All System Go for the 3rd TOFARM Film Festival (TFF)
The most awaited advocacy-driven
film festival in the country today is back for its third edition, this time,
missing one of the pillar of the local film festival scene, Direk Maryo J.
delos Reyes.
The TOFARM Film Festival (TFF) is the brainchild of
Socio-Entrepreneur Dr. Mila O. How and the only advocacy-driven film festival
in the country today, with entries showcasing the lives, journeys, trials and
triumphs of the Filipino farmer. For this year, TFF shall include a TOFARM Short Film Competition.
At the press launch held at the Makati Shangri-la Hotel, Dr. How shared, “We were deeply saddened with the demise of Direk Maryo J. delos
Reyes, our first TFF Director.” She further added how Direk
Maryo, “gave
so much of himself for TFF. When he suddenly left us, we found ourselves at a
crossroad. Should we go on with the project or not?”
“But after a lot of
thinking, I personally thought it’s best to carry on what Direk Maryo started.
The festival would be a continuation of his vision for the farmers and for our
film industry. This is our tribute to him,” Dr.
How added.
In the absence of
Direk Maryo, Dr. How sought the expertise of three seasoned film personalities
who will stand as Festival
Advisers, Bibeth Orteza and Joey Romero, with Laurice Guillen
as Consultant. The Festival Director, however, is yet to be appointed.
“It’s very
overwhelming to get support from not one, but three well-respected people from
the film and television industry. It motivates us further to come up with more
meaningful films that, hopefully, will follow the success of our previous
entries,” Dr. How enthused.
Just in the first
two years of its existence, from 2016 to 2017, a number of TOFARM Film Festival entries
have already gained international recognition following local
exhibition. The weeklong TOFARM Film Festival 2018will run from September
12 to 18, with the Awards Night slated on September 15. The festival committee
is now accepting script entries for screening. Deadline of Submission is on April 20, 2018.
For more information
on how to submit original manuscripts, log on to www.tofarm.org
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