Philippines’ Cinemalaya Fest Wraps Successful Edition Despite Budget Woes

The Philippines’ Cinemalaya Independent Film Festival (October 3-12) wrapped its 10-day run on Sunday with top honours going to politically resonant films, concluding a turbulent 21st edition marked by funding issues, scaled-back programming and a controversial shift in sponsorship.

Noni Abao’s Bloom Where You Are Planted, a documentary following the lives of three land rights activists – Agnes Mesina, political prisoner Amanda Echanis, and the late Randy Malayao – in the Cagayan Valley, took home Best Film (Full Length Category) at the festival’s closing ceremony at the Shangri-La Plaza.

Editors Che Tagyamon and Arnex Nicolas also earned a Best Editing award for their work on the film.

Meanwhile, Carl Joseph Papa’s The Next 24 Hours, an animated short film depicting the systemic obstacles faced in the immediate aftermath of sexual assault, took the top prize in the short film category.

Veteran filmmaker Sari Dalena took home three awards for her powerful Cinemalaya debut, Cinemartyrs, winning Best Director (Full-Length), Special Jury Prize (Full-Length), and Best Original Music Score (for Tereza Barrozo). The film is an experimental drama about women filmmakers recreating forgotten massacres from Philippine history.

Top acting honors went to Mylene Dizon, Jojit Lorenzo and Nanding Josef for their performances in Dustin Celestino’s political drama As The Hydra Devours History. Rochelle Pangilinan earned Best Supporting Actress for her performance in Tim Rone Villanueva’s Child No. 82: Son Of Boy Kana, which also picked up Best Screenplay (Full-Length) and the Audience Choice Award (Full-Length).

Newcomer Elian Idioma took home Best Director in the shorts category for his stop-motion animated film I’m Best Left Inside My Head, while Maria Estela Paiso won the Special Jury Prize for her West Philippine Sea docufiction Objects Do Not Randomly Fall From The Sky (see full list of winners below).

Plagued with budget issues and production delays, Cinemalaya shifted from its usual August schedule to October to allow its feature-length grantees time for production. As previously reported by the Philippine Daily Inquirer in September, the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP), Cinemalaya’s long-time backer, was unable to fully fund the event due to ongoing building renovation and financial restraints.

First Lady Liza Araneta Marcos “stepped in to cover the CCP’s portion,” raising concerns about the influence of private and political sponsorships on programming. Cinemalaya Foundation president Laurice Guillen assured the press and the filmmakers that the festival’s independence remained intact.

The festival also downsized its post-screening Q&As and off-screen events, and moved its main venue from Ayala Malls Manila Bay in Paranaque City to the more commuter-friendly Shangri-La Plaza in Mandaluyong City. Despite these cuts, festival director Chris Millado noted that this edition reported an uptick in attendance and a combined box office total across partner venues of $230,000 (PHP13.4m) – more than double last year’s $100,000 (PHP5.8m) total.

Four of the festival’s top earners included the sapphic coming-of-age romance film Open Endings; fantasy drama Child No. 82: Son Of Boy Kana; political mockumentary Republika ng Pipolipinas; and the social drama Warla.

In March earlier this year, Jose Javier Reyes, head of the Film Development Council of the Philippines (FDCP), confirmed that Cinemalaya was moving to October and that its 2026 edition was also moving forward.

At the September launch of the festival, he reiterated the agency’s commitment to keep the festival alive. “We will not allow Cinemalaya to disappear,” said Javier Reyes. “From Cinemalaya came Dan Villegas, Antoinette Jadaone, all the important new directors who cannot die because of the whims of individuals.”

At the festival’s closing ceremony, Reyes pledged an additional $17,000 (PHP1m) grant for the production of each feature-length entry and $1,700 (PHP100,000) for each short film entry for next year’s cycle.

Several closing-night speeches, including those from Guillen and Millado, emphasised how the cultural sector had been suffering due to the rampant government corruption plaguing the country, referencing the several hundred billions of pesos allegedly spent on flood control, infrastructure and disaster relief “ghost projects.”

The festival also announced its 2026 line-up (see below), featuring new works from JL Burgos, David Corpuz, Ma-an L. Asuncion-Dagñalan, Dustin Celestino, Giancarlo Brahan and Guelan Varela-Luarca.

Founded in 2005, the Cinemalaya Independent Film Festival provides grants towards the production of around 10 full-length feature films each year, which are then screened in competition at the festival, alongside a short film competition, workshops, seminars and other events.

The festival has helped usher in the Philippines’ most acclaimed contemporary independent films including Kanakan-Balintagos’ The Blossoming Of Maximo Oliveros (2005), Marlon Rivera’s The Woman In The Septic Tank, Eduardo Roy Jr.’s Pamilya Ordinaryo, Arden Rod Condez’s John Denver Trending and Carl Joseph Papa’s Iti Mapukpukaw (The Missing).

CINEMALAYA 2026 FINALISTS (FULL LENGTH):

a.ni.mal, by Dustin Celestino
2 Valid IDs, by Ma-an L. Asuncion-Dagñalan & Abet Pagdagdagan Raz
Dangeom, by Paul Sta. Ana
Ganggang, by JL Burgos
Kamay ni Bathala, by Mark Duane Angos
Mag-iina, by Giancarlo Abrahan & Guelan Varela-Luarca
May Buntot Ang Mga ‘Yan, by Alpha Habon
Status: Rejected, by Vahn Leinard Pascual
Tayo Lang Ang Nakakaalam, by David R. Corpuz
Tirik, by May-i Padilla

CINEMALAYA 2025 FULL LIST OF WINNERS:

Best Film (Full Length): Bloom Where You Are Planted, dir: Noni Abao

Best Film (Shorts): The Next 24 Hours, dir: Carl Joseph Papa

Best Director (Full Length): Sari Dalena, Cinemartyrs

Best Director (Shorts): Elian Idioma, I’m Best Left Inside My Head

Special Jury Award (Full Length): Cinemartyrs, dir: Sari Dalena

Special Jury Award (Shorts): Objects Do Not Randomly Fall From The Sky, dir: Maria Estela Paiso

Best Actress: Mylene Dizon, As The Hydra Devours History

Best Actor: Jojit Lorenzo, As The Hydra Devours History

Best Ensemble Performance: Open Endings

Best Supporting Actress: Rochelle Pangilinan, Child No. 82: Son Of Boy Kana

Best Supporting Actor: Nanding Josef, As The Hydra Devours History

Best Screenplay (Full Length): Tim Rone Villanueva & Herlyn Alegre, Child No. 82: Son Of Boy Kana

Best Screenplay (Short): Handiong Kapuno, Figat

Best Cinematography: Theo Lozada, Raging

Best Editing: Che Tagyamon & Arnex Nicolas, Bloom Where You Are Planted

Best Production Design: Jeric Delos Angeles, Padamlagan

Best Original Musical Score: Teresa Barrozo, Cinemartyrs

Best Sound Design: Lamberto “Bebet” Casas Jr., Raging

NETPAC Award (Full Length): Republika ng Pipolipinas, dir: Renei Dimla

NETPAC Award (Shorts): Hasang (Gills), dir: Daniel dela Cruz

Audience Award (Full Length): Child No. 82: Son Of Boy Kana, dir: Tim Rone Villanueva

Audience Award (Short): Ascension From The Office Cubicle, dir: Hannah Silvestre