Korea Job Opening: INTools operator / user

Dear Friends & Colleagues:

 

I hope this mail finds you in good health.

 

We are looking for engineers with relevant experience using the “INTOOLS” Software.  The project is a multi-billion dollar offshore project for one of the world’s top oil & gas company.  Details will be discussed to interested parties.

 

Basic qualifications for the position are as follows:

-          Filipino, relevant engineering degree holder

-          at least 5 years relevant experience in the software (INTools)

-          to assist the head of an engineering team directly related to the implementation of the INTools software

-          application in Electrical & Instrumentation or Piping, etc. of the INTools software

-          experience in offshore projects is a plus but not necessary

-          offer is for initial 1 year contract; to be extended based on performance

-          generous salary package, commensurate to experience

-          mobilization & demobilization allowances plus living expenses (i.e. housing, utilities, transportation, etc.)

-          immediate deployment

 

Interested parties are requested to email certeza@gmail.com ASAP.

Filipinos Made Big waves in 13th Pusan International Film Festival

Words: Rianne Hill Soriano

(most) pics: me

Acknowledged as one of the biggest film festival in Asia, the 13th Pusan International Film Festival (PIFF) in South Korea interestingly described the Philippines as “The newly emerged Mecca for Independent Films.” More than 10 Filipino films graced the festival– and two of them garnered awards: “100” by Chris Martinez and “Andong” by Milo Tolentino won the KNN Award (Audience Award) and the Sonje Award (Best Short Film Award) respectively. And the success went on as one Filipino attended the festival’s Pusan Promotion Plan. Another one gets a grant from the Asian Cinema Fund. Three Filipinos were chosen for the Asian Film Academy. And another one attended the Asian Film Professionals Training Program.

     100 director Chris Martinez with star Tessie Tomas after receiving award. Pic grabbed from Direk's Facebook.

Voted by the audiences during the festival, the KNN award was presented by the KNN Foundation to the most popular film in the New Currents section (the category for competition films). US$ 20,000 was awarded to the film’s director. The Sonje Award was given to the best Korean and Asian short films in the Wide Angle section (in competition categories for Korean and Asian short films). US$10,000 was given to each winning filmmaker.

The Pinoy works screened at the festival include: “100” by Chris Martinez, “Andong” by Milo Tolentino, 

me & Serbis director

“Serbis” by Brillante Mendoza, “Confessional” by Ruel Dahis Antipuesto and Jerrold Tarog, “Jay” by Francis Pasion, “Baby Angelo” by Joel Ruiz, “Adela” by Adolfo Alix, 

“The Old Fool Who Moved the Mountains” by Joanna Vasquez Arong, “Darna, Ang Pagbabalik” by Lore Reyes and Peque Gallaga, “Urduja” by Ramon Entienza, “Captain Barbell” by Mac Alejandre, “The Last El-Bimbo” by Aureus Solito (PIFF music video collection of Asian filmmakers).

Margie Templo was part of the Pusan Promotion Plan for Arkeofilms’ next film project entitled “Pinoy Sunday,” a Taiwan-Philippines co-production. Monster Jimenez received a grant from the Asian Cinema Fund/Asian Network of Documentary for her documentary film “Kano: An American and his Women.” 

Margie  & Monster with direk Joe at the Gwang-Ali beach.

Sir Ed photograped by the author.

Ed Cabagnot was a jury member for the NETPAC (Network for the Promotion of Asian Cinema) Award and was a speaker for the festival’s Special Program in Focus: Superheroes in Asia. 

Filipino fellows on their way to Korea. Grabbed from Armi's Facebook.

Armi Rae Cacanindin, Maisa Demetillo, and Sheron Dayoc participated at the Asian Film Academy 2008 (AFA) where Brillante Mendoza also took part as film instructor. 

Carlo (Jay) partying after all his work.

AFA 2007 fellow Carlo Mendoza also visited the program this year. 

Rianne Hill Soriano attended the festival as the Filipino fellow of the Asian Film Professionals Training Program 2008 of the Korean Film Council (KOFIC).

The Film Development Council of the Philippines (FDCP) also attended the festival and participated at the program of the Busan Film Commission (BIFCOM). There were also a number of film reviews and recommendations for the Filipino films gracing the festival including write-ups from Hollywood Reporter and The Pusan Daily.

