Monday, February 04, 2008 Youth group’s winning video explores origins of Sinulog By Linette C. Ramos Sun.Star Staff Reporter
THOUSANDS witness the Sinulog every year, but not too many know the origins of the Sinulog beat and dance movements, and how it evolved to become the grand festival that it is today.
A group of young filmmakers wanted to change that, and they will soon after their Sinulog 2008 Short Film Festival entry bested 11 others.
Judges chose their entry for being “at par with international standards” and for its content, which they said is educational.
Their video documentary titled “Sinug” was also adjudged as the Best in Editing and Best in Production Design, and was one of three nominees in the Best in Sound Engineering and Musical Scoring and Best Director citations.
Remton Zuasola, the director, said he and his friends only wanted Cebuanos and other Sinulog enthusiasts to learn about the origin of the Sinulog dance ritual.
“We had a lot of topics and concepts in mind but we chose to focus on the origin of the Sinulog beat and steps because most of the people don’t have an idea how it started. We want them to know asa gyud gikan ang Sinulog (where the Sinulog started from),” he told Sun.Star Cebu.
Zuasola, John Darcy Arguedo, Idden delos Reyes, John Vincent Labata and John Rey Tanhusay, all 24-year-olds, got from the Sinulog Foundation Inc. (SFI) P30,000, which was more than enough to offset the P20,000 they spent to produce the film.
“Their entry stood out from the rest because of the good visuals and use of digital technology. It’s very informative, it’s historical and educational. It tells you the basic information about the Sinulog and it’s something every person can learn from,” said filmmaker Ron Heri Tan, film festival board of judges chairman.
According to the documentary, the prayer dance ritual was called “Sinug” in earlier times, about a century ago.
Tradition
The documentary was based on the narrations of former regional director David “Boy” Odilao Jr. of the Ministry of Youth and Sports Development, who is considered the “father of Sinulog,” veteran Sinulog choreographer Melquiades “Mych” Gonzales, and the famous Estelita “Inday Titang” Diola, from whom the “two steps forward, one step back” movement was copied.
Diola, who has led Barangay Mabolo Sinulog dancers for years now, narrated how her father’s grandfather learned the steps and the beat from their ancestors, and how it was passed on from one generation to another.
Using the drum she inherited from her grandfather, she also demonstrated the movements and the correct timing in using the drum to produce the distinct Sinulog beat.
Odilao and Gonzales shared their experiences in starting the Sinulog in 1981 and how it evolved from a simple dance offering at the Basilica del Sto. Niño.
Franz Arrogante’s documentary drama “Ang Magkukulit” won second best picture in the film festival.
It told the story of a little boy who learned about the history of the Sinulog from his grandfather, who makes Sto. Niño images for a living.
The third best picture award was given to Eugene Sabal for his short film “Ang Gipanamgo,” a true story about a female lead dancer’s devotion to the Sto. Niño and how it inspired her to participate in every Sinulog.
The film festival has been held for the last four years to help revive the Cebuano film industry and to develop the talents of filmmakers, writers and others artists.
The entries of previous winners have been uploaded to the SFI official website and to the video-sharing website YouTube, gaining them international attention from Sinulog and film enthusiasts.
