‘Will You Still Love Me?,’

THE CULTURAL CENTER of the Philippines (CCP) in cooperation with the Julia Buencamino Project presents “Will You Still Love Me?” for its second edition of the Festival of Arts and Ideas, which runs from Sept. 14–16 at various CCP venues.
The interactive arts festival aims to develop awareness of mental health, build mental resilience, and overcome the stigma of mental illness through therapeutic arts activities. The festival will feature performances, workshops and film screenings that will shed light on struggles with mental health as well as motivate participants towards artistic self expression and hopefully, healing.
It encourages self-expression among participants by providing them with a variety of workshops to choose from—prose or poetry writing, creative movement, painting, printmaking, and playing music through the ukulele.“Will You Still Love Me?” is a line taken from the poem penned by the late Julia Buencamino, daughter of actors Shamaine Centenera Buencamino and Nonie Buencamino. Julia died from suicide on July 7, 2015.
The poem reads: “When my mask shatters/ and you see how broken I really am,/ will you still love me?”
Julia’s poem, said Ms. Buencamino, who is the festival director and curator, “speaks of the fear that most people struggling with mental health suffer—the fear that they won’t be accepted and loved.”
The Julia Buencamino Project is a mental health advocacy founded by the Buencaminos to honor their daughter’s memory, to help children suffering from mental illness and to educate people about mental health.
The Festival at the CCP, Ms. Buencamino said, will continue the dialogue started by the Julia Buencamino Project “in exploring tools for carers of people with mental health conditions as well as harness the arts for mental health through performances and workshops.”
“The festival is for everyone,” she emphasized, “because our health includes mental health. Mental health affects everyone.”
During the festival, a paper crane tree will be installed at the CCP Little Theater Lobby. The paper crane tree serves as the unifying symbol of the festival as it carries messages of hope and self affirmation of participants in the festival.
Also in the same venue, an exhibit/installation inspired by the Julia Buencamino Bench Project will be mounted by artist Alwin Reamillo with contributions from visual artists from the Philippine High School for the Arts.
Each day of the festival will begin with a mindfulness exercise using breath, visual imagery and body awareness. The checking-in activity will be followed by workshops and film screenings in the afternoons and performances in the evenings.
According to Ms. Buencamino, the workshops are designed to teach participants skills to practice the arts as a way to improve the mind and manage stress. Film screenings will give viewers more information on different mental conditions as well as an opportunity to ask psychologists questions to understand mental illness more. Performances will allow audiences to empathize with those who suffer and to continue fighting mental illness by living inspired lives.
“We hope to create a community that helps build mental resilience through the arts,” Ms. Buencamino said. “Art heals. Art helps focus the mind. Art even changes the way the brain functions.”
For more information about “Will You Still Love Me? Festival Of Arts And Ideas,” call 832-1125 local 1606 or visit culturalcenter.gov.ph.