The Philippines truly made a mark in this year’s festival with a very large Philippine delegation whose attendance covered almost all the major programs and events of PIFF. A Filipino party at the Westin Chosun Hotel in Busan was hosted by the Philippine Embassy in Korea and the Film Development Council of the Philippines to celebrate the successful wave of Filipino films and filmmakers in the festival.

Direk Joel Ruiz on Filipino Film "Jay"

                     Joe during the Q & A of his Pusan International Film Festival film.

JAY by Francis Pasion blew everyone out of the water. It is one of the best Cinemalaya movies I’ve seen. Scratch that, one of the best Pinoy movies in recent years. Smart. Unpredictable. Uncontrived. Incredibly compelling and powerful. Relevant. Baron Geisler whom I’ve never seen before was astounding. If you have the chance, SEE IT. It’s too important.

And his predictions:

Best Picture to JAY

Jury Prize to RANCHERO

Directing to Francis Pasion, JAY

Screenplay to Francis Pasion, JAY

Lead Actor to Baron Geisler, JAY or the boy in BOSES

Lead Actress to Shamaine Buencamino, CONCERTO or the lead actress of JAY, forgot her name

January '08 in Manila

My pics are all over Facebook; those that I took and pics of me taken by others. The following pics fall in the latter category. These are from my MOA date with Alfred and Gretel, my friends from Cavite. I grabbed these from Gret's Facebook

Me and Alfred. Orgmates.

Me and Gretel. Gretel and Alfred are officemates.

Troika. The original Nice 3.

Waiting for dinner to be served.

Lolo, that's how Gretel calls me. I call her Ma.

Last month, I met the two again again in MOA. We bowled together with Tesha. I really appreciate these guys finding time to meet me even for just a few hours. See you in my next vacay next year! Hopefully, we get to go out of town again like we did Davao and GenSan!

Direk Joel Ruiz On Pusan International Film Festival Best Short Film "Andong"

Direk Joe during his Guest Visit for the screening of his film Baby Angelo at the 13th PIFF.

"Of the shorts, ANDONG. Just pure fun. We’ve seen that story before, yes, but Milo Tolentino presents it to us with complete honesty and truth. Well done." 

Philippine Art Exhibit in Seoul

After the Filipino film makers made headlines in the 13th Pusan International Film Festival, 4 more Filipino artists are displaying their talents over at capital Seoul.

Fiesta Mood at Philippine Art Exhibit

"Nipa Hut" by Filipino artist Jimmy Vista By Cathy Rose A. Garcia  Staff Reporter  A Philippine-style fiesta will kick off the opening of an exhibition featuring works by four artists from the Philippines.  ``Kapuluan (Archipelago): Islands of Diversity'' opens Wednesday at Gallery Nuri, Korea Foundation Cultural Center, downtown Seoul. The exhibition, organized by the Philippine Embassy, features works by William Gaudinez, Loreta Medina, Samuel Penaso and Jimmy Vista.  Highlighting the rich cultural diversity, the Filipino artists drew inspiration from the various islands in the Philippines. ``Each artist draws on intense inner visions, collective memories and sorrows brought on by geography, history, identity, ancestry and contemporary society,'' the embassy said, in a statement.  At the opening ceremony, visitors will be treated to a poetry reading by Medina, performance art by Penaso as well as traditional performances and a chance to sample authentic Philippine cuisine. Medina, an artist based in Seoul who helped organize the event, said she wanted to create a ``fiesta atmosphere'' for the exhibition's opening ceremony.  In her works, Medina uses tree bark made by the Mangyans, an indigenous group from Mindoro Island in the Philippines. She transforms the images she sees in the tree bark and turns them into her own unique artwork.  But Medina also wants to highlight the beauty of the Mangyan tree bark. ``I think the art show is a showcase of the Mangyan tree bark and its various uses, how versatile it is and how rich Philippine culture is. We have forgotten our roots. The show is an act of going back to our roots. If we only look closely and go back to the past, we will be richer psychologically. We can share with the rest of the world our heritage and cultural wealth,'' she said.  Gaudinez uses seashells, gems, animal stones and bones to create colorful assemblages and wall works that often resemble Catholic Church altars. He was an artist-in-residence in Gwangju last year, and his works have been brought to France, Greece, and the United States. Penaso, a visual and performance artist, creates abstract paintings depicting the beauty of his hometown, Bohol Island. Vista, an artist from Tanay, Rizal, depicts rural Filipino life in his watercolor paintings.  Aside from the artworks, the exhibition will feature the old Mangyan syllabary and other cultural artifacts.  Mangyan poet Ponyong Karpo Kadlos will be at the opening ceremony to recite ``ambahan,'' an old poetic form that existed before the Philippines was colonized.  The Mangyans write on the tree bark and bamboo using the old script, which was designated as a Philippine National Treasure and is included in the UNESCO's Memory of the World Register. There will be a seminar on Mangyan culture and heritage on Oct. 14 at the center. The exhibition runs through Oct. 18. It is open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., and closed Sundays. Admission is free. Visit www.kfcenter.or.kr or call the Philippine Embassy cultural officer at (02) 796-2403. cathy@koreatimes.co.kr

