Aninag (Light's Play): Story and Production Notes

Story
Isabel, a blind girl who journeys in a dream world formed through the emotions she feels, shortly plays with her new mystical friends "Saya" (Happiness) and "Pag-asa" (Hope). But soon, she is succumbed by her negative thoughts of becoming alone. Her life becomes endangered. And the question is: "how would she overcome her fear, helplessness, and depression in this struggling situation?"

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Synopsis, Treatment, and Other Film Information

Production Summary
Aninag (Light's Play) was produced through a grant from the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA). Most of the film stocks came from Kodak Philippines through the filmmaker's prize as Kodak Film Awardee 2003 of the University of the Philippines Film Institute with her thesis film Karsel (Prison). With the help from the production houses FILMEX through a number of short ends and lending of equipment and studio, and Production Village through a number of short ends, the film was indeed blessed with a number of kind-hearted institutions and artists who were all willing to help out with this kind of independent film production.

Production Notes
The dream sequence of the film was inspired by the children's storybook Ang Ika-Sampung Taong Kaarawan ni Prinsesa Mayumi (Princess Mayumi's 10th Birthday) which the filmmaker originally wrote for the film. She intends to publish the storybook in the future.

The children who acted for the film were from the Advocacy Program of the Museo Pambata. The people behind this production are all proud of the three kids who did a great job as first time actresses and actor for a film production.

Through the help of the Department of Environment and National Resources (Province of Rizal, Philippines), the City Hall of Antipolo, and the Municipal Hall of Rodriguez, Rizal, the bulk of the film (dream sequence) was shot at the historical site of the Wawa Gorge in San Rafael, Rodriguez (formerly Montalban), Rizal, Philippines, where the legend of Bernardo Carpio's "Dalawang Nag-uumpugang Bato" (The Two Clashing Rocks) originated.

The film grant from the National Commission for Culture and the Arts was the main source of funding for Aninag. This 2004 production managed to seek help from a number of philanthropists, politicians, and institutions to complete the money and resources needed to finish the film. The filmmaker acquired a decent amount and received a number of production materials (film stocks, slightly used betacam tapes, VHS tapes, V8/Hi8 tapes, mini-DV tapes, quarter inch tapes, DAT tapes) required for a 35mm film production during those times through sponsorships and solicitations from: Kodak Philippines (Php 30,000 worth of Kodak film stocks from the prize for her previous film Karsel winning the Kodak Film Award 2003), FILMEX, Production Village, LVN Pictures, and other supporting friends and institutions. She also acquired discounted rates/waived fees for production and post-production services at First Call, Cineforce, RSVP, Giant Sponge Productions, Optima Digital, and other supporting people and institutions.