Joel Torre, Chin-Chin star in indie rights film

MANILA, Philippines - Despite being slapped by the Movie and Television Review and Classification Board (MTRCB) with an X rating last year, a group of independent filmmakers is set to launch on Friday evening its second compilation of short films on human rights. No less than veteran actors Joel Torre and Chin-Chin Gutierrez will be featured in one of the short films in RIGHTS v.2, an offshoot to last year’s RIGHTS that was given an X rating by the MTRCB. Torre and Gutierrez will star in Artists’ ARREST’s “Awit," which creatively depicts the torture experience by the Tagaytay 5 - peasant advocates who were arrested in April 2006 by the military and charged with rebellion before the Tagaytay City Regional Trial Court. The group has since been released from detention after the rebellion charges were dropped. Torre has appeared in numerous other independently-produce films, including “Lasponggols" and “Oldeastside." Gutierrez, meanwhile, is an award-winning actress known for her environmental advocacy. King Catoy, project head and a member of the multimedia collective Southern Tagalog Exposure which produced the compilations, described RIGHTS v.2 as "an open and continuing call for filmmakers to participate in the growing movement to defend and uphold human rights." "The growing number of victims of political killings and enforced disappearances, and the continuing criminalization of political offenses and media repression only give us more reasons to expose through our works the worsening human rights situation in the country," said Catoy in a statement. Aside from "Awit", at least 13 equally hard-line short films will be featured in RIGHTS v.2, produced by emerging and established independent filmmakers and film collectives, namely: Artist's ARREST, JP Carpio, Keith Sicat, J Pacena, Kodao Productions, Bon Labora, Emil Mercado, Ging Flores, Ron Papag, Ted Ferreras, Zig Dulay, Recci Bacolor, Sine Patriyotiko, and ST Exposure. The premiere and DVD launching of RIGHTS v.2 is set at the University of the Philippines College of Mass Communication Media Center at 6 p.m. Friday. Director Bibeth Orteza, multi-awarded screenwriter Doy del Mundo, film critics and UP Faculty Roland Tolentino and Sarah Raymundo, and "Tagaytay 5" member and poet Axel Pinpin will participate as reactors. Personalities such as Editha Burgos, mother of missing activist Jonas Burgos; National Artist Bien Lumbera; and renowned Director Nick de Ocampo, among others, are also expected to attend the screening. - Johanna Camille Sisante, GMANews.TV