With its recognition as the Best Film for Science & Education in the 2020 London International Festival, the College’s docufilm “Alon!” was bestowed the National Commission for Culture and the Arts’ (NCAA) 13th Ani ng Dangal Award for its advocacy against marine plastic pollution, which will be presented in a virtual ceremony in the third week of March 2021.
The Benilde-produced documentary, other than withstanding the nine other nominated films in the recognized award, was also nominated for Best Foreign Language Documentary and Best Director for Foreign Language Documentary at the 2020 London International Festival. Furthermore, it was also officially selected as an entry in the previous year’s Amsterdam Lift-Off Film Festival in The Netherlands last Oct. 4 to 10, 2020.
With the Center for Campus Art Director Arch. Gerry Torres and Benilde Vice President for Advancement and Alon! co-producer Mr. Robin Serrano at the forefront, award-winning filmmaker Director Gabriel Fernandez wrote and directed the docufilm to bring tide the issues of environmental degradation, particularly in the Philippines’ marine life, surfing scene, consumerism, and the ongoing plastic pollution that endangers biodiversity and marine conservation. Former Benilde President Br. Dennis Magbanua FSC and current Benilde President Br. Edmundo Fernandez FSC, Alon!’s consultant and constant sounding board Adie Peña, the College’s Advancement Offices, and the six surf camps that participated in the project also helped in making the said masterpiece possible.
The official letter sent by the NCCA to Mr. Serrano can be seen here:
Irony that ripples back
Despite the good news that the College’s 2019 documentary was awarded an Ani ng Dangal award for this year, Arch. Torres stated that it is a “bittersweet” victory, as the main point of the docufilm regarding the problem and the dangers of marine plastic waste in the Philippines still prevails and remains rampant today. This situation further worsened amidst the pandemic.
“Today, I see this video of how the pandemic has contributed greatly to the volume of plastic trash in our oceans. Sigh. Still so much to be done,” Arch. Torres stated in one of his Facebook posts.
Single-use surgical masks, gloves, hand sanitizer and alcohol bottles, and other lockdown litter were reported to be washed up in the capital’s Baseco Beach and in some of the country’s coastal areas. To make things worse, according to a scientific study, the Philippines is within the top 20 countries in the world with the highest daily single-use face masks or face shields discarded and total estimated plastic waste as a consequence of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Now more than ever we need more awareness and action against plastic production for the sake of the health of our oceans,” Arch. Torres highlighted, pushing forth for the country to aid the global battle to reduce plastic waste pollution.
To know more about the award-winning docufilm, interested individuals may watch it here.
