SHORT DOCUMENTARY
Tubbataha Reef - Heart of the Philippine Seas (2020)
Discover the coral heart of the Philippines and the crown jewel of Philippine diving, the Tubbataha Reefs Natural Park, in this short documentary. Around 700 species of fish and 360 coral species—about half of all known species—can be found here. A UNESCO World Heritage Site, this expanse of reef flats and walls of coral spans over a hundred thousand hectares and is one of the most productive and biodiverse coral reefs in the world.
OFFICIAL SELECTIONS
San Pedro International Film Festival 2020
Viddsee Docu2020 Picks
Honorable Mention, Deep Focus Film Festival 2021
Produced by Itch Creatives
Producer
Armand Sazon
Director, Writer, Editor, Topside Camera
Aaron Palabyab
Underwater Cinematography
Tony Exall, Philippine Dive Holidays Ltd
facebook.com/tonyexall
facebook.com/PhilippineDiveHolidays
UN WFP’s Forecast-based Financing in the Philippines (2019)
Project for Arete Stories
Director, cameraman, and photographer: Aaron Palabyab
Rice Terraces, Monuments of the Ifugao Spirit (2020)
The Rice Terraces of the Philippine Cordilleras, one of the Philippines' UNESCO World Heritage Sites, are considered a supreme national symbol. They were built without forced labor or colonial intervention up to two thousand years, according to some scholars. They are special for being the first of their kind and one of only a few in the world – designated as a “cultural landscape” a product of both nature and local culture. The people here, particularly the Ifugaos, have reworked nature to sustain themselves, and in doing so transformed the landscape to one of unforgettable beauty. Unlike many ancient cultural heritage sites, the rice terraces are as alive and in use today as they have been for hundreds, even thousands of years.
Produced in 2011 by OnMedia Creative Solutions, Inc. (now Itch Creatives)
Producer: Armand Sazon
Director, Writer, Editor: Aaron Palabyab
Cinematography: Neil Derrick Bion, Aaron Palabyab
Interviewees: Teddy Brawner Baguilat, Jr., Eugene Mariano Balitang. Maribelle Bimohya
Voiceover: Aaron Palabyab
Original Score: Isagani Palabyab, composed for Lasa Explorations: Cordillera
Revisiting the Colorful Tradition of Pampanga with Chef Sau Del Rosario (2019)
In this introduction video for his demo at San Sebastián Gastronomika 2019, Chef Sau del Rosario revisits his roots in Pampanga and talks about how the catastrophic eruption of Mt. Pinatubo effectively paved the way for him to pursue his dream of becoming a great chef. We get to know some of his favorite hometown food and then learn from the native Aetas about their own indigenous cooking methods.
Directed, shot, and edited by Aaron Palabyab
Produced by Sau del Rosario
Assistant Director - Colene Tan
Associate Producer - Chloe Cauguiran
The John Van de Steen Male Choir: Mission to Italy (2020)
Join a Filipino all-male choir as they realize their dream of going to Italy for a musical pilgrimage. With their repertoire of sacred Latin music along English and Filipino pop songs, they makes the halls of some of Italy's grandest old churches come alive once again. This is the JOHN VAN DE STEEN MALE CHOIR: MISSION TO ROME, a 3-part docuseries.
For more information and for full-length performances, go to https://www.facebook.com/JVDSMC For inquiries, email jvdsmalechoir@gmail.com.
"The End of the World" (2017)
A profile on and collaboration with Polish artist Agnieszka Rowińska. Our first work as a collaborative duo, now known as Kometa.
Created for Syrp's Everyday Humans Short Film Competition 2017 & winner of its Creative Filmmaking Award. Check out their awesome time-lapse and motion control gear at syrp.co/
Director, Camera, Editor, & Time-lapse: Aaron Palabyab
Talent, Animation, & Artwork: Agnieszka Rowińska
Original Score: Jason Richmond
soundcloud.com/jason-richmond
Produced during Nes Artist Residency, October-November 2017, Skagaströnd, Iceland
For more, visit https://vimeo.com/aaronp/videos