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18 December 2021, Calgary – Philippine Consul General Zaldy Patron conveyed his congratulations to the Filipino groups that successfully organized the recently concluded 1st Saskatchewan International Film Festival (SIFF).
Organizing the SIFF were Filipino Canadians belonging to the PRIMECom Corporation, with Mr. Danny Baliad as its President and Chairman, and the Saskatchewan International Festival Inc. (SIFFI), a non-profit organization headed by Ms. Mary Joyce Malayba.
PRIMECom (Public Relations and Intermedia Communications) is a Saskatoon-based Canadian Radio-Television Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) certified corporation that produces TV shows, including Filipino shows, that are aired across Canada.
Consul General Patron was among the dignitaries who graced the SIFF Awards Night on 11 December 2021 at the TCU Place in Saskatoon. Mayor Michael Behiel of the City of Humboldt was also present at the event.
The inaugural SIFF featured 21 film entries from eight (8) countries, namely the Philippines, Canada, US, India, Nigeria, Greenland, Iran, and Turkey. The films were viewed via online streaming platform Filmocracy.
During the SIFF’s Opening Gala on 4 December 2021, Mayor Charlie Clark of the City of Saskatoon, Mayor Sandra Masters of the City of Regina, and Mayor Behiel joined the ribbon-cutting ceremony to mark the start of the film festival.
In his remarks at the Awards Night, Consul General Patron said that his presence at the special event was “an expression of support for the worthy endeavour of the various groups and individuals who one time dreamt of organizing an international film festival in this part of Canada and made this event not only possible but also a success.”
Consul General Patron lauded the contributions of the Filipino Canadians behind the successful SIFF, which he hoped would put the Province of Saskatchewan on the map of the international film industry.
He described SIFF as “another medium for cultural appreciation and understanding,” as he encouraged those in the industry to use films as a force for positive change for humanity. “Let films bring us closer together, educate us, and enrich our lives,” Consul General Patron said.
Cultural diversity was evident at SIFF Awards Night as representatives from various Asian communities, such as Filipino, Sri Lankan, Indian and Korean, participated as emcees, presenters, and performers. Among them was Filipino Canadian Jacqueline Marsh who won the 2017 Ms. Earth Canada competition.