Meet the directors competing in Cinemalaya 2026

At the Cinemalaya Awards Night held on 12 October, the festival announced the 10 filmmakers who received production grants for the 2026 edition. From Palanca-winning playwrights to past Cinemalaya champions and emerging voices in Philippine cinema, these storytellers will begin production in the coming months and compete when Cinemalaya returns in August next year.

Ma-an Asuncion-Dagñalan & Abet Pagdagdagan Raz — Pampanga-born filmmaker Dagñalan gained attention with her debut Blue Room, which won Best Foreign Film at LA Femme and earned her the Best Director award at Cinemalaya 2022. Raz was a finalist in the 2024 Blvck Entertainment Scriptwriting Contest for Little Miss Hope.

Entry title: 2 VALID IDs — Sylvia, a poor farmer, is unable to claim money sent to her because she lacks two valid IDs; her struggle to secure them tests her character, beliefs and morality.

Dustin Celestino — Playwright, educator and filmmaker known for Utopia (Cinema One Originals 2019 Jury Prize), Ang Duyan ng Magiting (Cinemalaya 2023 Special Jury Prize and Best Ensemble), and Habang Nilalamon ng Hydra ang Kasaysayan (Cinemalaya 2025).

Entry title: A.NI.MAL — In a provincial town, the naïve daughter of the mayor comes home with a video showing a powerful family friend abusing his dog.

Paul Sta. Ana — Berlinale Talents alum and Ateneo graduate (Dean’s Award for the Arts), recognized for lyrical, socially attuned storytelling in both film and television. A published poet and award-winning screenwriter, he often explores themes of identity, migration, and belonging.

Entry title: DANGEOM — A gay Korean-Filipino dancer and his Korean aunt clash over a missing heirloom dagger as they each struggle for acceptance amid family, memory and tradition.

JL Burgos — Award-winning documentarian and visual activist, and brother of missing journalist Jonas Burgos. His film Alipato at Muog (Cinemalaya 2024) confronted state violence through a personal lens.

Entry title: GANGGANG — Three young boys from different backgrounds form an unlikely alliance against a school bully after a fateful fighting-spider match.

Mark Duane Angos — Writer-director and editor with a focus on realism, who has worked extensively in television.

Entry title: KAMAY NI BATHALA — In a conflict-torn village, a young army lieutenant introduces football to local children, forging a bond with a former child soldier as both confront the scars of war.

Giancarlo Abrahan & Guelan Luarca — Frequent collaborators from film and theater. Abrahan directed Sila-Sila and Paki, while Luarca is a multi-awarded playwright and stage director, recently acclaimed for 3 Upuan and Tanghalang Pilipino’s Kisapmata.

Entry title: MAG-IINA — When a woman returns to her ancestral home to mourn her estranged father, three generations of women are forced to face the grief, madness, and evil that bind them.

Alpha Habon — Screenwriter and filmmaker known for Mga Mister ni Rosario (2018), Buy Now, Die Later (2015), and Star na si Van Damme Stallone (2016).

Entry title: MAY BUNTOT ANG MGA YAN — Two boys — one from Manila, one Mangyan — forge a friendship in Mindoro that transforms their summer and teaches them each other’s worlds.

Vahn Leinard Pascual — Young filmmaker whose short Sibuyas ni Perfecto won Best Short Film at Cinemalaya 2023. His works often explore the quiet struggles of ordinary Filipinos.

Entry title: STATUS REJECTED — A grandmother finds herself entangled in an unexpected online romance that rekindles her longing for love and a better life.

David Corpuz — Dean of Mapúa’s School of Media Studies and former Cluster Head of its Digital Film program. He holds a PhD in Philippine Studies (Language, Culture, Media) and an MA in Media Studies. His silent short The Ordinary Things We Do (2014) earned nominations from Gawad Urian, FAMAS, and the PMPC Star Awards.

Entry title: TAYO LANG ANG NAKAKAALAM — Bound by a love kept in silence, a man struggles to stay visible within the family that once made him feel at home.

May-i Padilla — Faculty member at the UP Film Institute and CEO of METAPIXEL Inc. She won the Gawad Urian for Best Editing for Tanabata’s Wife.

Entry title: TIRIK — A priest and a taxi driver confront their moral conflicts and faith as they go on the run from an assassination attempt.