Out of remarkable 76 submissions from various regions across the country, 15 pitches have passed the preliminary screening and qualified for the Mga Kwento ng Klima (MKK) Short Films 2024. These selected pitches showcase diverse and powerful stories that highlight the effects of climate change on various sectors, including local communities, agriculture and fisheries, forestry, biodiversity, health, freshwater resources, ecosystems, and sustainable development.

The top-scored pitches, listed alphabetically below, will receive a production seed grant of Php 30,000:

• ‘33 Questions with Nadine’ by Ciete Cinco Creatives
  
  Set in 2090, Nadine, a celebrated Filipina actress, answers 33 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.
  
  
  
• ‘Ambergris’ by Rush Productions
  
  In a coastal town, two fishermen must deal with their troubled friendship while searching for valuable ambergris inside a dead whale before it naturally explodes.
  
  
  
• ‘Ang Init sa Pinas’ by Renaissance Pictures
  
  In the midst of an unforgiving heatwave, a quirky family grapples with absurd heat-induced mishaps and comical chaos within their sweltering home, turning their fight against the extreme temperatures into a hilarious and heartwarming adventure.
  
  
  
• ‘Behind the Scenes’ by Bulalakaw Productions
  
  Two girls – a college student and a cafe employee – run into each other in different places and changing weather. Though under the same sky, they go through very different circumstances.
  
  
  
• ‘Danas’ by Floor 06 Films
  
  As a drag queen succumbs to the sweltering heat while walking home, they make a desperate wish.
  
  
  
• ‘Gadya Sang Suba (River Monsters)’ by DDC Films
  
  In a rural enclave in Iloilo, Philippines, young Ading (7), raised amidst water scarcity and inspired by folklore about the mythical Gadya (River Monsters) confronts the harsh realities of climate change exacerbated by a massive dam diverting water to urban centers and people’s apathy towards their resources, and understanding that the real Gadya (River Monsters) are its own people.
  
  
  
• ‘Handom sa Natugbong nga Yuta (Memories of the Collapsed Land)’ by SILAKBO
  
  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
  
  As prolonged heatwaves 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
  
  As a young boy’s life stirs around his family’s bloodline of being renowned copra-farmers and charcoal makers, he traverses his dream of being a successful Agriculture professor where he begins to unravel the contradicting threat of his long-cherished family’s conventions and must decide between the line of sustenance and change.
  
  
  
• ‘Kataw’ by Kuyawards Production
  
  In a future where climate change has submerged nations, a group of children undergo an experimental surgery to emulate a legendary baby and ensure their generation’s and Filipinos’ survival.
  
  
  
• ‘Pnigeke Apo To Parelthon (Πνίγηκε Από Το Παρελθόν / Drowned by the Past)’ by CPelikula Productions
  
  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.
  
  
  
• ‘Pamanahon’ by The OA
  
  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.
  
  
  
• ‘Prince of Tides’ by SILAKBO
  
  Kiko and his grandfather went fishing for one last time before moving away.
  
  
  
• ‘The Powerless’ by Paralaya Films
  
  A middle-class family tries to navigate their ways to ease the scorching hot weather, only to face an unexpected brownout.
  
  
  
• ‘Water for Three Sisters’ by Hello Sunrise
  
  In the midst of an extreme summer heat and surprise water interruption, three sisters turn on each other in a desperate battle for the last remaining drops of water in their house.
  

What’s next for the Top 15?

Representatives from the Top 15 teams will be required to attend the competition’s General Assembly (GA) happening on August 1, 7PM via Zoom. The GA will provide information on the power of visual storytelling in enabling societal change, pre-film production processes, and documentation. The assembly will also cover the competition rationale, mechanics, submission requirements, judging process, an introduction to the Climate Film Labs, and the importance of the Co-Ownership Agreement.

Guest speakers at the General Assembly include:

• Val Amiel Vestil, Co-founder and Executive Director of the Association of Young Environmental Journalists
• Harvey Perello, Project Manager of Save Philippine Seas’ Change the Current
• Chiara Negrello, Freelance Photographer and Canon Ambassador

Additionally, Dr. Nicole Kranz, Head of the Climate Action and Disaster Resilience Project Cluster at GIZ Philippines and Pacific Island Countries, and Dr. Rodel D. Lasco, Executive Director of the OML Center, will also attend the assembly to deliver messages.

To strengthen their stories, teams will also be required to participate in the Climate Film Labs (CFL) throughout August. The CFL includes both synchronous and asynchronous sessions, providing filmmakers guidance from climate and film experts during the production process.

Modules will cover climate change terms and concepts, as well as top climate risks and impacts in the Philippines. Participants will also get the chance to interact with storytellers and filmmakers for insights on tackling science-based stories, experts for technical advice on mobile filmmaking, and resource persons for guidance on film audiences and distribution.

All 15 teams are expected to use mobile phones to produce their films, which will be submitted in November.

After two months of film production, from 15, only the Top 10 film entries will advance to the finals and Awarding Ceremony in November, who shall receive an additional Php 70,000 each.

This year’s Best Film will win Php 100,000, with the second and third placers receiving Php 70,000 and Php 50,000, respectively.

Special Awards, each with a prize of Php 10,000, will be given for:

• Best Director
• Best Editing
• Best Performance
• Best Screenplay
• Best Cinematography
• Best Production Design
• Best Musical Scoring and Sound Design
• Audience Choice Award

About the Mga Kwento ng Klima Short Films

The Mga Kwento ng Klima Short Films aims to capture the unique Filipino experience of climate change and convey the need for urgent climate action through mobile phone-produced films. This year’s competition is held by the OML Center in partnership with GIZ Philippines, the Film Development Council of the Philippines, and the National Commission for Culture and the Arts.

For more information about the competition, visit https://www.omlopezcenter.org/mkksf2024/.