There is 1,108 kilometers between Kidapawan City in Cotabato and Manila. And Julius Cervancia, a Media Arts teacher from Kidapawan National High School, would cover the long distance, riding the bus and taking the ro-ro for more than a day, just to be part of Cinemalaya Philippine Independent Film Festival and watch the featured films.

The long journey for Cervancia is nothing compared to his love for Cinemalaya and his dedication to teaching his students about filmmaking and arts education which drives him to travel the distance every year.

“I have made it my vow to attend Cinemalaya,” said Cervancia. “Since 2016, I go every year just to be part of it.”

The high school teacher’s commitment to Cinemalaya started when his students won at the short film competition of the National Festival of Talents, then held every year by the Department of Education. The short film competition, Sineliksik, involved two students per region, given four hours to shoot and four hours to edit a two-minute film. The Cultural Center of the Philippines’ (CCP) Arts Education Department upgraded the mechanics of this competition in order to nurture the next generation of film artists.

CCP’s Arts Ed would recommend the NFOT winning entries for screening in the Gawad CCP Para sa Alternatibong Pelikula at Video, the longest-running independent film competition of its kind in Asia. It is often considered as a breeding ground for student filmmakers, with its finalists mostly consisting of young students from various local and regional schools.

“We were back-to-back champion twice, that’s why I was able to go to Cinemalaya with my students twice,” he added. “On the third year, sad to say we lost, but I still went. So it became my vow after that year that we didn’t win.”

For Cervancia, his commitment not only serves his own love for film, but his love for his students. As someone hailing from the far regions, he acknowledged the infrequency of artists, directors and film production teams who would visit them, thus the lack of exposure for his students.

The Cinemalaya Campus, a component of the Cinemalaya Festival, was a vital part of Cervancio’s first two Cinemalaya experiences with his students. This component provides a venue for interaction and dialogue between filmmakers and audience members.

“What really drives me to continue this year is the experience that I can share with my students. When I go back to Kidapawan, I talk about what I saw, what’s going on in the industry. I have students who I really pushed to take up film in college because they saw my passion in going to Cinemalaya every year.”

When asked about the film that struck him the most for his first Cinemalaya, Cervancia mentioned Bagahe by director Zig Dulay. The social drama film won Best Screenplay at the 13th Cinemalaya Independent Film Festival.

“We met twice before at Cinemalaya. I’m really a fan of director Zig,” he said. “I was impressed by what he said that even if there is not much money in filming, the experience, the fun of making a movie, that’s where people really get rich.”

With the ongoing Cinemalaya, Cervancia looks forward to yet another rewarding experience of being a part of the country’s biggest independent film festival, an experience he will bring home to Kidapawan to his students.

Now on its 20th year, Cinemalaya opened on 2 August with a red carpet, opening program and screening of Sheron Dayoc’s Gospel of the Beast. It runs until 11 August at the Ayala Malls Manila Bay and other selected Ayala Malls Cinemas.