Post-Halloween film premieres in Puerto Princesa

By Joel Contrivida
The Palawan Times

The City famous for its Subterranean River had its taste of a premiere night via “Saka Adlaw Sa Lebengan”, a 20-minute short film produced by  Likhang Indie Pelikula Sining o LIPS under the direction of Paolo Buera, a homegrown indie filmmaker of Palawan.
The film had its first screening last November 2 at A&A Plaza Hotel in a very formal premiere night that well attended including character actor Joel Molina, a true-blue Palaweño.
“Saka Adlaw” tackles the story of two perennial ghost where one is seeking justice after being brutally murdered and raped, while the other is on the verge of accepting her fate as a departed soul.  The twist and turn of the film delighted the audience as the story progresses with an unpredictable story line. The film title, a Cuyono word meaning “one day in the graveyard”, stars local young talented artists Myra Miraflores, Geann Pilapil and Bea Mae Ocampo.
According to Buera, most of the actors in the project underwent an acting workshop under his supervision. Buera is a fellow of Nick De Ocampo in many film workshops of the Cultural Center of the Philippines, that was before he started making independent and self produced films such as “The Answer” and “Biak Na Bato”.
Aside from the City premiere, Saka adlaw is also having its inter-Palawan screening, one in San Vicente and the other in the Rizal. Buera told Palawan Times that the budget for this short film is amounting to P300, 000 only, and he is planning to include this short film in different film festivals here and abroad if given a chance.
Produced by Clarita Skjoenglistad, Saka Adlaw is also sponsored by the City Government of Puerto Princesa thru Mayor Edward Hagedorn, Provincial Government of Palawan thru Gov. Abraham Mitra, A&A Plaza Hotel and Natasha.
His next project is a full length movie entitled “Prinsesa ng Baybay”, a period movie based in the colorful history of Puerto Princesa, but there is no date yet for this next film as he is still looking for a possible producer.