BUNSO- A Film Review for Human Rights Advocacy and Information
Hosted by Kalimudan Culture and Arts Center and Watched by students and faculty of Mindanao State University, Holy Trinity College and Brokenshire College
Bunso (The Youngest) is a 64-minute documentary that captures the lives of three young detainees in a provincial jail for adult prisoners. This film, created by Ditsi Carolino and Nana Buxani, was filmed through the Consuelo Foundation in its effort to reveal the state of the juvenile justice system in the Philippines. It was filmed in Cebuano and subtitled in English.
It was in 1999 when Carolino and Buxani began making this film. They spent three weeks in six different jails in the southern part of the country. Years later, the film was finally set to its premiere. It was released on a limited screening in December 2004. Since then, it has been featured in numerous film festivals and has earned international awards
The film documents the day-to-day life of thousands of child criminals who are locked away to live in horrendous conditions in overcrowded cells with adult prisoners. It highlights the experiences of 13 year old Anthony and 11 year old Diosel and Tisoy (also known as Bunso) as they struggle to survive inside the jail. All three of them had been accused of theft and robbery. Anthony stole money to feed his siblings. Diosel was sent to jail by his father after he got caught stealing from a store. Meanwhile, Bunso, the neglected child, went from begging to stealing money in order to fund his addiction.
Inside the jail, 157 minor prisoners have alternate sleeping schedules to fit in a space suited only for less than a hundred persons. The kids could only get a shower when it rained. They would fight just to get enough food to eat during meal time. In this film, Carolino shows how the kids gradually lose their childhood innocence while drawing attention to the lack of guidance from parents and failure of the justice system in the Philippines.
Ditsi Carolino, the Director
§ General Santos City Film Showing Schedules
§ September 22 Mindanao State University – General Santos
§ 2:00pm
§ September 23 Mindanao State University High School Dept with Holy Trinity College and Brokenshire College – General Santos
§ 2:00pm Bunso by Ditsi Carolino
Awards for Bunso
§ Best Director - One World International Film Festival, Prague
§ Grand Prix - EBS International Film Festival, Seoul
§ Youth Jury Prize - Perspektiv: Nuremberg Human Rights Film Festival
Best Short Film - Gawad Urian
faculty of Holy Trinity College & their students
Ms Alma, Kalimudan Exec Dir, the main organizer chats with Ms Ditsi Carolino, the Director of 'Bunso' at Sarangani Highlands, Tambler Gensan
the open forum facilitated by the director of the film herself, Ms Ditsi Carolino
