Negros Filmmakers Showcase Local Stories at 6th Oroquieta Film Festival

 Regional cinema continues to gain recognition as filmmakers from Negros Occidental bring compelling local stories to audiences beyond their home communities. At the upcoming 6th Oroquieta Film Festival, happening from October 12 to 15 in Oroquieta City, Misamis Occidental, 28 independent films from across Visayas and Mindanao will be showcased, including three notable Negrense entries in the Lumayagan Shorts Competition: Manami Guid Man Mag **** sa Mansion, Sa Duta sang Kabuhi (In the Soil of Life), and Those Little Things.

Co-directed by Seb Valdez and Trini Garcia, Manami Guid Man Mag **** sa Mansion previously competed in the Sagaynon Shorts Competition at the 7th Margaha Film Festival in Sagay City, where it earned awards for Best Production Design and Best Original Song. Meanwhile, Steve Villasor’s Sa Duta sang Kabuhi presents a timely look at the environmental and social challenges affecting Negros, widely known as the “sugar bowl of the Philippines.” Produced by 23 Technological University of the Philippines Visayas students under the advisory of Shallel Billones, the documentary examines the impact of centuries of monocropping and unsustainable agricultural practices on the island’s soil.

Featuring interviews with farmers, local communities, and agricultural scientists, Sa Duta sang Kabuhi explores the balance between traditional farming practices and modern ecological solutions. The film has already gained recognition after becoming one of the finalists from 120 entries in the 9th DOST-SEI Indie-Siyensya Film Competition, where it also received the Best Cinematography award. Villasor, an electrical engineering graduate who began his filmmaking career as a production assistant in 2019, previously directed Kakanin (Tam-is Ukon Parat?), which won Best Short Film at CineTUPV 2025.

Adding a futuristic perspective to the competition, Those Little Things takes viewers into a cyberpunk version of Bacolod City in the year 2222. The film follows a teenager spending an ordinary day with her father, unaware of a life-changing surprise ahead. Co-director and visual effects artist Poli Gonzales said the film combines speculative fiction, world-building, and science fiction elements with an emotional story about family connection. Co-director and writer Massah Gonzales-Gamboa added that the futuristic setting allows the filmmakers to explore how local identity and food culture could evolve while preserving the emotional heart of the story.

Beyond the film competition, the 6th Oroquieta Film Festival will also promote audience engagement through talkback sessions after screenings, giving viewers the opportunity to interact with directors, writers, and members of the production teams. With stories tackling family, environmental issues, culture, and futuristic possibilities, the Negrense films highlight how independent Philippine cinema and regional filmmaking continue to expand beyond Metro Manila while showcasing stories deeply rooted in local communities and landscapes.