Sarangani MTV Shines at NY film Fest.

By Bernard Supetran

Paragliding in Maasim

A tourism music video featuring Sarangani province’s top tourist attractions was recently awarded a special recognition at a prestigious international film festival in New York City.

Titled “Sarangani: Nature, Adventure, Culture”, the 2-minute promotional video was conferred the Gold Excellence Award at the 11th International Film Festival in Manhattan (IFFM) spring edition last May.

Bocay-el Falls in Kiamba

Produced by the Sarangani provincial government, the video was submitted under the corporate category, and was among the 15 Philippine entries which made the cut in the nine-country competition. 

“It showcases Sarangani’s natural resources and destinations, landscapes, white-sand beaches, inland bodies of water, and ethnic diversity, showcasing the preserved and honored indigenous cultures. It boasts of the people’s efforts to keep Sarangani environmentally and socially sustainable,” says Sarangani Provincial Tourism Council chairperson Michelle Lopez-Solon, who also directed the video.

Kalon Barak Skyline Ridge in Malungon

She added that the video advertisement features snippets of experiences visitors can enjoy, such as its vibrant beach parties, municipal festivals, water sports, white water rafting, scuba diving, paragliding, sightseeing, and cultural immersions, to name a few.

Solon concluded that the province joined the film fest to show the world that somewhere down in southern Philippines is a consummate place worth visiting and exploring very soon.

Sarangani Bay

Previous IFFM editions showcased selected videos and films in Manhattan, but the annual competition shifted into online mode this year due to the Covid-19 pandemic. 

Released in 2019, the tourism video which used footages from local videographers, is edited by Champ Biala.