Maybe I Should Give This One A Try

Seoul Essay Contest 2008

Seoul City invites foreigners to enter the 12th Seoul Photo Essay Contest on photo essays on Seoul. All foreigners are welcome to participate in the contest and share their stories.  1. Qualification: all foreigners  2. Genre: Photo essay 3. Topic: "A clean and attractive global city, Seoul" - Scenery of Seoul you would like to introduce: stories based on parks in Seoul, Hangang (river), Royal palaces, and so on. - Festivals in Seoul: Episodes related to festivals in Seoul including "Hi Seoul Festival" - Everyday experience or memories in Seoul - Attractions in Seoul you would like to visit and walk  - What attracts you to live in Seoul?  - Beautiful yet disappearing traditions in Seoul, Stories behind - Any topic on food, entertainment, and eyecatchings in Seoul  4. Language: English, Chinese, or Japanese 5. Guidelines: essays with related photos  - Essay : up to 3 pages (A4-size, 12 point, up to 3,000 words) - Photo : JPG or JPEG format, up to 3 photos (1024× 768 or smaller) per essay  - File size : smaller than 4MB  * All essays and photos entered should be original and unpublished. No limit on entries per person  * The photos accompanying the essay should be clearly identified with the relevant part of the essay. Otherwise, they will be reorganized at random.  6. Entry period : Oct. 13 (Mon.) ~ Nov. 14 (Fri.), 2008 7. Entry Submission : online, visit in person, or by mail ( A CD containing files of essay and photos should be included. Mail should be postmarked by Nov. 14)  * Online submission or submission in person is due 18:00 on Nov. 14. - Address: Global Marketing Division, Seoul Metropolitan Government, #1 Seoul City Seosomun Annex Building, 11th Fl., 15 Deoksugung-gil, Jung-gu, Seoul ,100-739, Korea  - Online submission: Seoul City homepage in foreign languages (http://www.seoul.go.kr)  * For more information, please call Seoul Dasan Call Center (02-120) 8. Awards  - No. of winners: 14 in total  (1 Grand Prize, 1 Gold Prize, 2 Silver Prize, 10 Honorable Mention) - Prize: A certificate signed by the Mayor of Seoul and cash prize  ※ The number of prizes awarded is subject to change depending on the quality of the entries. Announcement of winners: Winners will be announced through the Web Site and notified individually in Dec., 2008. Please note : - Seoul city has the copyright to all winning essays. All submitted entries are not returned. - All entries should include name, nationality, address, age, and phone numbers (home and office phone numbers, cell phone number), and email address. - The following entries are disqualified and, if selected, the selection will be cancelled and its prize money will be withdrawn.  1) Any entry that has already won a prize in a similar contest by other organizations  2) Any clearly plagiarized entry or the entry that is considered plagiarized.  - The winning essays will be published as an "e-book" and can be seen at Seoul City’s official website, Webzine, and blog sites run by Seoul City.  - All winners are invited to cultural events and city tour programs and supported to post the collection of winning essays (e-book) on personal blogs.  Contact: Seoul Global Marketing Division, 02-3707-8452  To read winning essays in previous contests, please click below.

Excerpt from Indie Wire Regarding Award-Winning Filipino Film "100"

               100 stars Tessie Tomas & Eugene Domingo at the 13th PIFF.

                          Grabbed from the 100 director's Multiply site.

