In celebration of Mental Health Awareness month this October, the Cultural Center of The Philippines (CCP) will launch its Balik-Tanaw project, a free film online screening that puts emphasis on mental health issues.
Films that shed light on topics such as dementia, depression and Autism Spectrum Disorder are set to stream for free from October 23 to 30 on CCP Vimeo channel.
The three featured films that will be available for free streaming are:
1. Oh, Aking Katoto
Director: Kelvin Aguilar
5:02 mins
Nymfa lives a humble life in a remote farm with her parents. As a young and carefree girl, she does everything she pleases her. One day, she found out that her mom and dad have decided to be separated as her father is going to live with another family. That saddening moment has earned Nymfa a new friend.
To escape the haunting past, she and her mom have moved to the city. Apparently, her newfound friend has moved to the same place too. Nymfa isn’t the young girl she used to be. Every night, she sobs in sorrow and grief, and her friend is always there to accompany her. Each day, they become close to each other until the friend had established an authority to be in control of Nymfa’s life.
2. Rekuwerdo
Director: Kristoffer Brugada
16:03 mins
Limang taon nang binubuno ni Federico, isang 79-year old na padre-de- pamilya, ang sakit na prostate cancer. Regular ang kanyang pagpapa-check up sa doktor at todo-suporta ang kanyang pamilya sa kanyang pagpagaling. Bagama’t may kalubhaan ang sakit, hindi ito naging malaking dagok sa pamilya Guillermo, bagkus ay nagbuklod pa sa kanilang pagsasamahan. Ngunit hindi inakala ng pamilya ni Federico na isang kakaibang sakit ang dadapo sa kanya at magbabago ng landas ng kanilang buhay – ang Dementia o Alzheimer’s Disease.
Sa puntong tila susuko na ang pamilya Guillermo sa kalagayan ni Federico, isang insidente ang susubok sa kanilang katatagan at hahamon sa katibayan ng loob at isipan ni Federico. Paano kaya haharapin ni Federico ang kasalukuyan kung unti-unti nang nabubura sa kanyang isip ang kanyang mga nakaraan?
3. Wish
Director: Sheen Irerick Seekts
18:26 mins
“I’m Heinz. I’m turning 12 on my birthday. I like playing games. So this is a documentary about my behavior.”
Diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) when he was younger, Heinz possesses a kind of unusual behavior that immediately attracts unknowing eyes. Such behavior attracts judgment from other people, which has a big impact, not only to Heinz, but to his family as well.
These films were also part of the 3rd Quisumbing-Escandor Film Festival for Health, a nationwide film-making competition that tackles various pressing health issues including the status of mental health in the country.
The one-week film screening aims to bring awareness regarding mental health problems which are still unknown and unfamiliar to some. On the last day of the screening (October 30), there will be a live talkback and Q&A with the film directors which you can watch on CCP Media Arts and CCP Facebook pages.
Now that the world is experiencing a health crisis, the mental health condition of everyone is most likely affected. Watching these films will not only widen our knowledge of mental health but will also change how we view and treat other people.
To watch these films, follow these four easy steps:
1. Go to https://vimeo.com/ondemand/baliktanaw
2. Choose the film you want to watch and click RENT.
3. At the billing page, type the promo code <BALIKTANAW>
4. Click Apply and enjoy watching!
*If you are looking for movies to stream, visit Cinema Centenario’s official online screening platform – MOOV. We made some films available for FREE STREAMING.
