Daily TribuneThe young then-would-be filmmaker dabbled in high school contests, where the passion in the field was completely ignited. And despite the naysayers to not pursue filmmaking as a profession, she dared to defy the odds
DURING her 21st birthday party.
The filmmaker during a Coca-Cola Beverages Philippines project.
Charlie with the Gawad Sining Short Film Festival 2023 finalist citation for ‘Through the Viewfinder.’
Down the red carpet at the premiere night of the Manila Film Festival 2024 at the Manila Metropolitan Theater.
To relax, Charlie enjoys boxing.
PhotoGRAPH courtesy of Charlie Vitug
YOUNG Filipino director Charlie Vitug.
PhotoGRAPHs courtesy of Charlie Vitug
A young Filipino director has created waves on the international film scene. Her short films garnered screenings in in-person and online festivals, all the way to Los Angeles, California! Her name is Charlie Garcia Vitug.
Though self-described as a producer, director, writer and film critic, Charlie began her stint as a debate lecturer and coach, with over seven years of exposure in competitive debating and with experiences of mentoring young individuals from Shanghai and New York.
Despite this expertise, Charlie, the youngest of four siblings, is actually still on her third year of college! But don’t let that fool you, as she is set to graduate from the De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde early this year, with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Film with specialization in Writing. With her ongoing academic record, she is a possible candidate for the Latin honors — Magna cum laude.
Charlie’s initial exposure to the world of film came about through her brother. “He got me into watching really good ones at a relatively young age. The shows we watched together were my earliest memories of admiring filmmaking. He doesn’t work within the industry but he always knew so much about it. His appreciation for the craft is something we continue to bond over today.”
The young then-would-be filmmaker dabbled in high school contests, where the passion in the field was completely ignited. And despite the naysayers to not pursue filmmaking as a profession, she dared to defy the odds. “They were honestly valid reasons. But I guess I decided to just go for it and had to promise myself to do whatever it takes to build a career in film.”
However, there was one more roadblock. At the age of 10, Charlie was diagnosed with bilateral optic neuropathy, the permanent damage on the optic nerves of both eyes. For a field so visual, this had to be the Achilles’ heel. But the enterprising student found a way. “Admittedly, it doesn’t affect me that much, thanks to technology, which includes accessibility features such as magnification. Perhaps the only way it affects my work is I have to be transparent with the people around me about my vision or any possible limitations. It’s never been a problem once it’s been communicated.”
Throughout Charlie’s college life, she wrote Ballad of a Blind Man, her latest short film. “I wrote its screenplay over the span of nine months. It was the longest it ever took me to write, not because it was difficult to do, but rather because I knew I had to grow up more before developing the concept I had in mind,” she admitted.
“They released a call for entries for The Manila Film Festival, so I forced myself to stop writing. I got an email a few weeks later inviting me to pitch the concept to the festival selection committee. They included mine in the list of finalists who were awarded a P150,000 production grant. As soon as we got news of it, I honestly couldn’t believe this was happening. I felt there was no time to celebrate because we had to get started with pre-production due to the approaching deadlines,” the SINEGANG.ph writer recalled.
And it all paid off! Ballad of a Blind Man became a finalist and nominee for Best Cinematography at the Manila Film Festival 2024.
Charlie garnered Honorable Mention for Best Director in the Short Film Category at the Los Angeles Film and Documentary Awards 2024. The same film was likewise an Honorable Mention at the same event.
Charlie was an intern under ABS-CBN Film Productions Inc., where she assisted in the marketing of the film Un/Happy for You and reality show Sparks Camp Season 2.
For mentors, Charlie looks up to director and educator Dustin Celestino. “He was my hands-on professor for one of my writing specialization courses in Benilde. Comparing my writing from before and after the term, I realized how much he encouraged me to pen stories that were close to me. Under him, I realized I enjoyed sharing stories about family.”
When asked about a dream star in her film, Charlie immediately answered: “Dolly de Leon. I just have so much respect for her as an artist and she’s great at what she does.”
When stressed, Charlie retreats to her hobbies. The dilemma, though, is that her hobbies overlap with work — debate and film! And thus, Charlie began to train for boxing, which has helped her get through a stressful day. She also enjoys the video game The Sims.
Let us hear more about her thoughts on film:
“CVP is a production company that specializes in film and advertising. We offer services such as events photography, videography and recovering corrupted files. We recently started offering equipment rental. In 2024, we focused on more commercial productions but always ensured to use a more cinematic approach to give our projects a unique touch.”
“I’m glad to say the whole project turned out wonderful. A lot of my schoolmates went out of their way to take part in the production despite it being term break. The Film Department faculty also supported me and I could never thank them enough for all their accommodations and efforts. It was an honor to work with the cast. I’ve always wanted to collaborate with Joel Saracho and he brought so much depth to his character.”
“It would be an honor to watch Singaporean director Anthony Chen at work, or even just sit down and have a conversation with him. I have so much respect for the stories he chooses to narrate in his films, which taps the one-of-a-kind perspectives he has about life.”
“Portrait of a Lady on Fire (2019). I absolutely love its visual language. A forbidden love is hidden under the relationship of an artist and her subject. It showed us how true beauty is invisible to the naked eye, and it is only with love that one can see the entire picture.
“Ilo Ilo (2013). Anthony Chen, my favorite director, dedicated this particular feature to the Filipino housemaid who took care of him when he was a kid. It took me a bit of growing up to realize what this film was all about.
“The Innocents (1961). My friends are surprised I have a horror film in my top four. This film doesn’t present itself as one. Yes, it’s dark and scary, but it’s frightening due to how subtle it is when using supernatural elements.
“Perfect Days (2023): I watched this film at QCinema and it’s beautiful for its tone and simplicity. It also uses some elements of classic jazz which complimented how quiet the on-screen environment was.”
“For Ballad of a Blind Man, I had this oddly specific realization growing up where there were abusive men in positions of power who used their illnesses or disabilities as excuses for their misconduct against women. They would solicit people to feel bad and forgive them. It’s so explicit, I noticed it in many respected public figures — which I disagreed with. There’s no excuse for hurting women.”
“Since most independent filmmakers have shorts, festivals are one of the most advisable platforms for distribution since it’s uncommon for distributors to invest into such activities. Festivals aren’t just for the nominations or awards; it helps short films to get screened in cinemas and streaming services.
“However, I’ve come to believe — but others might disagree with me — that festivals aren’t metrics for the skills of filmmakers. There are so many passionate and talented filmmakers out there who aren’t too interested in festivals and that’s totally justified.”
“While we do have the Eddie Garcia Law now, I still hope that more protection is granted for the rights and safety of cast and crew members. We should normalize paying artists properly.”
“I’m currently working on my first horror screenplay which I began developing in a genre screenwriting workshop with Benilde faculty instructor Wanggo Gallaga.”
