Cinemalaya films score 29 Gawad Urian nods
Seven films from Cinemalaya 21 (2025) earn 29 nominations across major Gawad Urian categories
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Seven films from Cinemalaya 21 (2025) earn 29 nominations across major Gawad Urian categories
Seven Cinemalaya 21 (2025) films bagged 29 total Gawad Urian nominations, highlighting the creative weight of the local indie film scene across core categories like Best Film, Best Director, acting, screenplay, and technical crafts.
Sari Dalena’s Cinemartyrs leads with eight nods, including Best Film for Kino Arts, Best Director for Sari Dalena, Best Screenplay for Sari Dalena and Keith Sicat, Best Actress for Nour Hooshmand, Best Production Design for Toym Imao, Best Cinematography for Neil Daza and Kiri Dalena, Best Editing for Keith Sicat, and Best Sound for Emilio Bien Sparks. The story tracks a young filmmaker whose historical massacre project accidentally awakens the spirits of victims.
Noni Abao’s documentary Bloom Where You Are Planted scored six nominations, earning nods for Best Film and Best Documentary for Alex Poblete, Taripnong Cagayan Valley, and Noni Abao, Best Director for Noni Abao, Best Editing for Che Tagyamon, Best Music for Glenn Barit, and Best Sound for Mikko Quizon and John Michael Perez. It follows three Cagayan Valley land rights activists fighting displacement.
Habang Nilalamon ng Hydra ang Kasaysayan locked in four nominations, securing Best Actor for Jojit Lorenzo, Best Supporting Actress for Dolly de Leon, Best Supporting Actor for Nanding Josef, and Best Music for Paulo Protacio as it focuses on four Filipinos facing political defeat and disinformation.
Three films earned three nominations each. Republika ng Pipolipinas took Best Screenplay for Renei Dimla, Best Actress for Geraldine Villamil, and Best Supporting Actress for Alessandra de Rossi for its mockumentary on a farmer founding her own micronation.
Ryan Machado’s Raging landed Best Actor for Elijah Canlas, Best Cinematography for Theo Lozada, and Best Sound for Lamberto Casas for its 1990s Sibuyan Island mystery.
Child No. 82: Anak ni Boy Kanaearned Best Supporting Actress for Rochelle Pangilinan-Solinap, Best Editing for Vanessa Ubas De Leon, and Best Sound for Alex Tomboc for its fantasy-comedy about a son claiming an action star's legacy.
Rounding out the lineup, Paglilitis picked up two performance nods with Best Actress for Rissey Reyes-Robinson and Best Supporting Actress for Eula Valdez for its workplace harassment drama.
Organized by the Manunuri ng Pelikulang Pilipino since 1977, Gawad Urian remains a benchmark for cinematic excellence. Since 2005, Cinemalaya has backed over 200 filmmakers and showcased 1,000-plus works, continuing its mission through its recent 22nd edition.
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