Star Powerhouse

  The Elysian Field , a NETPAC Award-winning film by Indian filmmaker Pradip Kurbah, makes its Philippine debut at the 21st edition of the Cinemalaya Philippine Independent Film Festival this October 3, 2025, at the Red Carpet Cinemas of Shangri-La Plaza.  The film follows the six remaining residents of a secluded Meghalaya village as they cope with grief and loneliness in the face of urban migration.  Set against the tranquil landscapes of futuristic 2047 in the East Khasi hills, The Elysian Field is a slice-of-life film following the journey of Livingstone and his fellow villagers as they bond over their shared experiences of love and longing, finding solace in each other’s company. Weaving together multiple stories in a grand tapestry of human experience, the film narrates how Livingstone and the villagers stand as beacons of resilience, offering hope against a backdrop of loss and solitude.  Carrying the memory of his late wife Belinda, Livingstone boards a vinta...

  s the country’s leading platform for independent film, the Cinemalaya continues to champion the work of Filipino filmmakers with a series of book launches slated on October 8, 9, and 11, at the Red Carpet Cinema 2 at Shangri-La Plaza. For its 21st edition, Cinemalaya highlights the intersection of cinema, literature, and Filipino identity through the launch of Manong: The Life and Works of Gerardo de Leon by Dr. Nicanor G. Tiongson; Agaw-Tingin (Stolen Glances) and Pinilakang Tabing (Silver Screen) by National Artist for Film and Broadcast Arts Ricky Lee; and Letters from the Future, 35 Years of the Gawad CCP para sa Alternatibong Pelikula at Video, published by CCP through its Film, Broadcast, and New Media Division.  Cinemalaya’s commitment to discover and hone new voices in Philippine cinema rises to feature publications that reflect rich human narratives, film scholarship, and cultural conversation. The book launches will serve as spaces for aspiring and renowned filmm...

  For the 21st edition of Cinemalaya, the pioneering independent film festival returns with the theme “Layag: sa Alon, Hangin, at Unos”, turning the big screen into a reflection of brave and persevering Filipino stories. Ten full-length films and ten short film entries are set for screening from October 3 to October 12 in three partner venues: Shangri-La Plaza, Ayala Malls Cinemas, and Gateway Cineplex 18.  Since its inception in 2005, the Cinemalaya is traditionally held in the theaters of the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP). The ongoing rehabilitation at the Center has led to the festival finding new venues to continue its tradition of discovering, encouraging, and supporting the cinematic works of upcoming and veteran Filipino filmmakers who boldly articulate and freely interpret the Philippine experience with fresh insight and artistic integrity. This year, Shangri-La Plaza will serve as the main hub of the festival for the first time. In addition to its long-stan...

The Cinemalaya Philippine Independent Film Festival continues to sail as it opens its doors for new entries for the Full-Length Film category of its 2026 edition.  The deadline for submissions is on or before  6PM  of  JUNE 6, 2025  (Friday). The country’s biggest independent film festival continues its pursuit of innovative and excellent filmmaking as it celebrates 21 years of nurturing independent Filipino filmmakers eager to make their marks in the film industry in 2026.   Those who are interested in submitting their entries may submit it  ONLINE  through   https://forms.gle/ XFAaxKrwY34VDLjz8  with the following requirements: the concept paper of the project containing the premise(s) of the film, the genre, the tagline, the key characters, and their descriptions in Filipino or English; a two-page synopsis/storyline of the film project; resume of the proponent/s; two (2) recent photos of proponent/s; and a sample of the work dire...

To date, Cinemalaya has nurtured over 200 Filipino filmmakers and showcased more than 1,000 of their works, including full-feature films, shorts, documentaries, Filipino film classics, and art films. The country’s biggest and pioneering independent film festival has been relentless in developing and supporting the production of independent Filipino films since its founding in 2005, bringing new narratives that reflect the ever-evolving landscape of Filipino cinema each year. Shortly after celebrating its 20th year, Cinemalaya has once again welcomed another batch of filmmakers, giving them the opportunity to articulate and freely interpret the Filipino experience with fresh insight and artistic integrity. With two decades under its belt and many filmmakers propelled to success, we look back at some of the pioneers who helped establish this tradition. “I couldn’t believe I would become a director,” said 2005 Cinemalaya director Michael Angelo Dagñalan. “Joining Cinemalaya opened so many...

  Hot on the success of the recently-concluded Cinemalaya Bente: Loob Lalim Lakas, the Cultural Center of the Philippines and the Cinemalaya Foundation Inc. have already set the artistic stakes even higher with the 10 new full-length finalists who will be competing in the country’s pioneering independent film festival in 2025. For its 21st edition, Cinemalaya will continue to uphold its vision to develop and support the production of cinematic works of Filipino independent filmmakers that boldly articulate and freely interpret the Filipino experience with fresh insight and artistic integrity, with new narratives that embody the ever-evolving landscape of Filipino cinema. The 2025 finalists, culled from the 20 semi-finalists, are still undergoing training at the Cinemalaya Film Lab, a three-month-long film-laboratory mentorship program meant to prime the finalists in the different aspects of filmmaking such as scriptwriting, directing, cinematography, performance, editing, productio...

  Celebrating the excellence in Philippine cinema, the 2024 Cinemalaya Film Festival has honored the best of the best in indie filmmaking. Here are this year's remarkable winners: 🏆 Best Film: Tumandok 🎥 Best Director: Jaime Pacena II for Kono Basho 🎭 Best Actor: Enzo Osorio in The Hearing 🎭 Best Actress: Marian Rivera in Balot & Gabby Padilla in Kono Basho 🎭 Best Supporting Actor: Felipe Ganancial in Tumando 🎭 Best Supporting Actress: Sue Prado in Kantil 👥 Best Ensemble Performance: Gulay Lang Manong   ✍️ Best Screenplay: Arden Rod Condez & Arlie Sweet Sumagaysay for Tumandok 📸 Best Cinematography: Dan Villegas for Kono Basho ✂️ Best Editing: Dominic Bekaert for An Errand 🎨 Best Production Design: Eero Yves Francisco for Kono Basho 🎶 Best Original Music Score: Paulo Almaden & The Ati People of Kabarangkalan and Nagpana for Tumandok 🔊 Best Sound Design: Jedd Dumaguina & Mario Consunji for An Errand 🏅 Special Jury Award: Alipato at Muog 🌏 NETPA...

 The closing film of Cinemalaya XX featured the 4K restoration of Lino Brocka’s classic, "BONA" . The screening was graced by cast members, including National Artist and Superstar Nora Aunor, along with Philip Salvador, Nanding Josef, and Ruby Ruiz.

After its successful run at the Cannes Film Festival, classic Filipino Bona returns home to the Philippines and closes the 20 th edition of the Cinemalaya Philippine Independent Film Festival on August 1 0, 8:30pm, at the Ayala Malls Manila Bay (Cinema 2, 8, 9, 10).  Directed by National Artist Lino Brocka and written by Cenen Ramones, the film Bona is a story of a middle-class school girl who skips classes to hang around with minor actors on the sets of low-budget films. When her father attempts to beat some sense into her, Bona moves into Gardo’s shack in the slums, delighted to play house–only to find herself not the wife, but the maid. National Artist Nora Aunor played the titular role, along with actors Philip Salvador, Marissa Delgado, Raquel Monteza, Rustica Carpio, Venchito Galvez, Nanding Josef, and Spanky Manikan, introducing the PETA Kalinangan Ensemble. Since its release in 1980, Bona has remained largely unseen until it was rediscovered by University of Illinois profe...