POV or Pepe On Vlog follows the story of a vlogger names Pepe, who wanders the streets of Pasay, looking for participants in his social experiment called “Para sap era challenge”. His desired participants are beggars and street vagrants, to whom he offers money but with an undesirable condition.
Screenings: Cinemint Film Festival
Director’s Statement: A satirical short comedy about how prevalent poverty porn and exploitation are on social media. This story follows a vlogger wandering the streets of Pasay, searching for particpants in his social experiment vlog. As the vlog progresses, the true colours of content creators like him are gradually revealed.
In today's generation, social media is a platform where people seek validation. Content creators will do anything to gain popularity and admiration from netizens, even taking advantage of the less fortunate to appear virtuous in the world of social media. Is there genuine intent behind the actions of these vloggers? Or is it just a way for them to be called good Samaritans?
James Bueno graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Film, specializing in Post-Production, from De La Salle College of Saint Benilde. He believes that film, aside from being a form of entertainment, can also be an amplifier for voiceless people.