Gen Art Film Festival

UPDATE 4/8/2009:

"My Suicide" won the Jury award: Best Picture, Audience Award: Best Picture, and Stargazer award for Gabriel Sunday!

Yay!!! Congratulations to all the Cast and crew and specially to Arvin!!!

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"Gen Art is the leading arts and entertainment organization dedicated to showcasing emerging fashion designers, filmmakers, musicians and visual artists. With offices in New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Miami and Chicago Gen Art produces over 100 events annually ranging from media generating high profile programs including a week-long film festival to star-studded fashion shows to the Vanguard Art Fair during Miami Art Basel, to more intimate programs such as art receptions and tours, film screenings and live music showcases." (http://www.genart.org/about)


So I did miss the premiere of "My Suicide" at the Gen Art Film Festival in New York. I was so jealous cause everyone else had a blast. Coco - my youngest sister - went and raved about it. I am not saying it is good because the film's animator - Arvin - is my cousin. Okay, okay, so maybe I am a little biased. But he really is very talented and the movie is really good.

Everyone who watched the movie came out with a deep understanding of a serious issue that's facing today's teens.

For more info on GenArt and all the other movies showcased in this year's festival click here or type http://www.genart.org/filmfestival on your browser.

Here are some pictures Coco took from the premiere and the after party.

"My Suicide" cast and crew

"Maddening, disarming, undisciplined, incisive, solipsistic: adjectives to describe teen behavior in general and "My Suicide" in particular…its guerrilla style should catapult the pic to major cult status.” – Variety

At the after party held at HOME (532 W 27th St NYC) from left: Aunt, Coco, Laya, Arvin and Lynn.

"My Suicide" mockumentary

"Fil-Am animator in Berlinale" - My cousin Arvin Louis Bautista was the lead animator for an Indie mockumentary called "My Suicide" that won the "Best Feature Film" at the Berlin International Film Festival this weekend. The film stars Gabriel Sunday, Brooke Nevin, David Carradine, Joe Mantegna, Mariel Hemingway and Nora Dunn.

FILM SYNOPSIS

Archie Williams (Gabriel Sunday) is a 17-year old media geek who has suddenly found himself the most talked-about kid in school. He has announced that he's going to kill himself - on camera - for a class project. His classmates, parents, Sierra - the most beautiful girl in school (Brooke Nevin), and a "Shady Bunch" of shrinks, doctors, pill-pushers, and counselors descend on Archie. Some are hoping to save him, some want to imitate him, others try to push him over the brink. Archie films every moment of his high school experience, hiding nothing from his audience: realities of life, death, violence, sex, drugs, and the intense media overload and hypocrisy that bombard all teenagers.

*synopsis and pictures from the official website

My Suicide trailer


This mockumentary is now an official selection to the South by Southwest Film Festival in Austin, Texas, the Gen Art Film Festival in New York, and the San Francisco International Film Festival. The Berlin Festival is apparently one of the three biggest in the world--next to Cannes and Venice.

Click here to read the featured article about Arvin from the Philippine Daily Inquirer on Feb 8, 2009.


Also, a review by Variety of their film "My suicide" can be read here.

Click on the link or the picture below to go to the film's official website.


Woohooo! Congratulations Arvin!!!

To know more about Arvin and his work, please check the following sites:
Greasy Pigs Studios
Fame Cast Video Close up
Fame Cast interview
His short film animation "Fetal" that was a finalist at Fame Cast.