EIGHT films made by students and professors of the University of the Philippines Visayas were selected as finalists in the 33rd Gawad Cultural Center of the Philippine Para sa Alternatibong Pelikula at Video.

The filmmakers are from the Communication and Media Studies program of the Division of Humanities.

Of the eight films, six were directed by students of lecturer Arden Rod Condez, while Professors Kevin Piamonte and Bobby Rodriguez produced a film funded by the university.

“Seven films are finalists of the Short Feature Category, while the other one is a documentary produced by first year CMS students Mary Angeline Soriaso, Jane Mariane Biyo from the College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences, and Katya Marie Corazon Puertollano from the University of the Philippines Los Baños,” the school said.

Among the entries of UPV students are “Camille Alone” by Kaya Guillen, “Gutab” by Mary Andrea Palmares, “Here Not Here” by Mariah Vianca Quinesio, and “Issa Prank” by Louangel Benjamin.

The others are “Manyaok” by Kate Villanueva,“The Girl from Nowhere” by Flory Tacuban, “Sa Pagpula sang Lawod” by Kenneth De la Cruz, and “Panambi” by Soriaso, Biyo, and Puertollano.

The Gawad Alternatibo is the longest-running independent film competition of its kind in the ASEAN region since 1987.

It recognizes Filipino films in four categories — short feature, documentary, animation, and experimental.