For 22 years, the Cinemalaya Philippine Independent Film Festival has championed fearless
storytelling and nurtured generations of Filipino filmmakers whose works challenge, inspire, and provoke meaningful conversations. This year, the country’s premier independent film festival returns with a longer run, from August 6 to 18, inviting audiences to embark on a journey of introspection through films that illuminate the many facets of the human condition.

Anchored on the theme Cinemalaya 22: Reel Reflections, the festival explores cinema as a mirror that reflects the realities, aspirations, struggles, and triumphs that shape the Filipino experience. Through stories rooted in authenticity and artistic vision, Cinemalaya reaffirms the transformative power of independent film to deepen our understanding of ourselves and of one another.

Leading this year’s competition are nine (9) full-length and ten (10) short films that offer distinct yet interconnected reflections on identity, family, memory, resilience, justice, love, and the complexities of contemporary life.

Full-Length Films

Competing for the coveted Balanghai Trophy in the Full-Length Category are these nine films:

• A.ni.mál by Dustin Celestino
• 2 VALID IDs by Ma-an Asuncion-Dagñalan and Abet Pagdagdagan Raz
• GANGGANG by JL Burgos
• HAND OF GOD by Mark Duane Angos
• MAG-IINA by Giancarlo Abrahan and Guelan Luarca
• KAKA SA YAWAN by Alpha Habon
• STATUS: REJECTED by Vahn Leinard Pascual
• TAYO LANG ANG NAKAKAALAM by David Corpuz
• TIRIK by May-i Guia Padilla

Eclectic mix of Full-Length Films

Led by Maxine Ignacio and featuring stars like Jojit Lorenzo and Bituin Escalante, Dustin Celestino’s ‘A.ni.mál’ is a black comedy set in a provincial town, where the mayor’s daughter comes home with a video of a family friend abusing his dog. Ma-An L. Asuncion-Dagñalan’s social drama ‘2 Valid IDs’ is centered on Pokwang (credited as Marietta Subong), a poor farmer unable to claim a remittance because she lacks two valid IDs.

‘Ganggang’ is a coming-of-age drama by JL Burgos, starring Raine Dela Cruz, Kenneth ‘Butchoy’ Vincent Mendoza, and Don Rishmond Cerbito as boys who form an unlikely bond to find the best fighting spider (ganggang) against the school bully’s spider. The drama ‘Hand of God,’ by Mark Duane Angos, is led by KD Omalin, a child soldier who has to choose between becoming a soldier or following his football aspirations; Ruru Madrid and Iza Calzado feature.

Star-studded Full-Length Films

The horror ‘Mag-iina,’ directed by Giancarlo Abrahan and Guelan Varela-Luarca, follows three generations of women (starring Janine Gutierrez, Cherry Pie Picache, Agot Isidro,
Ness Roque, Jackie Lou Blanco, and Alejandra Cortez) bound together by grief and madness in their ancestral home; Lucas Andalio and Bart Guingona also feature. Led by Beaver Magtalas, Alpha Habon’s drama ‘Kaka Sa Yawan’ sees the Manileño Niko return to Mindoro, bringing back memories of his friendship with the Tadyawan-Mangyan boy Ayan during their youth.

Vahn Leinard Pascual’s dramedy ‘Status: Rejected’ follows a grandmother wishing to reunite with her son, despite repeated rejections of her U.S. visa applications; Ruby Ruiz, Alessandra de Rossi, Beverly Salvejo, and Yani Villarosa star. The drama ‘Tayo Lang Ang Nakakaalam’ by David Corpuz, featuring Martin del Rosario and Miguel Odron, sees a man struggling to remain seen within a family that once made him feel at home. Starring Rocco Nacino and Floyd Tena, May-i Guia Padilla’s drug war-set thriller ‘Tirik’ sees priest Paring Bert and taxi driver Santos go on an odyssey through guilt and redemption.

