We’re ready to hit the big screen!

The Oscar M. Lopez Center has announced the nine (9) finalists for the Mga Kwento ng Klima (MKK) Short Films 2024, chosen from the Top 15 entries for their strong climate storytelling and technical execution. These finalists will compete for the top prizes at the awarding ceremony happening on November 23, 2024, at Gateway Mall 2 Cineplex 11, from 2:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.

The competition began with 76 film pitches submitted during the call for entries, from which fifteen were chosen to advance. These selected teams then participated in a month-long Climate Film Labs (CFL) in August, where they refined their pitches with guidance from science and film mentors. After the CFL, the filmmakers had two months—from September to October—to bring their ideas to life on film. The films were submitted to the OML Center on November 4.

Each completed film was reviewed by the OML Center along with experts to determine the finalists, who will now compete for the MKK Shorts 2024 Best Film Award.

The finalists, listed in alphabetical order, are the following:

Ang Gadya Sang Suba (The Tale of the River Monster) by DDC Films | Teaser

Seven-year-old Ding revels in the mystery of the river monster that takes the lives of people in an enchanted river, embarking on a journey with his friends to confront the Gadya Sang Suba (River Monster).

Handom sa Natugbong nga Yuta (Memories of the Collapsed Land) by SILAKBO | Teaser

The quest of a scientist in exploring loss, tragedy, and aspirations, on the land of where memories were crumpled and collapsed.

Kahit Aswang Nahihirapan by Dinas Republic | Teaser

As relentless heatwaves and prolonged drought plague the Philippines, Ava, an aswang who has vowed to consume only animal meat, faces a moral crisis as food scarcity pushes her to consider surrendering to her predatory nature.

Kapangopra sa Ing’d by Crescent Productions | Teaser

As a young boy’s life stirs around his family’s bloodline of being renowned intensive copra-farmers, he traverses his dream of being an Agriculture professor where he begins to unravel the contradicting threat of his family’s conventions.

Kataw by 8thumbs Video and Post Production | Teaser

In a future where climate change has submerged nations, an unconventional solution rises, emulating a Visayan mythical creature to ensure the survival of Filipinos’ future generations.

Pamanahon by The OA | Teaser

A family receives an ancestral plant believed to bring good fortune and protection, only to face unexpected challenges as they struggle to keep it alive amidst their conflicting ways of life.

Pnigeke Apo To Parelthon (Πνίγηκε Από Το Παρελθόν/Drowned By The Past) by CPelikula Productions | Teaser

A short but poised 15-year-old teacher tries to educate a class of apathetic middle-aged students about the dangers of rising sea levels in a classroom that is about to get flooded.

Prince of Tides by SILAKBO | Teaser

As the land begins to slip back into the sea, young Kiko shares a bittersweet farewell with his grandfather, each holding onto memories of a home slowly being reclaimed by the tides.

Quick Questions with the Queen by Ciete Cinco Creatives | Teaser

Set in 2121, a celebrity-turned-beauty queen answers rapid-fire questions in a seemingly typical interview that gradually reveals the harsh realities and pervasive impacts of climate change on her life and home.

Judging and Awards

The MKK Shorts 2024 finalists will be evaluated by a distinguished panel of climate and film experts. They are as follows:

• Dr. Lourdes J. Cruz – Board Member, Oscar M. Lopez Center
• Dr. Rodel D. Lasco – Executive Director, Oscar M. Lopez Center
• Mr. Nick De Ocampo – Award-winning documentary filmmaker and film historian
• Mr. Jimmy Loro – Chief Advisor, GIZ South-South Collaboration on Climate Information and Services Project
• Ms. Rica Arevalo – Head, Education Division, Film Development Council of the Philippines
• Mr. Butch Ibanez – Head, National Committee on Cinema, National Commission for Culture & the Arts

The finalists will compete for the Best Film Award with a grand prize of P100,000. The second and third-place winners will receive P70,000 and P50,000, respectively.

Additional awards will be given in categories such as Best Director, Best Editing, Best Performance, Best Screenplay, Best Production Design, Best Cinematography, Best Musical Scoring and Design, and Audience Choice Award, each accompanied by a P10,000 cash prize.

For more information on the finalists and event, visit the OML Center’s website.