18 October 2013 - Filipino independent filmmaker Jason Paul Laxamana’s entry entitled, “Babagwa” (“The Spider’s Lair”), is currently competing in the 29th Warsaw International Film Festival which runs from October 11 to 20.
“Babagwa” is the story of an Internet scammer who falls in love with a wealthy old maid while trying to swindle her using a fake Facebook profile.
The website of Cinemalaya says: “Jason Paul Laxamana, 25, is a graduate of BA Broadcast Communication from the University of the Philippines, Diliman. Based in Angeles City, Pampanga, he is currently the Luzon Representative of the National Committee on Cinema (NCCA SCA).
While an undergraduate student, he became a production assistant under directors Jeffrey Jeturian and Maryo J. De Los Reyes. He worked as script supervisor in Star Cinema’s “A Love Story,” a 2007 film by De Los Reyes. In 2008, he worked in the same position in Brillante Mendoza’s “Serbis.” After making various Kapampangan short films and music videos in his home province, he made his first feature film in 2010 when his screenplay for “Astro Mayabang” became a finalist in the Cinema One Originals Gil Festival in 2010, which won the Audience Choice Award. In 2012, he successfully completed the Star Cinema Scriptwriting Workshop under
Ricky Lee and Amor Olaguer.
Philippine Ambassador to Poland Patricia Ann V. Paez, together with other Embassy personnel and some members of the Filipino community in Poland, warmly welcomed Mr. Laxamana at Multikino Cinema at Zlote Tarasy minutes before his film was shown which caught the attention of the TVN crew who interviewed the Philippine envoy.
The group then had dinner with the director after which he was toured around the Old Town. END