Chris Martinez's "100" emerged as the audience favorite, walking away with the KNN Movie Award. At a festival where the audience tends to skew towards college students, "100" drew an older audience. With tears in their eyes, they embraced this Filipino melodrama about a young woman, dying of cancer, who gives herself 100 tasks to do before it's too late.

 

-Doug Jones is Senior Programmer at Film Independentâ’s Los Angeles Film Festival

HBD, Andres!

More power on your career! 

And hope you will be happy from this day onwards!

Another Filipino Film Aiming To Win In London

Me with the future of RP cinema at the 13th PIFF Guest Pavilion

L-R: me, Armi (Tribu), Carlo (Jay), and Rianne (thanks for the pic!)

It is the film festival season and another Filipino film is in competition over at London. 

Jay, the Cinemalaya Grand Prize winner (over 100) is in competition for the Sutherland Trophy at The Times BFI 52nd London Film Festival.

Screenings are on October 21 and 23.

Go here for the film synopsis and details. 

Will Jay be 2008's Bayan Ko: Kapit Sa Patalim which won in London 14 years ago? We will find out come Halloween.

100 Pics from Pusan International Film Festival

If you have been seeing my posts, you will know that "100" won the Audience Award in the 13th PIFF. In keeping with the theme, I am counting down 100 pics from half a decade of attending the fesitival. Most of the pics will be coming from this year's edition.

1-9

Pics associated with my recent posts about PIFF.

10,11,12

Old pics from old blog entries related to PIFF

where films are screened

where fans are the real winners

Fun in Nampodong, the other area where films are screened.

13

Pic emailed by Ms Eugene Domingo

14-16

Pics from PIFF 2007 Photo Album

17-31

Pics from PIFF 2006 Photo Album

32-38

(Half) The Personalities In This Year's PIFF

More than half I met during the Philippine government's lunch reception for the Philippine delegates at the Westin Chosun Hotel, but my cam lost all its power.

Baby Angelo director who owes me its music hehe

General Ruiz and his lovely wife dropped by to support the screening.

Ain't that sweet?

Upcoming director Rianne Soriano with Joel Ruiz.

This gal loves to part-tey!

This lady did the docu American Alley, about the Filipino, Korean and Russian prostis in Korea.

Nice 3 of Arkeo Films L-R: Monster, Margie Templo, & Joel Ruiz.

Cool directors.

Indian filmmaker with the Pinoy ones.

Free dinner courtesy of the film festival haha!

Serbis, Tirador, Masahista, Foster Child director.

His PD in most of his films happens to be a friend, Jaja Padero.

39-100

So I owe you guys 62 more pics. 

Watch out for the PIFF 2008 - Part 2 photo album!

2 Philippine Films Win in 13th Pusan International Film Festival!

The 13th PIFF which featured 15 Philippine films ended today with the announcement of 2 Philippine films in the roster of its winners:

Sonje Award ($10,000)
"Andong" by Rommel Tolentino Milo (Philippines)
"Girl" by Hong Sunghoon (South Korea)

Andong  "excavated a truthful story from the midst of a city dumpsite and told it with witty humor and brilliant performances" 

KNN Movie Award (Audience Award, $ 20,000)
"100" by Chris Martinez (Philippines)

"100 is low budget but slickly produced with a yuppie setting; its themes of family, friendship and memento mori can connect with audiences anywhere." -Maggie Lee

The Hollywood Reporter's Maggie Lee is right on the money.

Congratulations and more power to Philippine cinema!

Excerpts from Sir Ed Cabagnot's Lecture in Korea

                                                         Me with Direk Brillante Mendoza.

Go here for the complete article.

Asian superheroes come to rescue of region's film industry

 

BUSAN, South Korea (AFP) — Asian filmmakers who have watched in envy as US superheroes have won billions at the international box office are determined not to let Hollywood have everything its own way.

 

Veteran Philippine film critic Edward Cabagnot says history has shown that smart Asian filmmakers have been able to look to the West and learn.

 

"We love our heroes in Asia," he says.

 

"In the Philippines for example we have taken what America has given us and made it local. That's why a character such as our Darna, who has been around since the 1950s, is basically Wonder Woman but with local characteristics. Like Philippine society itself, her stories are a mix of Catholic guilt with Hollywood glamour."

 

Joo Youshin, who lectures in cinema theory at Yongsan University in Seoul, believes the success of the Hollywood heroes reflects universal human desires.

