‘Sine Sampaloc’ nourishes local film culture

By Nimfa L. Estrellado The municipal park of Sampaloc, Quezon serves as an open-air cinema venue during the 1st Sine Sampaloc Film Festival....

By Nimfa L. Estrellado

The municipal park of Sampaloc, Quezon serves as an open-air cinema venue during the 1st Sine Sampaloc Film Festival. (Sampaloc LGU)

SAMPALOC, Quezon - Film and community arts have gained a foothold in this upland town with the launch of the recent Sine Sampaloc Film Festival. A local cultural initiative that opened public spaces to film screenings, workshops, and community discussions designed for residents of all ages.

By using the municipal park and surrounding public areas as venues, Sampaloc created an environment where cinema became accessible to people who rarely encounter independent films in formal theaters. The festival marked the town’s first coordinated effort to connect film appreciation with grassroots participation and structured learning at the community level.



Sampaloc’s growing connection to cinema has also been shaped by the presence of award-winning filmmaker Lav Diaz, who has lived in the town since 2022. Several of his recent works, including Phantosmia, Magellan, and Ang Kawalan ng Kawalan, were filmed in the municipality, drawing wider attention to its landscapes, agricultural settings, and everyday scenes.

The local government of Sampaloc organized the festival in collaboration with the Cinemalaya Foundation and the Cultural Center of the Philippines through the CCP Film, Broadcast and New Media division’s Lakbay Sine program. Organizers said the partnership was intended to widen access to independent cinema and basic film education in provincial communities that are often excluded from national cultural circuits.

Among the festival’s activities was a tricycle float parade and competition, where students selected short films from past Cinemalaya and Gawad CCP competitions and translated their themes into mobile artworks. The floats passed through different puroks, allowing film-related activity to reach neighborhoods that might not normally participate in cultural events.

Cinemalaya festival director Chris Millado said the student-led performances allowed film education to reach audiences beyond classrooms and screening venues. He explained that this format encouraged young participants to connect cinema with their own environment and lived experiences rather than treating film as a distant or abstract art form.

Millado said the approach helped make film education accessible and relevant to young participants and local audiences who may not regularly encounter independent cinema. He added that community-based formats encourage sustained interest in cinema by situating cultural activities within familiar spaces and everyday routines.

“Kapag inilabas ang pelikula sa loob ng komunidad, nagiging bahagi ito ng pang-araw-araw na karanasan ng mga tao. Mas nauunawaan ng kabataan ang sining kapag nakikita nila ito sa sarili nilang kapaligiran. Doon nagsisimula ang mas malalim na pagpapahalaga sa kuwento at kultura.”

Millado also said Sampaloc could serve as a reference point for film-related initiatives that rely on community participation rather than large-scale commercial tourism. He stressed the importance of protecting the environment and maintaining the character of local communities while promoting cultural programs.

“Kapag inilabas ang pelikula sa loob ng komunidad, nagiging bahagi ito ng pang-araw-araw na karanasan ng mga tao. Mas nauunawaan ng kabataan ang sining kapag nakikita nila ito sa sarili nilang kapaligiran. Doon nagsisimula ang mas malalim na pagpapahalaga sa kuwento at kultura,” said Millado.

Film screenings at the municipal park featured short films and feature-length works by Filipino filmmakers, paired with discussions and learning sessions intended to deepen audience understanding of the stories and creative processes involved. Workshops on film appreciation and basic animation provided participants with introductory exposure to storytelling, visual composition, and collaborative creation.

Organizers also arranged site visits for visiting filmmakers to local rivers, forested areas, heritage sites, and locations previously used in film productions. These visits highlighted Sampaloc’s suitability for countryside narratives while emphasizing the need for responsible filming practices that respect the environment and community life.

One of the festival’s key screenings featured Diaz’s Phantosmia, which drew interest because many local residents had participated as extras in the film. For many viewers, the screening offered a rare opportunity to see familiar streets, homes, and daily routines reflected on screen within a cinematic context.

“Ang Sine Sampaloc ay hindi lamang isang festival kundi isang pamumuhunan sa kultura at kabataan. Dito nagsisimula ang paghubog ng mga bagong kuwento at malikhaing boses ng aming bayan. Patuloy naming susuportahan ang mga programang nagbibigay saysay at pagkakataon sa aming mga mamamayan,” Mayor Nikko Devanadera said.

Mayor Devanadera said the festival aligns with the municipality’s long-term plans to balance cultural development with sustainability and community welfare. He added that the local government intends to continue supporting Sine Sampaloc as part of its broader cultural programming in the years ahead.

“Ang kultura ay mahalagang bahagi ng pangmatagalang pag-unlad ng aming bayan. Sa pamamagitan ng Sine Sampaloc, binibigyan namin ng espasyo ang malikhaing pagpapahayag at pakikilahok ng komunidad. Patuloy naming itataguyod ang mga programang nagpapalakas sa identidad at kakayahan ng aming mamamayan,” added Devanadera.

As Sampaloc continues to explore ways of integrating culture into everyday community life, Sine Sampaloc illustrates how film can function as a shared public experience rather than a niche activity. The initiative highlights the role of local participation, accessible spaces, and place-based storytelling in shaping a growing film culture in Quezon province.