`MGA ANAK NG UNOS' Lav Diaz Movie Premiere - 04NOV2014

The latest cinematic work of world-renowned filmmaker Lav Diaz is a documentary about the aftermath of Typhoon Yolanda, titled `Storm Children (Mga Anak Ng Unos) Book 1'. The Philippine premiere was held at Cinema 6 in Trinoma at 7pm, 04 November 2014, and is presented by Dakila – Philippine Collective for Modern Heroism, an artist group inspiring social consciousness formation, and in partnership with the Embassy of Canada, Voyage Studios and the Film Development Council of the Philippines. It is a fundraising event for the Climate Revolution campaign and the trust fund of the children featured in the film. The film delves into the lives of children of the most storm-battered country in the world. Even with all the usual “trademarks” that characterize his films, “Mga Anak ng Unos” has a running time of 143 minutes or two hours and 23 minutes, making it Diaz’s shortest feature-length film in years. It is the first of a 14-part series.

Sources: www.pep.ph, www.interaksyon.com www.rizalhenyo.com www.wheninmanila.com

`Mga Anak Ng Unos' official movie poster

Like "Mula sa Kung Ano Noon", “Mga Anak ng Unos” is shot in black and white. It had its world premiere last September 23 at the non-competition section of the DMZ International Documentary Film Festival in South Korea.

On the official website of the festival, these are the critics' and audience feedback to Mga Anak Ng Unos:

“A sublime, cinematic report from a devastating corner of reality. There has always been a strong impulse towards non-fiction in Diaz’s comprehensive oeuvre. But in the almost dialogue-free ‘Storm Children – Book One,’ one of the most uncompromising of contemporary filmmakers has gone all in. The fact that his characteristic, cinematic signature – the long and hypnotic scenes held in patiently observing black and white images – is present in every composition and every instant, underlines the urgency of his vision and its importance in international cinema over the past decade.” 
  

All Lavaholics should never be without this!!

As real-life horror stories go, very few can hold a candle to killer typhoon Yolanda (or Haiyan to the rest of the world). Now Lav Diaz, arguably the country’s most celebrated filmmaker of the last two years, has taken it upon himself to dramatically capture on digital film the startling aftermath of Yolanda’s wrath, as seen from the eyes of the children that survived the tragic disaster.

Aptly titled “Mga Anak ng Unos” (“Storm Children Book 1”), Diaz’s latest documentary comes on the heels of his consecutive international triumphs with “Norte, Hangganan ng Kasaysayan”, the country’s official submission to the Best Foreign Language Film of the 87th Annual Academy Awards scheduled for next year, and his Martial Law-inspired epic “Mula sa Kung Ano ang Noon” that won the Pardo d’oro (Golden Leopard) grand prize at this year’s Locarno International Film Festival.

One of the many lasting images of Yolanda is that of a ship which ran aground at the height of the typhoon

Typhoon Yolanda (International Code Name Haiyan) was one of the strongest tropical cyclones ever recorded in Philippine history, with Category 5 ranking (Super Typhoon). Landfall was recorded on 08 November 2013, and caused wanton destruction to property and loss of lives. Over 6,000 people died, over 28,000 people injured, over 1,000 more missing, and over P89 billion worth of damages to properties that left thousands of residents in hardest hit areas in Leyte and Samar homeless.

 



With Leni Velasco of DAKILA and Cinema One Originals 2010 Best Director Awardee Mike Dagnalan

Mga Anak ng Unos (Storm Children) tackles how children deal with devastations after the storm. The compelling photography of Lav Diaz beautifully weaves the story of three children and how they cope with disasters. As changing weather patterns bring about strong typhoons like Yolanda, climate change has become an issue of human survival. With the worsening impacts of climate change being most felt in developing countries like the Philippines, the issue of climate change is now more real than ever.
 


Registration and Cocktails at the Philippine premiere of Lav Diaz's `Mga Anak ng Unos'

The Philippine premiere of “Mga Anak ng Unos (Storm Children)” coincides with the anniversary week of the landfall of Typhon Yolanda (Haiyan) in Tacloban and the culmination of the Climate Walk for Climate Justice, a 1,000 kilometer and 40-day journey from Kilometer 0 Luneta to Ground Zero Tacloban, participated by DAKILA’s core members musician Nityalila Saulo, visual artist AG Sano, filmmaker Charley Sta. Maria, advertising executive Christine Orias and development activist Steph Tan and led by Philippine Chief Negotiator and representative to the UN Climate negotiations, Commissioner Yeb Sano of the Climate Change Commission. These are depicted with an exhibit of the Climate Walk, with cocktails at the premiere. The donation of PhP 250 each (PhP 100 ticket + PhP 150 campaign) is for the benefit of the climate revolution campaign and the trust fund of the children featured in the film.  

