Colegio De San Juan De Letran has always been known for producing creative geniuses and the 23-year old Communication graduate Janille Ann Go is no exception.
At 23, this young storyteller has already secured numerous awards from different intercollegiate competitions for her documentary “Parangalan,” and was even listed as one of the top ten finalists on Knowledge Channel’s Interdocumentary contest, which aired on national television.
Her documentary was also well-received by Sine Abierto where they won Best Cinematography, Best Production Design and Best Relevant Documentary. Not only that, she secured first runner-up award for Best Documentary and Best OST at Sulyap Letran Short Documentary and second Best Story from the same competition.
“It was really overwhelming because our target audience was only within the campus community, but we were given an opportunity to share it to a wider audience.”
According to Janille, “Parangalan'' is a shortened term for “para sa karangalan,” which seeks to recognize the contributions of para-athletes in the Philippines and to honor them for their accomplishments. It is a trifold documentary about para-athletes that takes a deep dive on the struggles they had been dealing with, not just as athletes who represent the country, but also, as athletes with physical disabilities. The first story revolves around the story of a triathlete, the second is about a swimmer who entered the Rio Paralympics and the third athlete they featured is a para dancer.
“While looking for topics to pitch for a school project, I came across an article with a photo of a paradancer dancing in a wheelchair. Back then, I had very little knowledge of what para-athletics was. I conducted a survey to assess people’s understanding of Para Sports and found out that very few were aware of it. This documentary is dedicated for the unsung heroes of the local para-sports.”
She also added that the documentary was created not just to inform, but also, to inspire her fellow Filipinos, especially the younger ones with stories of the local para-athletes.
With the vision Janille and her team eye, it is no surprise that they have left a remarkable message, which touched the hearts of many. In a time where para-athletes are often left behind and are deprived with the enough support they deserve, their documentary, in one way or another, had truly served its purpose.
“We wanted to give recognition to the extraordinary athletes of para sports who represent our country here and abroad. And second is to reach a broader audience who would be inspired by the story of perseverance and dedication of these para-athletes who have defied limitations,” Janille shared.
Truth be told, Janille Ann Go has clearly defined what it really means to be an impactful storyteller. But mind you, the process they had to go through was no walk in the park at all. Just like anybody’s journey, Janille together with her team also had a fair-share of ups and downs.
Since they are well-aware of their purpose, during the post-production, they had to do a lot of revisions in order to meet their objective— to inspire not only the people with disabilities but everyone in general.
Moreover, since they were students during that time, managing their resources and finances also had to be considered.
“Budget constraints were our main problem during the production of the documentary. We wanted to keep the cost as low as possible, but at the same time, be able to deliver a good documentary. Friends came in handy during those tough times,” she happily recalled.
But despite the struggles mentioned above, Janille and her team composed of Aldrich Docor, Brien Ventura, Angela Ibanez, Marielle Esguerra, Gabriell Llauderes, Sunshine Pascual, Jolo Chanliongco and Hannah Calanog surpassed it all with flying colors. Thanks to their commitment and collaboration, they have
Well, if you’re now wondering how Janille, a talented storyteller found her calling, the next few paragraphs may have been very relatable to you.
At a very young age, Janille already knew that she wanted to produce a documentary or a screenplay. She was exposed early to a lot of movies and is fascinated with dialogues because as a kid she enjoys watching the television all day. Her favorites transitioned from Hollywood movies, series and then documentaries.
“I’m also quite fond of world history. Some of my stories are based on their literature, poems or any historic event and I’ll apply it to the present day. Sometimes, I base it on something that I’ve watched and think of an alternative ending. And there were days when people would tell me stories and I get inspired to write something from their narrative.”
Little did she know, from that little dreamer she would eventually direct an award-winning documentary. And the stars even continued to align for her because after graduating in college, she was given the opportunity to work in an advertising firm as well as in a local television network in the country. She has also worked freelance jobs in a production house.
“I’m excited about what the industry could offer in the future. I would love to produce a documentary again eventually and perhaps take advantage of the accessibility of other mediums like the social media networks. I want to tell real life stories to people and be an eye opener and try different genres as well.”
Undoubtedly, Janille Ann Go is one promising storyteller and Colegio De San Juan De Letran must have been so proud of her.
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