AN ALUMNUS of the University of the East won the Best Documentary Film award at the 13th Kota Kinabalu Film Festival held in Malaysia.

Elvin Jay Macanlalay, a graduate of Bachelor of Fine Arts major in Visual Communication, was recognized for his short documentary film titled “‘Di Niyo Ba Naririnig” (‘Can’t You Hear?’).

The six-minute mobile-phone-shot film tackles the sentiments of jeepney drivers of Sangandaan, Caloocan, on their situation as they were left begging for money in 2020 after they lost their jobs because of the pandemic.

The film was shot in one day and was originally a product of “Kuwentong Quarantine,” a free online mobile documentary workshop by ABS-CBN’s #NoFilter program.

“Mr. Macanlalay’s film shows the dire consequences of the country’s anti-poor quarantine measures in the early onset of the Covid19 pandemic and the prevalent public transport crisis that has always burdened drivers and commuters in the Philippines,” UE said in a statement.

“The jeepney drivers featured openly air their frustrations as their families are left hungry and unable to pay rent. Director Elvin Jay said that his low-profile mobile filmmaking set-up helped to make the drivers comfortable in expressing their feelings and sharing their stories,” it added.

“The same drivers of the jeepneys he used to ride as a student in his daily route from home to UE-Caloocan and back somehow created a sort of observatory connection to him that needed pay-it-forward action, particularly in these trying times, the UE CFAD grad thinking that his documentary amplifying their voices and shedding light on their plight was the least he could do in return,” the university said.

“Di Niyo Ba Naririnig” was officially selected for screening in local and international film festivals, including the Knowmad Short Film Festival, the 5th Meihodo International Youth Visual Media Festival, the Cinema Rehiyon Film Festival and the 13th Kota Kinabalu International Film Festival, to name a few.

Macanlalay has received awards and recognition as a filmmaker over the years.

These include the Gawad Sining Biswal from the National Commission for Culture and the Arts; the Knowmad Short Film Festival award for Best Animation film and the Heritage Film Award for “Maling Akala: Ang Misteryo ng Unamuno”; and Honorable Mentions from the Knowmad Short Film Festival Germany and the DreamManila International Film Festival for his earlier documentary, “How the Beasts Got Hyped.”