Arvin Belarmino’s ‘Ria’ makes Busan cut
Arvin Belarmino’s debut feature earns world premiere in Busan’s Vision-Asia section.
Arvin Belarmino’s debut feature earns world premiere in Busan’s Vision-Asia section.
Filipino filmmaker Arvin Belarmino’s debut feature, Ria, has been selected for the 31st Busan International Film Festival (BIFF), where it will have its world premiere under the Vision-Asia section.
The selection is a major milestone for Belarmino and Philippine independent cinema. BIFF, one of Asia’s leading film festivals, runs from 6 to 15 October 2026 in Busan, South Korea.
Ria is among 11 films from across Asia chosen for Vision-Asia, a section that highlights independent filmmakers whose work represents the next generation of Asian cinema. The 2026 Vision program has 23 films in total, including 12 from South Korea and 11 from other parts of Asia.
Other Vision-Asia selections include Vietnam’s 1982, Japan’s After the Song, Hong Kong’s Dead End, Mongolia’s Zogsool, Thailand’s Bua, India’s Selvi and Birds in the Dark, Kazakhstan’s The Cord, Iran’s Slumber and Japan’s Hinotama: Ball of Fire.
The section is especially significant because Busan uses it to spotlight emerging independent filmmakers and give their films an international platform. The Vision-Asia titles are also eligible for several festival awards, including the NETPAC Award, FIPRESCI Award, Vision of Jiseok Award and Songwon Vision Audience Award – Asia.
Ria follows a folk-punk musician whose community faces displacement. Nour Hooshmand plays the title character, with the film exploring music, community and the struggle against demolition.
Belarmino has already built an international festival profile through his short films. His 2023 short Hinakdal won Best Screenplay, the NETPAC Award and the Audience Choice Award at Cinemalaya, while Agapito, co-directed with Kyla Danelle Romero, competed in the Short Film Competition at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival.
Ria has also been in development internationally for several years. Belarmino was selected for the 2022 Cannes Cinéfondation La Résidence, where the project won the CNC Pitch Award. It later went through programs including Talents Tokyo, the Locarno Filmmakers Academy, Produire au Sud and La Fabrique Cinéma.
With its Busan selection, Ria moves from a long international development journey to its first major festival screening as a completed feature film.
