Not one, but two.
Acclaimed Ilonggo film director and artist Kevin Pison Piamonte has been awarded two funding grants from the Film Development Council of the Philippines for two separate film projects he is currently working on. His recently shot full-length feature, ‘Candè,’ has been awarded the CreatePH Fund for Post Production, while his upcoming full-length feature, ‘With Love, Bridgit,’ has been awarded the CreatePH Fund for Small Budget Production. Both grants are included in CreatePH’s Cycle 1 for 2024.
The FDCP’s CreatePHFilms Funding Program was launched to ensure that the government works with and provides support to filmmakers, producers, and distributors in all stages of filmmaking to complement their efforts to produce quality Filipino films. This is FDCP’s response to its mandate “to create assistance funds to support different stages of the production of quality films, including but not limited to film development, production, post-production, marketing, distribution, exhibition, and archiving practices in the country.”
The grants come at a perfect time when Piamonte and his fellow artists continue to advocate for regional voices to be part of the filmic conversations on a national scale. He has been a staunch believer in regional talents that have the potential to contribute as major players in cultural production through film and cinema.
Recently, Piamonte spearheaded a project with the University of the Philippines Visayas entitled ‘Film as Pedagogy,’ a promotion of cinema for education among different partner schools in Western Visayas in collaboration with film historian and educator Prof. Nick Deocampo of the UP Film Institute.
The Ilonggo community will have the opportunity to witness Piamonte’s films starting this year with ‘Candè,’ starring MMFF Best Supporting Actor JC Santos, seasoned film actress who hails from the province of Antique Ms. Sunshine Teodoro, and singer-songwriter-actress Pupa Dadivas (who hails from Roxas City).
The film will also feature talented child actors from Iloilo — Gian Pomperada, Jan Junash Delima and Julian Paul Larroder. A strong ensemble of Ilonggo talents that play important roles in the film are also featured. This film is produced by respected Ilonggo civic leaders Atty. Jobert and Ms. Rhea Peñaflorida together with the Taos Puso Foundation, Inc.
Piamonte will start production work for ‘With Love, Bridgit’ by early next year. ‘With Love, Bridgit’ is a story about a barangay that is on the verge of being demolished. The residents of that barangay fight not only for their existence, but for their community traditions that they have maintained through generations. Taking us through the plight of these people is Bridgit who belongs to a long line of generations who have also lived in that barangay.
‘With Love, Bridgit’ will be produced by Busan-trained UP Artist Bobby Rodriguez. Piamonte will once again embark on an all-Ilonggo team in creating this next masterpiece which he promises to delight everyone from all walks of life, but especially the Ilonggo people.
Piamonte is a FAMAS-winning filmmaker and faculty member of UP Visayas who has recently been conferred the title of UP Artist 2 by the UP Board of Regents.
