Sinag Maynila kicks off with Brocka’s restored classic ‘Jaguar’

Sinag Maynila 2025 is rolling out the red carpet with a Filipino masterpiece.

Lino Brocka’s gritty neo-noir Jaguar returns to the big screen — this time sharper than ever in 4K — after its world stopover at last year’s Lumière Film Festival in Lyon, France.

The restored classic opens the 7th Sinag Maynila Independent Film Festival on Tuesday, 23 September, at Gateway. The night marks its Asian premiere, and fans are in for a treat too — the film’s cast and crew are expected for a special talkback session right after the screening.

Released in 1979, Jaguar broke ground as the first Filipino entry nominated for the coveted Palme d’Or at the 1980 Cannes Film Festival. The story follows Poldo, a security guard who finds himself caught in the world of crime while protecting a rich playboy, his journey spiraling through class conflict, moral choices, and tragic downfall. The screenplay came from the powerhouse trio of Jose F. Lacaba, Ricky Lee, and Brocka himself, with inspiration from Nick Joaquin’s Reportage on Crime.

Sinag Maynila is also shining a spotlight on restored treasures in its “Pambansang Alagad ng Sining” section, part of this year’s celebration of Philippine Film Industry Month. Alongside Jaguar, audiences can catch Eddie Garcia’s 1978 drama Atsay, starring Nora Aunor, restored in 2022 by the Philippine Film Archive under the FDCP’s Film Restoration program.

Festival founder Wilson Tieng says this section is all about honoring legacy while championing the new: “As we showcase the finalists — whether they’re first-timers, veterans, amateurs, or pros — we also give space to the great works of our National Artists. Thanks to the FDCP, moviegoers can once again see these films in their full glory, as they were meant to be experienced on the big screen.”

The exclusive opening night screening is co-presented by the Philippine Film Archive, Society of Filipino Archivists for Film (SOFIA), Solar Pictures, and Gateway Cineplex.

As for the main competition, the lineup is massive. From over 300 submissions, the festival has whittled down the roster to 5 feature films, 15 documentaries, 41 shorts, and 36 student works — a total of 61 titles battling it out for one week, 24 to 30 September. Screenings will take place in partner cinemas, including SM Mall of Asia, SM Fairview, Robinsons Manila, Robinsons Antipolo, Trinoma, Market! Market!, and Gateway Cineplex. Tickets are priced at P250.