Why John Arcilla, Joross Gamboa, Rochelle Pangilinan and other stars are all in CinePanalo

“What makes Beast unique is that it operates on three levels,” Fajardo said. “The first level, the carabao, is the literal beast associated with farmers, strength, patience, labor and survival. Second, Lolo Omeng can be likened to a beast because he represents hardship, survival, patience and passion for cultivating the land. But he also deals with adversities and poverty. And the final beast is urbanization that is consuming our land — the gradual disappearance of our agricultural land.”

“What I loved about working with John was his wisdom as an actor,” said Fajardo. “He was collaborative and had the willingness to share his thoughts about the character. His choices mattered not only in the performance but also in the development of the character’s story.”

On working with Bob, the carabao, Fajardo said: “We were fortunate to have a very cooperative carabao in Bob. With an animal actor, you cannot explain the character or the scene in the same way you do with a human actor. You have to understand his behavior, his temperament, his rhythm, and his relationship with his handler. That is why the handler of the carabao became very important to us. He understood Bob — when to approach him, when to wait, when to move, and when not to force anything. In a way, directing Bob also meant learning how to direct through his handler.”

Joross Gamboa strips off his pambansang best friend label as he takes on his major role in the Joseph Abello-written and directed movie, Wantawsan.

“The movie is not just focused on politics or the big issues rammed to all of us on a daily basis,” Abello said. “What I want the audience to see and realize is that the mundane and everyday things in our lives are affected by the reign of greed and addiction to power. And at the end of the day, ordinary people are the ones who suffer the consequences of their choices and decisions.”

“On Gamboa, Abello said: “Joross was passionate, collaborative, professional, and talented. I think his performance in our movie will really show everyone how great and committed he is as an actor. He was able to deliver all the emotions needed by his character in an affecting and believable way.”

Thop Nazareno directs, with Raywin Tome and Che Espiritu-Istrael as writers. Apol of My Ai has Zanjoe Marudo, child wonder Zion Cruz, and Cinemalaya 21 and Eddys Best Supporting Actress winner and URIAN nominee Rochelle Pangilinan-Solinap.

The film follows Apol (Cruz), a prepubescent boy entering a new phase in his life and his growing feelings for his choir teacher (Pangilinan), and the painful decision by his father, Poli (Marudo), that puts a strain on the relationship between father and son.

Pink power

Ian Pangilinan stars in and directs Patay Gutom. Co-director is Carl Joseph Papa, who shares co-writing credits with Yvonne Garcia.

“The story progresses past its initial premise of a quirky romance,” Pangilinan said. “Romance is used as a vehicle to tell a wider story about finding connection amidst emotional turmoil.

“In times of grief, we sometimes close ourselves off to love in its many forms,” added Pangilinan. “We shy away from making new connections out of fear that the pain of separation will be felt again. But ironically, it is in those same connections that we find new comfort and new joy that can help us deal with pain.”

“The cast is phenomenal,” Pangilinan said. “They fleshed out the characters in endearing ways. The actors created these people who are funny, likeable and heartbreaking at the same time.”

On being one of the movie’s leads and its director, Pangilinan said: “It was difficult because they have different instincts. As an actor, you are meant to fully just be in the moment and take the scenes moment to moment without thinking about anything else other than what’s in front of you.

“As a director, it’s the bigger picture. It’s a balancing act, about which person you need to be at any given moment,” Pangilinan carried on. “Difficult as it may have been, I’m very thankful to have had a very talented group of people with me to stitch everything together. Knowing which part of me the team needs given the situation was the key to balancing it all.”

“MULTWOH takes a familiar language, especially in how queer characters are portrayed in horror movies,” said its writer and director, Rodina Singh. “Most of the time, the gay characters in such a genre are the first to perish. And even in Pinoy queer cinema, death and tragedy are heavily represented. But when a queer character dies, the story is often confined to the tragedy itself — ano 'yung nangyari, ano 'yung kinamatay (What happened? What was the cause of death).”

“Rarely do we talk about the life before the death, or the grief of the people they leave behind. That is what this movie wants to reposition,” said Singh.

“We’ve seen queer deaths, ghosts, grief, and love stories before. But maybe you haven’t seen them treated in this manner. And I believe that makes MULTWOH one-of-a-kind.”

On Joao Constancia and Sassa Gurl, Singh said: “I’m delighted with the performances of the two. Their characters were written in such a way that some of their traits and quirks were already incorporated into them, but with the manner in which they gave life to them, they gave their characters something extra-special.”

Electric Z

Gen Z actors unite in Miko Baldoza’s Stuck On You, with Arden Rod Condez and Sonny Calvento as its writers, with petite Xyriel Manabat and heartthrob River Joseph as protagonists.

In the movie, Manabat plays a heartbroken mani-pedi nail technician who accidentally accepts a hitman’s job that plunges her into a conspiracy wherein she needs to make a decision — to save her family, which means killing the man of her dreams (Joseph).

Another Gen Z star, singer and actor Juan Karlos Labajo, and the seasoned thespian Perry Dizon are in the John Bedia-written and BC Amparado-directed Mono No Aware.

Set in Japan, the film is about a Filipino cleaner (Labajo) who meets an elderly widower (Dizon) living alone. The narrative of the movie talks about grief, family, and accepting life’s impermanence.

Fresh and interesting narratives, out-of-the-box characters given life by a league of extraordinary actors in seven films helmed by seven distinguished directors — now we know why all of them are in this year’s CinePanalo Film Festival.

Puregold CinePanalo Film Festival 2026 runs from 23 September to 4 October at Gateway Cineplex 18, Trinoma, Fairview Terraces, Feliz, Ayala Malls Circuit, Ayala Malls Manila Bay and Market! Market!