Short Films

Competing for the coveted Balanghai Trophy in the Short Film Category are these ten films:

• ELENITA ELENA ELAINE by Gabriela Serrano
• HONEY, MY LOVE, SO SWEET by JT Trinidad
• HOY, HOY, INGAT! by Norvin de los Santos
• kung paano kakalas. by Joseph Vitali
• PARA-PARAAN by Mae Chan Li
• RUNO! by Lysa Catolico and Jazmine Pateña
• SILKSCREEN by Rey Anthony Villaverde
• SORBETES by Jennissie Gilbuena
• THE KEEPER by Nolan Rae Fabular and TRNZ
• THE RIVER FLOWS IN DIFFERENT PLACES by Lot-Lot Hermosura

Information about Short Films

Sci-fi drama ‘Elenita Elena Elaine’ by Gabriela Serrano sees the mundane routines and subconscious worlds of three women collide. JT Trinidad’s queer coming-of-age work ‘Honey, My Love, So Sweet’ follows Life, an androgynous kid who discovers first love through films and their new friend’s father.

The magic realism dramedy ‘Hoy, Hoy, Ingat!’ from Norvin de los Santos sees a fame-stricken child and her terminally ill brother set out to take back a beloved family jeepney. Joseph Vitali’s slice-of-life work ‘kung paano kakalas.’ follows a sherbet vendor who sets out to finally sell his products so he can go celebrate Christmas at home.

Mae Chan Li’s documentary ‘Para-Paraan’ immerses audiences in the lived experiences of wheelchair user Katrina Hernandez. Lysa Catolico and Jazmine Peteña’s animated comedy ‘Runo!’ follows rescue dog Runo in her mission to find her owner Aimee amid a zombie apocalypse.

Rey Anthony Villaverde’s drama ‘Silkscreen’ sees t-shirt silkscreen printer Roy try to keep their once-thriving family shop from fading into obscurity. Jennissie Gilbuena’s narrative drama ‘Sorbetes’ follows two boys who cope with the aftermath of a traumatic event, one of whom finds relief in ice cream.

Psychological drama ‘The Keeper’ by Nolan Rae Fabular and TRNZ finds a devoted keeper spiraling when an unexpected intruder disrupts the rigid order of a trophy hall. Lot-lot Hermosura’s documentary ‘The River Flows in Different Places’ observes the attempt of two Filipino-Palestinian mothers to recreate the concept of home in a land both foreign and familiar.

Cinemalaya 22

Running concurrently with the festival is the 38th Gawad CCP Para sa Alternatibong Pelikula at Video, the Southeast Asia’s longest-running independent film competition. Showcasing works across Short Feature/Narrative, Experimental, Documentary, and Animation, the competition continues to champion alternative forms of cinema and provide emerging filmmakers with a platform to push creative boundaries.

More than a showcase of exceptional films, Cinemalaya remains a movement that celebrates the courage to tell stories that matter. For over two decades, it has empowered filmmakers to examine the realities of Filipino life through fresh perspectives and uncompromising artistic integrity, cultivating a cinematic landscape where diverse voices can thrive.

Since its inception in 2005, Cinemalaya has supported the production and exhibition of Filipino full-length and short independent films, many of which have garnered recognition at prestigious local and international festivals. Through the annual festival, Cinemalaya has presented more than 1,000 works – including feature films, shorts, documentaries, restored Filipino classics, and Asian films, cementing its role as one of the country’s most influential cultural institutions and a driving force in Philippine independent cinema.

As Cinemalaya 22: Reel Reflections unfolds, audiences are invited not only to watch the films,
but to see themselves in the stories they tell and discover what lies beneath the surface of their own reflections.

Further information

The Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) and the Cinemalaya Foundation, Inc. bring the
festival once again to Red Carpet Cinemas at Shangri-La Plaza as its primary venue.

Continuing its long-standing support that spans more than two decades, Ayala Malls remains a partner venue for Cinemalaya 22. Gateway Cineplex also returns this year, completing the roster of venues, widening the festival’s reach and allowing even more audiences to experience the richness and diversity of contemporary Philippine independent cinema.

For more information, visit the CCP website and the Cinemalaya website, or follow the official
CCP and Cinemalaya pages on Facebook, X, Instagram, and TikTok.

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