La Consolacion College Bacolod secured a spot in the Top 10 finalists at PelikulAgraryo 2025, a regional short film festival organized by the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR), with its student entry “Binhi sang Paglaum.” The competition, which drew 47 entries from colleges and universities across Western Visayas, aims to highlight real stories of Filipino farmers and agrarian reform beneficiaries through film.
Produced by Team Studio 510, the film was developed by students from various academic programs at LCC Bacolod, demonstrating the strength of interdisciplinary collaboration. The team competed against entries from full Multimedia Arts and Communication programs in larger universities, making their achievement a standout accomplishment.
“Binhi sang Paglaum” tells the story of Evelyn, a sugarcane farmer from Negros who overcomes poverty and hardship through land ownership under DAR’s Project SPLIT. Evelyn later uses her success to support education in her community, showing how agrarian reform not only changes lives but also builds lasting legacies.
The film was directed by Cheska Marianne Gutierrez and produced by Gabriel Malanday, with Niben Tandiaque as cinematographer and Gilbert Lerion as production manager. The cast included Angelica Lucenio, Jean Erezo, Nemil Cientos, and Franchesca Salga, while the production crew was composed of Julian Martir, Christian Dominguez, Vj Javellana, Mathew Geriane, and Nathan Jimenez.
The short film earned four nominations during the central judging: Best Screenplay, Best Director, Best Actress (for Angelica Lucenio), and Best Cinematography.
The awarding ceremony was held on June 26, 2025, at the Grand Xing Imperial Hotel in Iloilo City, gathering regional finalists and key officials from DAR and Project SPLIT.
Sr. Flolyn S. Catungal, OSA, President of La Consolacion College Bacolod, lauded the students’ success. “This recognition affirms the value of collaborative learning that transcends academic boundaries. Our students have shown that with purpose and creativity, they can produce meaningful work that gives voice to our farmers and promotes social transformation,” she said.
PelikulAgraryo 2025 forms part of DAR’s ongoing efforts to promote awareness of agrarian reform through creative expression, particularly among the youth.