Search for the world's Best Story teller

YouTube and Emirates, in partnership with La Biennale di Venezia (the Venice Film Festival) and Scott Free, announced today Your Film Festival - a global competition to find the world's best storytellers, connect them with a global audience, and provide one deserving entrant with a career-changing opportunity.

Content creators around the world are invited to submit a 15-minute, story-driven video of any format, style and genre, to Youtube.com/yourfilmfestival. After submissions are whittled down to 50 semifinalists, audiences from around the world will cast their votes, choosing ten finalists. The ten finalists will travel to Italy, where their work will screen at the 69th Venice International Film Festival in August. A grand prize winner will then be named by a special jury and awarded a $500,000 YouTube original production grant to work with Scott Free, ultimately creating a brand new work for the world to see. Submissions, which open February 2, 2012 and close on March 31, 2012, will be reviewed by Scott Free and narrowed down to 50 semi-finalists from around the world in the summer of 2012.

The YouTube community will then vote for ten finalists who will be flown to unveil their films in a special program at the 2012 Venice Film Festival. In Venice, a jury will vote among the ten films to select one Grand Prize Winner. The winner will receive a development deal with Ridley Scott’s Scott Free Productions. "Short filmmaking is exactly where I started my career 50 years ago, so to be helping new filmmakers find an entry point like this into the industry is fantastic," says Ridley Scott. "It's great to be partnering with YouTube again for this global search for the next generation of exciting filmmakers."

-Press release from YouTube

 

Lamesa Restaurant

Lamesa Restaurant
Location: 5th floor, Asiana Hotel (just 1 floor below Boracay),Dubai, UAE


My favorite bar/restaurant in Dubai.


Food
Delectable. Lots of lutong-pinoy to choose from.


Entertainment


Acoustic music is perfect while you are munching on that crispy pata, Sisig or Lechon Kawali. (yup! pork is served here)


You can also jam with the in-house acoustic bands or sing your lungs out with your 'pambato' song in the videoke.


There's also a stand-up comedian who can sing very well and if you will not look on the stage
you'd think that a girl is singing in there (only to find out that its a real live boy!). =)


The staff are very courteous and as always for Pinoys, Service with a smile.


Air circulation on the place is also perfect so good news for asthmatics / non-smokers.


Hmmm. What more? Ah yes, They serve ice cold SMB. =)


A bit pricey (5 SMBs plus pulutan can cost you about AED 170)but hey if you want good food, great/professional service and a warm, cozy environment,
its very well worth every dirham.


I give this bar a 9.5 out of 10 rating kaya Superfriends, Pasok!


For more details, check out their site:
http://www.asianahoteldubai.com/en/restaurant/lamesa.php

Barako ka ga?

Batangas. Almost synonymous to Anilao beach, kape, balisong beinte nueve (29), Ibaan tamales, panutsa and tablea (cocoa balls). 


A place where people love to drink. We even have our own word for drinking, "Barek". 


My hometown. I was born and raised in Bolbok (sa may Bejasa Bakery laang).


Finished Elementary and High school at St. Bridgets College (Let your light shine!)


Was fed and nourished by lomi (special ha yung may chicharon at atay).


How to distinguish a true Batangenyo on a crowd? Just look for the jolly one with the distinct tone in his/her voice which almost always ends with a "ga!" or "e!" 


That ear-catching Batangenyo tone was made famous by Leo Martinez in several of his characters like Atorney Manhik Manaog and Don Robert in the now defunct show Ober da bakod.


Everytime at the end of that show, 2 policemen will show up and always "arrest" Don robert for his crimes (which is sometimes as silly as "Illegal laughing"). =) To which Don Robert would say "Ay ano ga naman areng dalawang are at nandine na naman. Bakit ga ako ay inyo na namang huhulihin? Ano ga naman ang kaso ko ngay-on?" (I wonder why these 2 are here again. Why are you arresting me? What did I do wrong?)


Anyway, what i really want to discuss is regarding the innate quality of almost every Batangenyo - being a Barako.


Contrary to popular belief that every one of us wields 'beinte nueve' in our waists and that we are always 'Siga sa Barikan", Batangenyos are fairly peaceful and loving individuals. (And anywhere you go, you will hear something like this "Taga saan ka ga? Ikaw ga ay kaano ano ng Ka Bitoy Castillo ng Bolbok? Ay di ga tayo pala ay mag-pinsan"). Its like everyone is a relative of somebody there. So the word 'Pinsan' is very very common. 


What does it mean to be a "Barako"? Is it to carry a balisong everywhere you go (and be able to open it in one swift motion)?


or is it to be the 'siga' of your place when drunk and yell "Sinong barako dito?" I dont think so.


Barako is a term used to describe our famous coffee which is rich in taste and really 'kicks'. I therefore conclude(ano to lab report?? hehe) that Barako in general, means strong.


And if you go to MSWord and search for synonyms of the word strong, you will see 'robust, sturdy, durable, solid, tough, resilient and heavy duty(parang eveready battery).


So I guess for me, being barako means to be:


Strong and sturdy in your faith and beliefs
Tough and resilient through life's challeges
Heavy duty = Dependable (Maaasahan)
Solid pag nagmahal.


Which is why everyday I try to be a 'Barako' in the way I think it should mean.


And anywhere I go, I will always remember that I carry in me the blood of the true Barakong Batangenyo.


Ikaw? Totoong Barako ka ga?




>>for more info regarding Batangas and its rich history, you may check out this site 
http://www.eemfoundation.org/batangas.html


#rockdubai

Sargo!

"SARGO" is a Filipino word which means to break in pool/billiards. And I think that is the best title for my very first blog.

I dont know why I started this but I guess its the only way for me to keep track of what goes on in my mind or what I encounter and experience in my life. They say if you had an operation (with general anaesthesia), your ability to retain memory will be affected. And I have to admit after having thyroidectomy last 2003, I keep having memory lapses.

Hopefully this blog will help me remember. // And hopefully I will not forget my username password in this site. =)

#rockdubai