17 June 2014 - As part of the commemorative activities for the 116th Anniversary of the Declaration of Philippine Independence, the Philippine Embassy in Wellington called on the Filipino community and friends in New Zealand to support Mr. Norman Zafra and watch the screenings of his documentary entitled, “A Friend in Sight”.
Mr. Zafra, a Filipino scholar attending Massey University as a Graduate Student of Communication, Journalism & Marketing, created the short documentary as a requirement for his postgraduate paper called Media Practice and Global Culture. His production is intended primarily to target a cross-cultural audience by sharing a unique New Zealand story to Filipinos.
A Friend in Sight is an official selection to the 9th Documentary Edge Festival held annually in Auckland and Wellington.The documentary follows Ms. Julia Mosen who has been blind since birth and shows how she independently and safely carries out her daily tasks with the help of her seeing-eye dog, Kerry.
The Philippine Embassy Team proudly watched the Wellington screening of the documentary at the Roxy Cinema in Miramar on June 05. “A Friend in Sight” captures and shares the special and remarkable relationship between Ms. Mosen and her faithful dog, Kerry. Screenings of Mr. Zafra’s documentary were held at Auckland and Wellington.
Philippine Ambassador to New Zealand Virginia H. Benavidez congratulated Mr. Zafra for the honor and distinction of being the first Filipino whose documentary has been featured at the 9th Documentary Edge Festival. “You continue to do our country and people proud in using your God-given talents in the fields of communication and media to create a heartwarming and inspiring documentary on the lives and experiences of the people of New Zealand and promoting greater understanding and goodwill between Filipinos and New Zealanders,” Ambassador Benavidez stated. END