After the Accountancy (ACC) Griffins’ setback last year due to disqualification, their short film entry entitled “Padyak” brought them to the top of this year’s Creative Series: Short Film competition. 

“Padyak” features a student-sikad driver who pedaled his way to victory as he graduated college despite the life challenges he faced.

In an interview with Atenews, the film script writer Trixie Marie Ganancial shared the inspiration behind their film — a true-to-life story of a sikad driver.

“There was this instance that I was with a sikad driver, we were planning to interview, but then the [sikad driver] interviewed me instead; and then shared na, his wife graduated here in Ateneo as an Accountancy student,” Ganancial said. 

“We thought na, we want to make that story here in the short film but to incorporate it, we have to make it inspired lang by sharing it with a different perspective ng anak niya,” Ganancial added. 

Ganancial also shared how their disqualification last year helped build their team’s connection and became a driving force for them to turn things around this time. 

“We got disqualified because we got late for an hour. They disqualified us instead and gave us a special citation in storytelling, so in terms of dynamic, rooting from that experience of us, we already have this type of relationship or connection na we’re a family here, we’re friends.”

In addition to being the champion for the short film, the ACC Cluster also bagged gold for the graphics category. 

ACC Griffins’ Jofe Cherieldin Yap, who was their graphics representative, shared the process of incorporating Padyak’s overall message in their poster.

“I asked Ate Trixie kung ano ang gist ng short film. Then she said something about like, padyak [is] ganito, sikad driver siya then naka-graduate (na) siya ng Ateneo. So, okay; that might be the victory for them, but for me, I think it was the process.”

“I didn’t wanna leave the graduation part, so as you can see sa piece ko, there was a sikad driver and then there was a passenger na naka-graduate siya. I didn’t wanna leave any part of that doon, I wanna incorporate those victories talaga,” Yap added.

The Social Sciences (SS) Dragons bagged the first runner-up title with their entry “Daog Daog”, and the Natural Science and Mathematics (NSM) Falcons were announced as the second runner-up for their entry “Lata.”

For the Creative Series: Graphics category, the School of Nursing (SON) Panthers were the first runner-up, and the NSM Falcons were the second runner-up.

In the Creative Series: Photo category, the SON Panthers took home the championship title, followed by the School of Engineering (SEA) Tigers as first runner-up and the People’s Choice Award winner, with ACC Griffins taking second runner-up respectively. 

The awarding ceremony for KADSIPAY: The Ateneo UFest Creative Series: Short Film, Graphics, and Photo was held at Martin Hall, Ateneo de Davao University last Saturday, September 28, 2024.