expanding and refining the next iterations of this tribute,” he ended.
Benilde President Br. Edmundo “Dodo” Fernandez FSC was also present for the exhibit’s opening. In his message, he pointed out that when one thinks of a Lasallian, they would immediately associate them as being engineers, businesspeople, and bankers, and that people would rarely instantly think of filmmakers.
“Today’s exhibition changes all of that,” he affirmed, “May we celebrate all the Lasallians involved in film. May we continue to nurture, encourage, and develop all the budding creative talents who aspire to be in the film industry.”
De La Salle University (DLSU) Professor Emeritus and University Fellow Clodualdo “Doy” del Mundo Jr. and FDCP Chief Executive Officer and DLSU faculty Dir. Joey Reyes were also present that night.
Del Mundo was also honored during the event for his and his daughter Ida’s documentary on the lives and legacies of renowned Filipino filmmakers Lino Brocka and Ishmael Bernal, “Brocka X Bernal.”
During his message, he again brought up Nepomuceno, who was 26 years old when he made the film adaptation of Germones Ilagan’s sarsuela. “I guess what moved the young Nepomuceno was the desire to make a movie, not merely a copy of American movies, but a movie that was local, something native,” he commented. He furthered that while there is no copy, the sheer memory of a young filmmaker making the first full-length Pinoy movie “is inspiration enough.”
Before he ended, he reiterated that the local film industry has come a long way since Nepomuceno ventured into this art form. He highlighted, however, that something remains the same: the inspired desire to make films that are uniquely Pinoy.
“It is the desire that pushes us to make more stories through film, stories that connect with our people. This exhibit is our contribution to realizing this desire,” del Mundo stated.
What followed was the lighting of the exhibit and the ribbon-cutting ceremony to mark the gallery as officially opened. The viewing of del Mundo’s documentary took place afterward.
At Benilde, the School of New Media Arts (SNMA) caters to the needs of students to venture into these careers and equips them with skills deemed necessary for their success in the industry. SNMA offers programs in Animation, Film, Multimedia Arts, and Photography.
For more information on Benilde SNMA programs and other undergraduate programs, contact us at (63) 2 8230 5100 local 1801 or admissions@benilde.edu.ph. You may also visit our website at www.benilde.edu.ph.
