I'm so happy that our short animation, Mayari, was included in the lineup of Cinema Rehiyon 2010. It is a national film festival showcasing the side of Philippine independent cinema that you've never seen before held at the CCP Tanghalang Manuel Conde (Dream Theater) last Feb 17-20, 2010. Cinema Rehiyon is a project of the National Commission for the Culture and the Arts, Crossing Negros Cultural Foundation, Inc. and the Cultural Center of the Philippines. To be shown during the film festival are over 70 short and full-length films, most of which are screening in Metro Manila for the first time. Stories about home, by people who live in them, spoken in their native tongue.

Our short film Mayari was included in the category "Crossing Borders." The story is based on a Pampangan myth about the epic duel of the gods of the heavens. Mayari became also a finalist during last year's Animahenasyon, an animation festival.

I hope that next year more films from Mindanao especially in Zamboanga in film festivals like this. We have all the talent and content but we need to expose these talents. Let us create more film so we can also tell the world our stories.

You can watch the film here: