The Cinemalaya Independent Film Festival is one of the country’s most esteemed festivals, offering both emerging and established filmmakers a platform to address important social issues. It also highlights the quality and potential of Philippine cinema on the global stage.
Celebrating its 20th year with the theme “Loob, Lalim, Lakas,” the film festival recognized the brilliant filmmakers who competed in its short and full-length film competitions during the awards night held on Aug. 11 at Ayala Malls Manila Bay.
Taking home the award for the Best Film for the full-length category was Tumandok by Richard Jeroui Salvadico and Arlie Sweet Sumagaysay. Tumandok also won the awards for the Network for the Promotion of Asian Cinema (NETPAC) Jury Award for full-length film, Best Original Music Score, which was awarded to Paolo Almaden as well as The Ati People of Kabarangkalan and Nagpana, and Best Screenplay for the full-length category, which was credited to Sumagaysay and Arden Rod Condez.
For the short film category, the Best Film award was given to Cross My Heart and Hope to Die by Sam Manacsa, who also received the award for Best Director for the category. Abogbaybay by P.R. Monencillo Patindol won the NETPAC Jury Award for short film.
The Special Jury award for the short film and full-length category were given to Pamalandong sa Danow (Reflection in the Marsh) by Breech Asher Harani and Alipato at Muog by JL Burgos, respectively.
Jaime Pacena II received the Best Director award for the full-length category for his work on Kono Basho, which also bagged the Best Production Design (Eero Yves Francisco) and Best Cinematography (Dan Villegas).
Kono Basho’s Gabby Padilla also took home a Balangay for the Best Actress award, which she shared with Marian Rivera from Kip Oebanda’s Balota. Meanwhile, young actor Enzo Osorio won the Best Actor award for his role in Lawrence Fajardo’s The Hearing.
Felipe Ganancial from Tumandok and Sue Prado from Joshua Caesar Medroso’s Kantil received the Best Supporting Actor and Actress awards, respectively.
Primetime Mother by Sonny Calvento won the Best Screenplay for the short film category, which was credited to Calvento, as well as the Audience Choice Award. Jedd Dumaguina and Mario Consunji received the Best Sound Design award while Dominic Bekaert won the Best Editing award for their work in Bekaert’s An Errand. Meanwhile, Gulay Lang, Manong by BC Amparado received the Audience Choice Award for the full-length category.
Apart from the awardees, the 10 finalists for the Cinemalaya 2025 full-length competition were also revealed. These are Abanse by Chad Vidanes, Child No. 82 by Tim Rone Villanueva, Cinemarytyrs by Sari Dalena, Habang Nilalamon ng Hydra ang Kasaysayan by Dustin Celestino, Padamlagan (Nightlight) by Jenn Romano, Paglilitis by Raymund Barcelon and Cheska Marfori, Republika ng Pipolipinas by Renei Dimla, Open Endings by Nigel Santos and Keavy Vicente, Bloom Where You Are Planted by Nonilon Abao, and Warla by Kevin Alambra and Arah Jell Badayos.
The Film Development Council of the Philippines (FDCP) chairman Jose Javier Reyes expressed the importance of the film festival to the Philippine film industry as it paved the way for numerous filmmakers to make their mark and help the local cinema grow into what it is today.
“At this time, when Philippine cinema is at a bleak phase, Cinemalaya is a beacon of hope. Cinemalaya proves that we are going to prove to everybody who says that ‘Philippine cinema is dead’ [that] no, it is not. It is waiting to be reborn and it is going to be reborn right here at this festival,” said Reyes.
The FDCP chairman also announced that the short film finalists for next year’s edition of Cinemalaya will receive P100,000 while the 10 full-length film finalists will each receive P1 million for the production of their films.
Serving as this year’s Cinemalaya Main Competition jury were writer Nicanor Tiongson, renowned actress Dolly de Leon, Berlinale film curator Nicola Marzano, multi-awarded filmmaker Jerrold Tarog, and Dhaka International Film Festival (DIFF) founder and festival director Ahmed Muztaba Zamal.
Meanwhile, the NETPAC jurors consisted of producer Nina Kochelyaeva, producer and filmmaker Monster Jimenez, and filmmaker Jay Abello.
The Cinemalaya Independent Film Festival and Competition is conducted by the Cinemalaya Foundation, which aims to develop and promote Philippine independent films.
