Long-held family traditions, taboo topics and stifling societal expectations are tackled in the winning films of the Viddsee Juree Awards (Philippines Edition) 2021, winning hearts and minds of judges and viewers alike.

For the first time, Viddsee Juree Awards (Philippines Edition) is split into two – Luzon and Visayas & Mindanao, to give more opportunities and recognition for emerging filmmakers from the two different regions to broadcast their masterpieces.

Viddsee announced the following winners from both regions at an online awards ceremony supported by the Motion Picture Association on 29 June. The winners are:

JUREE AWARDS — LUZON

GOLD – The Broken Vinyl Record (Ang Gasgas na Plaka ni Lolo Bert) By Janina Faith Gacosta

SILVER – To Transfer By Melver Ritz Gomez

SPECIAL MENTION – Game Over By Carl Angelo Ruiz

AUDIENCE CHOICE – 271 By Rodrigo Villafuerte Jr.

JUREE AWARDS VISAYAS & MINDANAO

GOLD – Immersion of the Sun By Kent John Desamparado

SILVER – Gutab By Mary Andrea Palmares

SPECIAL MENTION – Hija (tied) By Christian Paul Lim & The Conveyor Belt (tied) By Wówa Medrosa

AUDIENCE CHOICE – Never-Never Land (Manyaok) By Kate Villanueva

In its fifth year, Viddsee has been organising the annual Juree Awards to encourage and proliferate local filmmaking in countries Singapore, Indonesia and the Philippines. Fostering a close-knit community and knowledge sharing amongst filmmakers, this year’s awards ceremony was preceded by an exclusive Smartphone Filmmaking Workshop for emerging filmmakers with a special guest, Jason Van Genderen, known for his obsessive rule of breaking conventional ways of filmmaking through his smartphone.

Belinda Lui, President & Managing Director, Asia Pacific, for the Motion Picture Association (MPA), said, “A recent report on the streaming boom indicates that US$27.7 billion was spent on production in the Asia Pacific region in 2020, a growth of 19.8 percent year on year1, which is terrific news for filmmakers who now have increasing opportunities to pitch their ideas and promote their talent to video on-demand services looking to satisfy local and international demand for quality content. Producing short films is a valuable stepping stone for honing filmmaking skills, and to that end, we are delighted to partner with Viddsee and the Online Film Lab For Regional Stories at the Philippines Juree Awards. We thank Jason van Genderen for his enlightening masterclass on smartphone filmmaking, and hope that all of the filmmakers found the session informative and inspirational.”

Online Film Lab For Regional Stories, an online filmmakers support group established by the North Luzon Cinema Guild Inc., chose to partner Viddsee for the first Juree Awards Luzon 2021 to form a three-member jury panel to select the winning films – Carlo Enciso Catu, Festival Director, Cine Kabalen Film Festival, Arvin Belarmino, Winner of Best Film at the 36th Interfilm International Short Film Festival Berlin, Hiyas Bagabaldo, Visual Artist and Experimental filmmaker.

Selecting winners for the region of Visayas & Mindanao are the three-member jury – Victor Villanueva, Film, TV and Advertising Director, Bryan Jimenez, Filmmaker and Co-founder of Nabunturan Independent Film Exhibition, and Chloe Veloso, Filmmaker and Lecturer.

“The entries we have received are some of the most powerful stories that are unique to Asians and which make us cry, ache and rejoice at the same time,” says Nikki Loke, Content Lead, Viddsee. “I consider us really lucky to have the opportunity to expand this year’s awards with the support like-minded partners who believe in the power of filmmaking and which will give a bigger platform to the local filmmaking industry; some of which truly deserve a global audience.”

Gold Prize winners receive a trophy, a Viddsee Filmmaker Gold Kit, Smartphone Hero Prize Kit from the MPA, and a Rode VideoMic Me Directional Mic for Phone; Silver Prize winners receive a trophy, certificate and Viddsee Filmmaker Kit; Audience Choice Award winners (selected by audience though an online voting contest) receive a certificate and a Viddsee Filmmaker Kit. Special Mention Award winners will each receive a certificate.

Viewers can watch all top 10 shortlisted films of the Viddsee Juree Awards (Philippines Edition) 2021 for free on Viddsee’s mobile app or on the web portal here:

• LUZON: https://www.viddsee.com/channel/juree/luzon2021
• VISAYAS & MINDANAO: https://www.viddsee.com/channel/juree/visayasmindanao2021