Philippines: Karsel screens at UST CineVita Film Festival on March 7

Rianne Hill Soriano’s first 35mm short film “Karsel,” her thesis film at the University of the Philippines Film Institute (UPFI), screens at the 2nd CineVita Film Festival on March 7, 10 A.M., at the Thomas Aquinas Research Center (TARC) auditorium, University of Santo Tomas, España, Manila.

“Karsel,” recipient of the Kodak Film Award 2003 and Best Production Thesis of UPFI, is a 20-minute film that delves into a young adult female’s submission to the conventions of a traditional home and her struggle for her liberation.

The film was made possible by the generosity of a number of people and institutions including Seiko Films providing the camera, lighting, and grip equipment, LVN Pictures Inc. for the processing, printing and editing of the film, and Optima Digital for the telecine transfer and colorgrading.

“Karsel” was also nominated for the 17th Gawad Urian for Best Short Film, competed at the Tel Aviv International Film Festival 2004 (Israel), and was a finalist for the 1st Indeo Film and Video Festival 2004 and International Women’s Film Festival 2006. It was also exhibited at the Pelikula at Lipunan Film and Video Festival 2004, Celebrating Women – Women’s Film Festival 2004, Eksperimento Film Festival 2004, UP Diliman Film and Video Festival 2004, 1st Pi Omicron Independent Film Festival 2004, Illuminations: Awarded Student Films of the UP Cinema Arts Society 2006, and a number of screenings in various school and art house events.

The film features thespians Summer Sumera, Gigi Pirote, Ermie Concepcion, Chum Aquino, Dingdong Rosales, Pam Sto. Domingo, Roma Regala, and Rico del Rosario. The production staff includes Rianne Hill Soriano as Director/Writer/Executive Producer/Editor/Director of Photography, Eli Balce as Director of Photography, Chrisel Galeno as Production Designer, Joy Puntawe as 1st Asst. Director, Herbert Navasca as 2nd Asst. Director, Kiko Ortega as Musical Scorer, Noel Bruan as Sound Engineer, and Kiel Sandico-Fernandez, Madz Mandia, Joselle Acuña, and Janice Atencio as Production Managers.

Rianne also directed the 35mm short film “Aninag” which was screened at the Louis Vuitton Hawaii International Film Festival 2006, New York Filipino Film Festival 2005, UNESCO Audio-Visual E-Platform, Clermont Ferrand Short Film Market 2005, 4th Neo-Angono Artists Collective 2007, and competed at the New York International Independent Film and Video Festival 2005 and Viva’s PBO Digitales Film Competition 2006 where it won 3rd Place. She is currently in the post-production stage of her new short film “Pera-perahang Lata.” Both films were grants from the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA).

The CineVita Film Festival, which focuses on positive, life-affirming features, short films, and documentaries, is organized by The Varsitarian, official student publication of UST, and Institute of Religion, with the UST Journalism Society, UST Literary Society, and Concilium Philosophiae.

Rianne works as a freelance director and writer. She is also currently a film writer for Yehey.com and a part-time educator for the First Academy of Computer Arts in Buendia, Makati City teaching filmmaking, scriptwriting, and directing and Colegio de San Lorenzo in Quezon City teaching photography, scriptwriting, and video production.