Ms. Susan Barocas (left) and Mr. John Hanshaw (right) are the two panelists during the Closing Night of the 2016 Euro Asia Shorts Film Festival at the Italian Embassy on 10 June 2016. Mr. Adam Wojciechowicz (center) moderated the panel discussion.
WASHINGTON, D.C. – “The Dreamweaver,” the Philippines’ entry to the closing night of the 2016 Euro Asia Short Film Festival, garnered admiration and generated discussion from the panelists and audience on 10 June 2016.
Film and movie enthusiasts gathered at the Embassy of Italy for the 5th and closing night of the film festival which featured nine short films from the participating countries – Germany, China, Spain, the Philippines, Japan, France, Italy, South Korea, and the United States —under one theme, “What is Home?”.
“The Dreamweaver,” a film by Jedd Rommel, is about a young T’boliboy’s journey that started when he was visited in his dreams by Fudalu, the spirit of the abaca hemp, who appears only to the females of the tribe and bestowed upon him the exclusive talent and creativity in weaving the tribe’s sacred cloth.
“He took his home with him through designing contemporary clothes. What a beautiful way to pay tribute to your home, to be able to take it and incorporate pieces of your tradition into the contemporary society,” writer and producer Ms. Susan Barocas said during the panel discussion.
. 2016 Euro Asia Shorts Film Festival’s partners from participating Embassies and Cultural Centers after the closing night screening.
“Clearly, he was bridging this ancient old tradition to the contemporary world which I thought was so interesting,” Ms. Barocas further added.
Panelist John Hanshaw, Director of the Washington Film Institute (WFI), also lauded the great camera work of the film and how it was able to successfully incorporate all the elements of the story in four minutes.
“Gender roles and tradition are my takeaways from the film,” Mr. Hanshaw said.
The Philippines’ two other entries, “Creative License” by Paolo Dy and “Waivers” by Gino Jose also received positive reviews during their screening on the second night of the film festival at the Former Residence of the Ambassadors of Spain.
Now in its eleventh year, Euro Asia Shorts is an original collaboration among Washington, D.C. embassies and cultural center staff. The festival has presented more than 200 short films since it began in 2006. Each year presents a broad variety of films connected by a single theme, with post-film discussions each night. ###