ACT-UP scoops latest win with Agahan

Cebuano Pride. Parent of Agahan Director Chloe Veloso receives P25,000 check from Kris Aquino and Carmina Villaroel in behalf of ACT-UP. (Photo credits: ACT-UP Facebook page)

By Angeli Sarmiento

Bagging third place and the P25,000 cash prize, The Amateur Creative Thespians of UP (ACT-UP) created a new essence to the Filipino family through filmmaking in Lucky Me’s Hapag-Usapan Short Film Competition Film Enthusiasts Category held last September 10 at the Cineplex Complex, Shangri-La Plaza Mall.

            Agahan, a two-minute film made “similar to that of a commercial” shows what the Filipino family predominantly is today: the child and one parent remain in the Philippines while the other leaves for abroad to bring home the baka.

            “There were over 100 entries nationwide and finding out that we were one of the finalists was rewarding, and making it to 3rd place magnified the feeling even more,” said Agahan Director Chloe Veloso.

            Agahan was based on an idea fashioned out of the combined efforts of Veloso, film editor Samantha Solidum and casting director Badidi Labra.

            “Badidi thought of making a short film about OFWs since there are a lot of Filipino families with family members abroad. The three of us could relate to the film’s theme because we have relatives there,” said Veloso.

            The team behind Agahan consisted of Veloso, film editor Samantha Solidum, casting director Badidi Labra, key grip Rapi Sescon, sound recordist Pia Aguilos and lightsman Wes Bacareza.

            The cast was composed of UP Cebu Mass Communication Alumna Jayve Catubay as the OFW mother, Labra’s cousin Alyssa Delda as the daughter, and Ace Castillo, an instructor from the University of San Carlos Talamban Campus’ undergraduate Cinema Program, as the father.

            However, the team also had their share of problems on location accessibility and prima donna actors. 

Before Delda took on the role of the daughter, the team had chosen another actor who, according to Veloso, “threw a major tantrum when she started to shoot her scenes” and “wouldn't cooperate” despite the team’s attempts to pacify her.

 “In desperation, I asked Badidi to fetch her little sister or cousin or whoever was available in their household. Thankfully Alyssa (Delda) was free so Badidi hurriedly fetched her and once again, the rest is history,” said Veloso.

             Veloso describes the experience as fun yet meaningful. ACT-UP, she says, will be using the money to purchase new film equipment to help boost their portfolio as an organization and to “level up in form as filmmakers”.

            “We see all our triumphs as a means of being better at what we are,” she said.