Star Powerhouse

  De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde film alumnus Kylechandler Bigay is set to take his heartfelt short film “Gandang Lola” (Gorgeous Grandmother) to the 40th Leeds International Film Festival in the United Kingdom and the 14th QCinema International Film Festival in Metro Manila. “Gandang Lola” centers on Dolores “Amor” Concepcion, a 67-year-old beautician managing a quiet, fading parlor. Through her tender bond with her grandson, Biboy, and her unexpected plunge into the vibrant world of a local neighborhood beauty pageant, Amor confronts the complex realities of aging, personal insecurities, and the journey toward self-acceptance. The short film’s global journey kicks off in the UK at the 40th Leeds International Film Festival, where it has been selected for the Louis le Prince International Short Film Competition, an Academy Award and BAFTA-qualifying category. Screenings will take place on the first week of November at Everyman Cinema Leeds, culminating in the awards ceremo...

  De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde alumnus Vahn Leinard C. Pascual’s first full-length feature “Status: Rejected” is set to make its international debut at the 30th Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival in Estonia, after winning at the Cinemalaya Philippine Independent Film Festival 2026. Competing as an official selection in the First Feature Competition, “Status: Rejected” is the sole Philippine entry at this year’s FIAPF-accredited A-list festival, which runs from November 6 to 22.   The narrative focuses on Virginia “Biring” Divinagracia (played by veteran actress Ruby Ruiz), a 69-year-old widow feeling increasingly invisible inside her family’s home. After facing four consecutive U.S. tourist visa denials, her hopes of reuniting with her son abroad dim. Encouraged by a friend, Biring turns to the digital space, where she encounters an American named Steve Johnson. What starts as an online romance blurs the line between hope and delusion, forcing Biring to reckon wit...