MANILA, Philippines ? A policeman torn between his sworn duty and his love for his drug lord-brother. A police officer, whose entire family was murdered, vows to take the law into his own hands.

These are just some of the themes in the first ever Philippine National Police film festival to be held from March 10 to 12 at SM cinemas nationwide.

The film festival will feature five short films created by independent filmmakers from five universities across the country. Each film features the life of a police officer, including the struggles and conflicts that he has to face in his day-to-day life.

Chief Superintendent Nicanor Bartolome, director of the police community relations group, said one of the goals of the film festival was to give audiences a ?balanced? image of the police force.

?The PNP film festival is to showcase the youth?s talent in filmmaking and to showcase the heroism and even the failures of the police,? Bartolome said.

The five films that will be featured are entitled: ?Iskalawag? from the University of Perpetual Help System, Laguna; ?Bro? from La Consolacion College in Manila; ?Detektib? from Dr. Felimon Aguilar Memorial College in Las Pinas City; ?Gatilyo? from the Polytechnic University of the Philippines in Sta. Mesa, Manila; and ?Police Line? from New Era University in Quezon City.

?Iskalawag? features the story of a young boy whose entire family was murdered by a drug syndicate. Vowing revenge, the boy joined the police force to try to catch those responsible for his loved ones? death. The twist of the film, however, was that the boy was adopted by the same people who killed his family.

?Gatilyo? talks about two brothers ? one, a policeman, and the other, a member of a drug syndicate.

Bartolome said that a panel of judges consisting of representatives from the judiciary, the Optical Media Board, the Film Academy of the Philippines, Director?s Guild of the Philippines, and the Philippine Information Agency would choose a best picture, best director, best actor, and best actress.

Screening dates are the following:
?Bro?: SM Sta. Mesa, March 11, 2 p.m. to 6 p.m.
?Detektib?: SM South Mall, March 10, 2 p.m. to 6 p.m.
?Gatilyo?: SM Sta. Mesa, March 12, 4 p.m. to 8 p.m.
?Iskalawag?: SM Sta. Rosa, March 12, 3 p.m. to 7 p.m.
?Police Line?: SM North EDSA, March 12, 6 p.m. to 10 p.m.

For ticket inquiries, please call: (02) 724-9863 or (02) 723-0401 local 3653.