The Philippines’ “Pagnanakaw” bagged the second place in the first Singtel 5-Minute Video Challenge, beating other 11 entries from Australia, Singapore, Thailand, Tanzania and Indonesia.

Competing filmmakers essayed the theme “Connecting Lives” in five-minute films ranging from light-hearted entries such as young love to those on contemplative topics like aging.

“Pagnanakaw” tells the story of a young man in Manila who is tasked to commute using the LRT every day to buy tofu for his family. He brings along a container for enough tofu to feed his family for a day.

He wonders why he isn’t allowed to bring a larger container so he won’t have to travel every day. His father says to him that is a form of stealing.

“We always buy food to store in our homes. Sometimes they get spoiled in the pantry because we forget about them. But what if there’s a family that actually needs that food, but wasn’t able to buy it because you got to them first? That’s why it’s a form of pagnanakaw,” said Jaz Reyes, one of two directors of “Pagnanakaw.”

The film was inspired by a Badjao tribe. During Reyes’ immersion activity as a business student, she witnessed them go up the mountain for four hours every day to get food, then come back down for another four hours to deliver them to their families, buying just enough for the day.

The students naturally said it wasn’t an efficient way of sourcing food.

But the chieftain said no, since that was a form of stealing from others whose journey was probably longer and tougher just to buy food.

“We are all connected that way,” Reyes said.

Cinematographer and co-director Miguel Sotto said it took them a day to shoot the entire five-minute short, and spent about P1,000. They took home US$15,000 for winning second place.

Winners were selected including an online vote which comprised 30 percent. Indonesia’s “Rotasi” (Rotation) won the top prize.

“We are making a big push in digital content as consumers have radically changed the way they consume entertainment. For many of Singtel’s more than 600 million customers, the mobile phone is also the only way for them to access the internet,” said Mark Chong, Singtel Int’l. CEO.

Globe Telecom, Singtel’s Philippine partner, launched through its film production arm Globe Studios the Globe Independent Film Festival (GIFF).

“Cinema sales are down. This (digital content) is where the future is headed,” said Quark Henares, head of Globe Studios.

GIFF is currently accepting entries for any of its five genres: narrative, documentary, animated, experimental, music video and webisode. Winners will receive P200,000. Visit www.GlobeStudios.ph.