PH Sentro Rizal Toronto Holds Special Screening of Dancing Manilenyos for Buwan ng Wikang Pambansa

The Dancing Manilenyos e-flyer invitation shared in PCG in Toronto’s website and Facebook page. (Toronto PCG photo)

TORONTO 20 August 2020 –The Philippine Consulate General in Toronto, led by Philippine Consul General Orontes V. Castro, through the Sentro Rizal Toronto, premiered the first special screening of the film by Dr. Patrick Alcedo, “Dancing Manilenyos” on 15 August 2020 at 8:00 P.M., via the Consulate General’s official website and Facebook page, as one of its series of activities in celebration of Buwan ng Wikang Pambansa.

The film was shown until 19 August 2020, the Araw ng Wikang Pambansa and will also be available for viewing from 30 August 2020 until 05 September 2020.

In his remarks, Consul General Castro enjoined the audience to love the Filipino national language as it is a means through which people are united and are able to understand one another. He also highlighted the sacrifices of all frontline workers during these unprecedented times of the COVID-19 pandemic, with the hope that people, especially the youth, will take inspiration from them. He also thanked Dr. Alcedo for sharing his film with Sentro Rizal Toronto and hopes that the lessons learned from the film will inspire the viewers to continue supporting our kababayan and our country.

Dancing Manilenyos is a multi-awarded documentary film about the dreams of young Filipinos in Manila of making it big in the ballet world. It centers around the hopes and sacrifices of a ballet teacher, Luther Perez, whose dream is to help lift his students, such as Victor Maguad, out of poverty, through the artistry and life skills that can be learned from dancing.  The film also depicted the positive relationships among students, despite their disparate backgrounds.

Steps Dance Studio Director Sofia Zobel-Elizalde said, in the film, that kids from all walks of life come to their dance studio, “but the moment they come in to the school, everybody equalizes. And when that happens…they learn from each other and there’s a respect that grows from one to the other.”  Ms. Zobel-Elizalde also shared an inspiring statement, “Hard work is hard work. There is no division of where you come from and who you are. But it’s how you excel, your work ethic, your dedication, your natural talent and your passion” that applies not only to ballet but in anyone’s chosen career.

Ballet Philippines President Margie Moran said on the other hand that, “Our dancers are either wealthy or they’re not. They look at dancing not as a hobby but as a career and they see a future no matter how much it pays them because they have passion. Even the rich ones… because they love what they do, it’s something that is part of their dream – to be a prima ballerina.”

Selected from among 347 submissions from 35 countries, the film was an official selection at the 2019 Diversity in Cannes Short Film Showcase. It won an Impact Doc Award, a Spotlight Documentary Film Award, a Global Shorts Award of Merit, and an Award of Recognition from the Hollywood International Independent Documentary Film Award. Moreover, it was premiered at the famous Raleigh Studios in Hollywood, California and was an official selection at the Chelsea International Film Festival in Manhattan, New York, the Ethnografilm Festival in Paris, France, and the Toronto Reel Asian International Film Festival in 2018.

Dr. Patrick Alcedo is an Associate Professor at the Department of Dance of York University, the third biggest university in Canada.  He is the director, writer, and producer of six documentary films, including Dancing Manilenyos. His other film, A Piece of Paradise, won both Centennial Best Canadian Film Award and the National Bank First Feature Film Award, the first film in the festival to have garnered a back-to-back win.  He was also the Artistic Director of the Philippine Consulate General-Sentro Rizal Toronto’s dance production, INDAK, that was the highlight of the Philippine Independence Day and Filipino Heritage Month celebrations in June 2018.

In his remarks, Dr. Alcedo thanked the people and institution that made the film possible - the collaborative labor of love of people who shared their time, effort and pieces of their lives, and the grant from the Early Researcher Award of the Government of Ontario which he won.  He also mentioned that he was honored that Dancing Manilenyos forms part of the Philippine Consulate General’s Sentro Rizal Toronto’s celebration of Buwan ng Wikang Pambansa.

To date, the screening of Dancing Manilenyos has reached 3,800 views, 1,852 engagements, 113 likes, 9 comments and 46 shares.  It has reached 7,100 people and is expected to garner more more views until its screening in the first week of September. END

Philippine Consul General Orontes V. Castro (left photo) welcomes everyone to the virtual special screening and (right photo) thanked Dr. Patrick Alcedo, director, writer, and producer of Dancing Manilenyos, for his continued support for the Philippine Consulate General’s Sentro Rizal Toronto.

Left photo: Ms. Sofia Zobel-Elizalde, Director of Steps Dance Studio.  Right photo: Ms. Margie Moran, President of Ballet Philippines (All photos from Dancing Manilenyos)

The featured characters in the film – Luther Perez, the ballet instructor, and the ballet students – Victor Maguad, Monica Gana, and Gilbert Enfestan. Luther Perez, the patient ballet instructor who, during his younger years, played the lead role in the ballet opera, Don Quixote.

Victor Maguad (left photo-with outstretched hands and right photo-doing the tour en l’air), the ballet student from a poor family who, through hard work, landed the role of Basilio, one of the lead roles in Don Quixote ballet opera.

Monica Gana (left photo, rightmost and right photo, middle), the ballet student from a wealthy family who is happy to have the support of her family in pursuing a career in ballet.

Gilbert Enfestan (in green shirt), one of the young ballet students under the tutelage of Luther Perez.

The other ballet students at the Quezon City Performing Arts Studio.

For more information, visit https://www.torontopcg.dfa.gov.ph, https://www.philcongen-toronto.com or https://www.facebook.com/PHinToronto/.