Philippines: QE Best Short Film “AMBULANCIA” at UST CineVita, March 6

Fresh from its Best Short Narrative victory at the first Quisumbing-Escandor Film Festival for Health, Richard Legaspi’s “Ambulancia” will be shown on March 6, Thursday, 1 P.M., at the Thomas Aquinas Research Center (TARC) auditorium, University of Santo Tomas, España, Manila, as part of the 2nd CineVita Film Festival.

“Ambulancia,” a short film which tells of a painful twist in an ambulance driver’s belief that a dying patient can be saved by running over stray animals on the streets, stars Alan Paule and Nor Domingo.

The Varsitarian, the 80-year old student publication of UST, is holding the CineVita filmfest to celebrate life, truth, and faith and uphold the cinema as tool of meaningful expression and authentic education. It is organizing the event in cooperation with the UST Institute of Religion, UST Journalism Society, UST Literary Society, and UST Concilium Philosophiae.

CineVita, which focuses on positive, life-affirming features, short films, and documentaries, is a non-profit and educational endeavor. All documentaries and local films are open to the public. Foreign full-length films are exclusive to lecturers, film critics, and students. Admission is free.

“Ambulancia” was previously exhibited in the Young Cinema Night of the 2007 Cinemanila International Film Festival and the Asian Film Academy (AFA) Fellows’ Night in Busan, South Korea. Legaspi also had the able support of director of photography Albert Banzon, assistant director Jules Katanyag, AD/producer/editor Anna Isabelle Matutina, co-producer Eloisa Espino-Sanchez, production manager/musical scorer Pam Miras, PM Seymour Barros Sanchez, and production designers Grace Orbon, Sonja Completo, and Benay Reyes. He is also grateful to talent manager Ed Instrella and PETA for allowing Paule and Domingo star in his short film.

Legaspi, a faculty of the University of the East – Caloocan College of Fine Arts (UE CFA), was selected last year along with “Ligaw Liham” director of photography Carlo Mendoza as the only Filipinos among the 24 successful candidates from all over Asia who were offered fellowships by the AFA, an educational program that trains aspiring Asian filmmakers and cinema enthusiasts through workshops, one-on-one mentoring and a short film production project, to raise the bar on film production to further the future of Asian cinema. It was held in collaboration with Pusan International Film Festival, Dongseo University, and Korean Film Academy.

Legaspi, UE CFA alumnus and recipient of the UE Award for Exemplary Performance in Visual Arts, teaches Advertising and Painting. He is also a director, assistant director, and production designer for Red Room Productions, Pixel Art Media Production Co., and Digital Cheese. He underwent workshops under award-winning scriptwriter Ricky Lee and directed films such as “Kahon” (official entry to the 2006 Viewpoints of the World Festival, finalist in the End Frame Video Art Project, in competition at the 2006 One Minute International Short Film Festival (OMISFF), Netherlands, and finalist in the Smart Cuts of 2005 .MOV International Short Film Festival), “Pintuan” (in competition at the 2006 OMISFF), and “Makatang Luneta,” (third place at the 2006 Cinemadali Film Festival).

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