 

“We can take drastic action now to ensure that we prevent a future where super typhoons are a way of life. Because we refuse, as a nation, to accept a future where super typhoons like Haiyan become a fact of life. We refuse to accept that running away from storms, evacuating our families, suffering the devastation and misery, having to count our dead –become a way of life. We simply refuse to…. We can fix this. We can stop this madness. Right now…. Can humanity rise to the occasion? I still believe we can.”

-          Naderev “Yeb” Sano
             Philippines Chief negotiator to the UN Climate Talks
            Commissioner, Climate Change Commission

 

Learn more about DAKILA and its activities at www.dakila.org.ph and be involved!

THE CLIMATE WALK

On October 2, 2014, a group of modern heroes embarked on a journey – by foot. 

40 days, 1000 kilometers, 40 cities and municipalities. From Kilometer Zero (Rizal Park, Luneta, Manila) to Ground Zero of Haiyan (Tacloban City, Leyte) on November 8, 2014 – exactly a year after Typhoon Haiyan’s landfall. A courageous journey to demand for climate justice.

Climate Walk for Climate Justice pays homage to communities that confront the realities of climate change, disaster risk, poverty, and environmental abuse. It is reminder to the rest of the world that developing nations like the Philippines face a bleak reality, and that the madness is what the human race should confront.

Through this Climate Walk, we call on world leaders to take urgent, ambitious actions to confront the madness of the climate crisis. These are the stories of real people we came across in our journey, and how they are coping with the impacts of climate change in their lives.

The Climate Walk is a symbolic journey of our nation’s struggle, that despite our efforts to adapt to climate change, it will never be enough. We will not survive catastrophic climate change, unless peoples of all nations, of all races, of all walks of life, unite and fight for climate justice.

The fate of humanity is upon us. We must never be cowed.

-          DAKILA
 

Multi-awarded writer and mentor Armando `Bing' Lao attended this worthwhile charitable event.

 

With Leni Velasco of DAKILA

 
LENI VELASCO (from www.dakila.org.ph)
Leni epitomizes a whole new brand of activism by marrying her strong stance and principles with innovative and creative forms. This remains true to her personality – solid and colorful at the same time. Being in the development work for more than 12 years, clearly, Leni is head-over-heels in love with her country in the same way she loves the color pink. She is the driving force behind the wide array of personalities in the organization and at the helm of all hullaballoo in Dakila as its Secretary General.
Leni took up BA Organizational Communication at the University of the Philippines Manila and ventured into NGO work first as a student leader and as an officer of the National Federation of Student Councils and then as Special Projects Coordinator and Finance Director of the labor group, Partido ng Manggagawa. She also worked as a Program Assistant for Save the Children Sweden before dedicating her time in running the artist organization, Dakila.
Leni’s vast experience in running advocacy campaigns has led her to her true passion – marrying art and advocacy to inspire a young generation towards social involvement. Her rock and roll journey is far from over as she seeks unexplored paths to strike the balance between working for genuine social change and holistic personal development.

With DAKILA head Leni Velasco, and Director couple Mike and Maan Dagnalan, with whom I had the privilege to work with in Cinema One 2010's `Layang Bilanggo'

 
Lav Diaz’ `Norte, the End of History' was screened in Un certain Regard of Cannes 2013 (France) and his latest film, `From What is Before' (Mula sa Kung Ano ang Noon) won the Golden Leopard at the 2014 Locarno International Film Festival (Switzerland). Lav Diaz’ films has also won in several other festivals including the Venice International Film Festival and Toronto International Film Festival. His films include West Side Kid, Evolution of a Filipino Family, Heremias, Death in the Land of Encantos, Florentina Hubaldo, Century of Birthing and Melancholia. On November 6 to 16, Storm Children will compete in the Copenhagen International Documentary Film Festival (CPH: DOX) in Denmark.
where it is described in the festival’s official site as “a sublime, cinematic report from a devastating corner of reality.”

“There has always been a strong impulse towards non-fiction in Diaz’s comprehensive oeuvre. But in the almost dialogue-free ‘Storm Children – Book One’, one of the most uncompromising of contemporary filmmakers has gone all in. The fact that his characteristic, cinematic signature – the long and hypnotic scenes held in patiently observing black and white images – is present in every composition and every instant, underlines the urgency of his vision and its importance in international cinema over the past decade,” says the film’s description in CPH:DOX’s official site.