By Ruzelle Amparo
For a long time, it was believed that it isn't possible to become a ?lmmaker here on Guam. "You can't be a ?lmmaker," people would say. "Go off-island!" So aspiring ?lmmakers would leave the island. Screening ?lms such as "We Are Pagat" and "Lina'la Lusong" GIFF has been able to educate viewers on a few of the cultural aspects of the island. GIFF is also no stranger to reaching out to the island's community, having members of the community involve themselves by However, over the years local ?lmmakers' either submitting ?lms or joining the volefforts have been proving that it is comunteer force. A number of those were pletely possible for future ?lmmakers to students. stay right where they are — on an island where the scenery is perfect, the ideas In 2011 Niel Romero, ?lmmaker and felare raw & outrageous and the comfort of low Triton, submitted feature length ?lm being with family. One of those efforts is iHeartGU took home the award "Best the Guam International Film Festival or Made in the Marianas". Since then, Ro"GIFF". mero has been creating more ?lms with his production group Project: Inspire. In Founded by the Muña Brothers, Don and fact this year, Project: Inspire's short ?lm Kel, the Guam International Film Festival "Pizza Boy" is up for the award "Best aims to not only entertain but also to Made in the Marianas". educate and reach out to the community. Thus far, they have succeeded. “That experience has not only helped me become a better ?lmmaker, but also a better person,” stated Romero. “Not only is GIFF great for exposing you to artists and their ?lms, but it also helps spread awareness to the rest of the world that Guam has so much more to offer.” GIFF isn't just for existing ?lmmakers but also for those who are considering becoming ?lmmakers. This past summer Colin Leon Guerrero, another fellow Triton, joined the GIFF crew for its ?rst ?lm to be produced by the Guam International Film Festival as an organization. Of course, working on ?lms isn't the only way to get involved with the ?lm festival. The volunteer staff as well as the organization staff is just as important as the ?lmmakers whose movies showcased. A heavy part of the festival is the amount of culture involved. GIFF allows audiences to explore the world through ?lm as well as allows Guam to bring its own