"They speak to us about the contradictions we feel in society everywhere," she says. "And sometimes they reflect our psyche too."

 

But Cabagnot has a simpler explanation.

 

"Sometimes we just like them because they are sexy," he says.

"In Asia of course we can copy this. It is how we can be successful. And no one has the copyright on sexy. Not even Hollywood."

한글 날 (Hangeul Day)

October 9th is the Hangeul (Korean alphabet) Day in Korea. It is not a national holiday but celebrations have been prepared unitl this Saturday to express gratitude to Korea's scientific way of reading and writing.

In keeping up with the Pusan International Film Festival theme that has been running in my page, I bring back blog entries from PIFF '05 which show some Hangeul:

1) my first star sighting in PIFF

2) TV monitor in Megabox:

This actually translates to I hate the smell of food.

Sir Ed Cabatgot in Korean TV

In today's Arirang News, Sir Ed Cabatgot of the CCP was shown cause he was a lecturer for the Asia's Superhero Films special of PIFF..^^

Film Review: 100

100 is the sole Philippine entry for the grand prize in the Pusan International Film Festival. This review is published in The Hollywood Reporter.

BOTTOM LINE: Death has no dominion in this sensitive portrait of a woman's last days.

October 04, 2008

By Maggie Lee

Pusan International FIlm Festival
New Currents 

In "100," a more down-to-earth version of "The Bucket List," yellow post-it notes become an effective motif to encapsulate a woman's coming to terms with death. Thoughtfully scripted and performed with a delicate balance of gravity and humor, the dignified image of women represented by director Chris Martinez here is exceptional for a Philippine melodrama with mainstream aspirations.

A change of scene from gritty Philippine festival films set in slums, "100" is low budget but slickly produced with a yuppie setting; its themes of family, friendship and memento mori can connect with audiences anywhere. With a cast unknown abroad, though, international exposure is tricky.

Joyce (Mylene Dizon) is a single woman seemingly at the apex of her career. In the final stages of cancer, she covers her wall with post-its of must-dos and wanna-dos in her remaining days. The yellow notes serve as powerful visual emotional pointers to bittersweet experiences.

The different sides of Joyce's character are well delineated. In practical matters, she is unflappable: Choosing her own coffin, she even makes a PowerPoint for her own wake with the matter-of-fact efficiency of a CEO. In affairs of the heart, nuanced gestures reveal her more human side, like when she keeps taking out then putting back post-its of "Tell Mommy" and "Tell Emil" (the old flame for whom she still carries a torch).

Martinez carefully rations the sad or sentimental moments, focusing more on simple pleasures Joyce pursues, with flashes of black humor. There is hardly a false note in the depiction of her bonding with soul sister Ruby (Eugene Domingo), or the responses of Joyce's mother, which move from grief to refusal to give up to stoic acceptance. The denouement explains why Emil kept resisting her advances, and this twist is a legitimate cue for hankies.

The tempo follows the dramatic arc closely, with brisk editing in the first half mirroring Joyce's impatience to savor every moment, and unwinds to a more relaxed pace as her body weakens but her soul attains peace.

Cast: Mylene Dizon, Eugene Domingo, Tessie Tomas, Ryan Eigenmann, Cecil Paz.
Director-screenwriter: Chris Martinez.
Executive producers: Chris Martinez, Marlon Rivera.
Director of photography: Larry Manda.
Production designer: Aby Jamnague-Rivera.
Music: Ricci Chan.
Editor: Ike Veneracion.
Sales agent: Unico Entertainment.
No rating, 117 minutes.
production: Cinemalaya presents a Martinez Riviera Films production in association with Straight Shooters Media.

HBD, Jigs!

No skyrocketing exchange rate shall dampen the celebration spirit.  Happy birthday!

Goodbye 13th PIFF!

I am about to buy my souvenirs before catching the last bus that will take me back to my island, here I am doing this quickie entry from a free Naver Cafe along the Haeundae beach, where the PIFF village is located.

This year is the best so far for the Philippine representation and there is a buzz that our lone entry for the Grand Prize has a strong standing. I hope the buzz is not just because of patriotic support. Anyway, this is also personally my best PIFF experience so far, thanks for all the awesome Filipinos from the film industry that I met.

Pics, stories, emails to come soon hopefully.

Ok, shopping na ng festival shirt and anik aniks.^^