“Sa Puwesto ni Pistong” Heads to Seattle for Diwa Film Festival

Seattle- The award-winning short film “Sa Pwesto ni Pistong” (The Barber’s Chair) continues its impressive run on the festival circuit as it has been officially selected to screen at the Diwa Filipino Film Festival, taking place in Seattle this October.

Director Vincent Joseph “VinJo” Entuna’s film will anchor Diwa’s Shorts Program 5: The Struggle Continues, a lineup curated to examine the ongoing fight for fundamental rights and human dignity.

Entuna’s historical period piece centers on a humble barber navigating a turbulent period while tending to a diverse clientele – from a powerful hacendero to an idealistic young nephew.

Joining “Sa Pwesto ni Pistong” in the program are “Ang Kahimayáang Matúod” (The Real Glory) by Adrian William Lo, “Tales My Father Told” by Sher Bautista, “Static Noises” by Jomz Alip Lailo, and “The Foresters” by Jefferson Geronimo.

The Seattle screening follows a string of major achievements for Entuna’s film across the Philippine festival circuit. Entuna previously took home Best Director honors in the Philippine Shorts category at Sagay City’s Margaha Film Festival, Active Vista Human Rights Film Festival, PangaSine Film Festival, and the 2024 Bacolod Film Festival, where it also received the Best Picture and Best Screenplay awards.

As a filmmaker, Entuna has maintained an unprecedented momentum with his ability to blend authentic cultural themes with sophisticated cinematic techniques.

Entuna was supported by director of photography and producer Joshua Fabricante, co-producer Benj Ramos, production manager and line producer Rosette Andres Caballero, production designer Josiah Gil Hiponia, assistant director Gian Paulo Suarez, musical scorers Jovic Entuna and Luigi Del Rosario, sound designer Glenn Barit, colorist Jan Andrei Cobey, location manager Ariel Bautista, assistant cameraman Steven Paul Evangelio, gaffer Vrian Pamatmat, sound recordist Carlos Picache, wardrobe mistress Marissa Javier, hair and makeup artist Pocholo Ribaya, production assistant John Rex Oronan, behind-the-scenes crew Kent Lloyd Panilag and Karla Garcia, barber Jude Michael Gadian, and actors Nonilon Torpez, Quito Treñas, Aubrey Jalipa Savet, Martini Manalo, CJ Fuentespina, DMs Boongaling, Zeke Entuna, Fredu Bayon-on, Leumel Renzo, Andre Yan, Ken Panilag, Lex Nillos, and Victor Villanueva.

For Entuna, an alumnus of the UP Film Institute, a student of MA Araling Filipino at De La Salle University, and a faculty member at Mapúa University’s School of Multimedia and Digital Arts (SoMDA) and Lyceum of the Philippines University Manila’s Broadcasting Communication Journalism and Multimedia Arts (BCJMMA) program, bringing “Sa Pwesto ni Pistong” to Seattle serves as an essential bridge between regional Negrense history and global audiences.

Founded in 2014, Diwa Filipino Film Festival is a community-driven initiative based in Seattle that showcases independent cinema from the Philippines and its global diaspora. Headed by festival director, scholar, and filmmaker Adrian Alarilla, Diwa offers a platform dedicated to preserving local narratives, exploring cultural identity, and highlighting marginalized voices.