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‘Agno’ wins at first Moonrise Film Festival

BAGUIO CITY (Aug. 23) — “Agno”, the documentary produced in 2003 by the Cordillera Peoples Alliance (CPA) brought home one of the major awards for its citation in the Rivers and Lakes category. It also gained nominations in two minor categories, Best in Editing and Best Production Team. ‘Moving Mountains’, garnered the grand prize.

Sixteen films covering various environmental and cultural issues competed for the top honors in the first Moonrise Film Festival last 18-21 August 2005 at the Gateway mall in Cubao, Quezon City.

The struggle of the communities that were affected by the Philippine government flagship project, San Roque Multi-Purpose Dam inspired the production of “Agno”. The documentary depicts the importance of the Agno River in the lives of people living in communities along its riverbanks. In moving images, the video documentary highlighted the people’s defense of their land, lives, resources and the future of their children.

Filmed in 2003 by a competent production team led by the CPA Public Information Commission, “Agno” is a posthumous tribute to two leaders in the anti-San Roque Dam struggle. Lakay Pascual Pocding of Itogon, founding Chairperson of the Shalupirip Santahnay Indigenous Peoples Movement (SSIPM) died in 2003 while Ka Rodrigo Reyes of Nueva Ecija, former Chairperson of the Alyansa ng Magbubukid sa Gitnang Luzon (Peasant Alliance in Central Luzon) died in 2002.

Agno and the other films will form part of the environmental documentaries that will tour schools all over the Philippines beginning December this year to promote concerns for the environment. Led by the Center for Environmental Awareness and Education (CEAE), the Moonrise Film Festival augments its vision of making environmental education available for all

Filipinos. The films present the vast array of environmental issues the country is facing today.

These include mining, fisheries, biodiversity, vanishing cultures, and other water related issues.

“The Moonrise Film Festival is an initial attempt to provide a venue for the public showing of documentary-format films focused on the Philippine environment and culture,” remarked Jukka Holopainen President of CEAE. The event was sponsored by Ford Conservation and Environmental Grants, Foundation for Philippine Environment, Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources-Fisheries Resource Management Project (BFAR-FRMP), Gateway Mall, Unilever Philippines, GMA 7, Manila Bulletin, Discover Philippines, and Yehey.com.

Agno has also been cited honorable mention at the 16th Gawad Awards in 2003. # via NORDIS

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