A documentary to raise awareness of child labor in the Philippines has won the One World Award in the US International Film & Video Festival. GMA News TV, Quezon City, produced the work. An estimated 5.5 million Filipino children are considered child laborers. "Brigada (The Brigade): Gintong Krudo (Black Gold)" was one of seven winning works for GMA.
The One World award was established more than 25 years ago by the International Quorum of Motion Pictures Producers (IQ) to honor a work that fosters international understanding.
The GMA film was designed to “encourage government and non-government organizations from here and abroad to institutionalize projects to help end child labor,” according to the entrant statement. The segment submitted tells the story of “12-year old Bisaya, who goes out to sea every morning with two of his friends, 11-year old Christian and 13-year old Ruben, to salvage crude oil dumped by ships.” When the boys find patches of oil, they dive in and collect the oil with a sponge. They get paid about a dollar for a pail of oil.
Lee Joseph Marquez Castel was Program Manager for “Black Gold,” and Harvey Bayona was Executive Producer. Directors were Bryan Kristoffer Brazil and Lorna Bayani. Jessica Soho is host for the news magazine show that airs each Monday.
“Brigada” also won a Gold Camera Award. In addition, GMA received a nomination for best of Festival-Documentary for another entry, four Silver Screen Awards in Documentary and a Certificate for Creative Excellence in Entertainment.
The IQ judging panel included members from 14 countries and was chaired by Donna Hampton, CEO/Executive Producer at CAPITOL Productions Pty Ltd., Sydney, Australia. Hampton is President-elect of IQ. Other panel members were Rudolf Isler, Zurich; Branko Kos, Zagreb, Croatia; Pamela Drewe, Madrid; Ricardo Barria, Panama; Roberto Sanchez, San Jose, Costa Rica; Giacomo Arrigoni, Milan, and Corinne Burns Bruno, Montefiascone, Italy; Joe Solis, Condesa, Mexico City; Klaus Schiang-Franck, Copenhagen, Denmark; Mark Erder, Hong Kong; Ricardo Amunategui, Santiago, Chile; Ralf Lobel, Stockholm; Charles Drouin, Paris; . IQ judges from the U.S. were Jean Sharomy, Weston, Fla.; Jim Bigham, Miami; Steve Minor, Kingston Spring, Tenn.; Vern Oakley, Chatham, N.J.; Thom Gonyeau, Atlanta, and Bestor Cram, Boston.
All winners in the 2014 US International Film & Video Festival can be viewed at www.filmfestawards.com
