Expat from Iriga City behind thriving film industry in Dubai’s Filipino community

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates – There is a thriving film industry in the Filipino community here largely attributed to an expat from Iriga City, who 11 years ago organized an international film festival that has attracted big names, among them movie director Joel Lamangan, as well provided opportunities for aspiring filmmakers to showcase their work on the global stage.

Fifty-nine-year-old Ronald M. Awa, who works at Emirates Airlines, founded the Emirates Short Film Festival (ESFF) and launched its inaugural edition in 2013 “to bring films together from all over the world focused on current critical, social, and environmental challenges.”

10th edition

With an array of categories ranging from one-minute films to student films, ESFF received 500 movies for its 10th edition this year. Among the winners were Lamangan as well as actors Gina Pareño, Katrina Halili and Allen Dizon for the entry, "AbeNida."

The film is about a woodcarver named Abe, who loses everything when his wife left him for another man, falls in love with a woman with close resemblance  to his wife and calls her by his wife's name Nida, when in reality she is a prostitute named Cecile.

Through the years since 2013, ESFF has received almost 2,000 short films, feature films, documentaries, and animated, one-minute-long movies to be shortlisted later for much-coveted awards and film categories such as Young and Emerging Filmmakers, Films made in the UAE, and Films made outside UAE.

Impact

The biggest impact of the filmfest is that it has generated Filipino filmmakers producing their oeuvres in Dubai. Among the film outfits were Tbon Production, Meraki Production, Revolver Production, Ube Production and Melrish Production, among others, Awa said.

“We now have a lot Filipino filmmakers due to ESFF. We have opened the floodgates for filmmakers here in Dubai and elsewhere. The ESFF is a much-anticipated event,” Awa said.

Among Dubai-based movie makers who have hit it big in the international arena were film directors Patrick Fronda, whose entry made it to a world competition in New Orleans, Louisiana after bagging five awards at a UAE tilt; and Kamil Roxas, whose films have screened at Dubai International Film Festival (DIFF), Abu Dhabi International Film Festival (ADIFF), and the 68th Cannes Film Festival.

“Movies by filmmakers Melon Quinzon Perez and Archie Enriquez were winners in the international market, too,” said Awa, a law undergrad from Manuel L. Quezon University who also studied Aviation and Airport Management at Edith Cowan University.

Visit visa

Awa arrived in Dubai 30 years ago on a visit visa and took his chances at Emirates Airlines, one of two flag carriers in UAE, where he got a job, first at the old Dubai Airport, and then later on assigned to the Learning and Development team as a training and admin supervisor in 1997, which he held for 10 years. 

These days, Awa is with the airline’s medical service section primarily supervising medical kits and equipment on board flights. He is the only Filipino and Emirates staff with such designation.

The youngest of five siblings, Awa, also a renowned figure in the community, having been bestowed several awards, initially founded the Emirates Group Photography Club (EGPC) in 2008 with about 20 colleagues and, for 15 years, was commissioned to be the official photographer for the Flight Attendants Club of Emirates, an organization exclusive to cabin crew.

Sanctioned

From there, he organized the ESFF, the film corner of EGPC. Both are sanctioned by Emirates Airline, said Awa.

“It was approved by Emirates Airline’s HR with appropriate budget. But I don’t use the allocated fund as I rely on sponsorships. No money or cash sponsorship is allowed so as to avoid corruption and bribery,” Awa said.

The ESFF is non-profit and operates through volunteers. Awards are mostly trophies with a bit of cameras and film equipment from sponsors. This year, a six-member panel from the UK, UAE, Saudi Arabia, Philippines, Iraq and Syria reviewed the entries. The event was cancelled in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Awa has also founded a cause-oriented group called, “Tatay ko Yan,” (That’s my dad) which recognizes blue-collar “Tatays,” (Dads), who work overseas for the family. —KBK, GMA Integrated News