EVERY afternoon after the school bell rings, “Jey” hops onto a tricycle and rushes home from a nearby high school in Tagum City to catch the start of a movie airing on the Kapamilya channel. Whether it’s pouring outside or he’s sick, he never misses the opening billboard, eyes scanning eagerly for the names of his favorite actors and discovering new ones.
From the movie’s first frame to the last, Jey is glued to the screen, lost in the magic of Filipino cinema – until Nanay’s gentle call breaks the spell: “Kuya, it’s time to attend to your assignments!”
Those who first saw his spark for film simply knew him as Jey. Today, Jezreyll James Cabasag is known as “Sir Jez” to his communication and media students at Davao del Norte State College (DNSC), a local state college situated in the province of Davao del Norte.
Becoming part of the academe was never in Jez’s original plan. His heart was set on the film industry, where he dreamed of telling stories through the lens. After earning his bachelor’s degree in Communication and Media Studies from the University of the Philippines Visayas, the Covid-19 pandemic narrowed his options – leading him to his first job at DNSC.
Last year, Jez felt a strong urge to explore new job opportunities, but something held him back. It was his deep love for film and vision of nurturing a community of regional filmmakers through mentorship that made him realize: maybe this path was never accidental, and that his decision to stay was part of a bigger purpose.
In his first year of teaching, Jez dared to reimagine what production and media classes could be. With a heart for storytelling and a belief in his students’ raw talent, he launched the school’s first-ever film event, “Diinscenes Film Festival. To him, filmmaking wasn’t just an afterthought or an extra academic activity – it was a way to honor the voices of young Mindanawon storytellers from Davao del Norte.
“I always encourage them to be creative, to think outside of the box, and not be enclosed to what they only learn inside the four walls of the classroom. I always tell them to go outside and explore because I believe there are more stories out there that are worth telling,” he said.
Despite limited support and funding, Jez and his students continue to bag awards in various local and national film festivals. Some of their accolades include: Layag (2024) for Best Screenplay, Best Cinematography, and Best Documentary at the 13th Sinedisipulo Film Festival and 1st Best Film, Best Director, and Best in Technical Achievement for Cinematography and Editing at the 3rd Lilas sa Onse: A Short Film Festival 2024; Dungog (2024) for 1st Best Film and other major awards at the 1st DavNor Film Festival; and Agsulib (2024) for Official Selection at the 17th Cinema Rehiyon and 22nd Mindanao Film Festival.
“I do believe that regional voices play a crucial role in the Philippine cinema as it offers new and unique stories that are not often seen in the mainstream setting. These stories will preserve our cultural identity, and our national identity as a whole,” he said.
Recently, he competed at the Young Creatives Challenge Season 2 as the sole Top 10 finalist from Mindanao for the Screenwriting category. His story “The Candy He Left”, a narrative short film about “a young college film instructor, haunted by his estranged father’s absence, is forced to confront the unresolved questions of abandonment, finding closure in the most unexpected way,” breaks the misconception that regional films are only relevant locally.
Jez believes that regional cinema can speak to broader human experiences, and how these local themes can resonate with others, like exploring universal themes of identity, love, oppression, and resistance, but in the localized contexts.
“I hope to contribute my voice to the ongoing work of shaping Philippine cinema, one regional, queer, and deeply personal story at a time,” he said.
More than a job, Jez considers teaching film as a form of mentorship. He took inspiration from his film professors in college, especially his film mentor, direk Arden Rod Condez, who taught him that filmmaking is not just for entertainment but an avenue to explore the world and share one’s stories.
Driven by his passion for nurturing the next generation of Mindanawon filmmakers, Jez remains committed to representing voices from the regions that are often unheard, such as those growing up in the provinces, discovering their identities in the quiet spaces between banana plantations, rusting basketball courts, and unlit sari-sari stores.
“My voice as a writer is shaped by the textures, silences, and small resistances of provincial life, especially as it intersects with my interest in LGBTQIA+ coming-of-age experiences, political commentary, and personal stories.”