PFIM 2026: Beyond the awards

The Philippine Film Industry Month (PFIM) 2026 concluded on 30 September at Seda Vertis North in Quezon City with a simple, unpretentious, and genuinely moving ceremony.

Under the theme “Pelikula: Ginintuang Ikalawa,” the celebration marked the 50th anniversary of the Second Golden Age of Philippine Cinema while honoring artists and institutions that have shaped the industry. Led by FDCP chair and CEO Jose Javier Reyes, the program was brisk and uncomplicated, letting film clips, performances, and tributes support the honorees.

The Lifetime Achievement Awards went to Manunuri ng Pelikulang Pilipino, Vic del Rosario, Hilda Koronel, and the late Tito Genova Valiente. The Annual Achievement Awards honored Ryan Machado, Jorrybell Agoto, Ruby Ruiz, and the women of Enjoy Your Stay — Mercedes Cabral, Anna Luna, Hasmine Killip, Irma Adlawan, Donna Cariaga and Madeleine Nicolas. The list reflected where Philippine cinema is getting attention today: beyond our borders.

Global reach

Recognition at Sundance, Berlin, Venice, and other major festivals matters. It puts Filipino films before international audiences and provides opportunities for filmmakers and actors.

More importantly, when prestigious festivals recognize the quality, craftsmanship, and substance of Filipino stories, it is encouraging — hopefully pushing our local industry to demand more of itself.

But we must not develop an inferiority complex. We do not need Western approval to establish our value. International recognition should expand our reach, not determine which films deserve attention at home. We already have the talent.

Jorrybell’s award

That was particularly evident with Jorrybell Agoto, who could not attend. The last time I saw Jorrybell in person was mid-August, at Cinemalaya’s closing screening of Rafael Manuel’s Filipiñana, celebrating on stage in a sparkling beaded pink skirt.

She is now in critical care at St. Luke’s Medical Center in Quezon City, battling lymphoma, while her family appeals for financial help.

The timing is difficult. Filipiñana premiered at the 2026 Sundance Film Festival, had its European premiere at Berlin, and was selected by the Film Academy of the Philippines as the official submission for Best International Feature Film at the 99th Academy Awards — our Oscar submission.

One industry

AKTOR president Iza Calzado accepted Jorrybell’s award, reading messages from her mother and brother thanking everyone and asking for prayers. Iza spoke of Jorrybell’s plans to act, direct, and coach, highlighting her work in independent cinema and student thesis films.

Then came her call for solidarity: help Jorrybell financially, “not just as individuals, but as one industry.” When someone in our community faces a medical crisis, goodwill must become concrete action.

Iza closed her speech with a message that captured the room: “Laban lang, Jorrybell. Ang laban mo ay laban nating lahat. Mabuhay ka at maraming nagmamahal sa’yo. (Keep fighting, Jorrybell. We are all fighting with you. Stay strong, and know that many people love you.)”

Film criticism

The Lifetime Achievement honor for Manunuri ng Pelikulang Pilipino also highlighted the role of criticism, with the organization having contributed significantly to the chronicling of Philippine film history since its inception in 1976.

I hope, then, that the industry also embraces the reality of today: film discourse now spans critics, filmmakers, academics, creators, KOLs and ordinary moviegoers. This expansion can enrich the conversation, but it also requires standards. We cannot strengthen Philippine cinema while tolerating gatekeeping, the suppression of negative reviews, pressure for favorable coverage, or the use of reviewers as extensions of PR machinery. Professional access and tropahan culture should also not dictate who gets heard.

Conversely, having a platform does not automatically make someone a critic. Audiences must distinguish informed criticism from publicity, and independent opinion from commercial loyalty. A negative review is not an attack on Philippine cinema; it is part of taking the art form seriously. If we want better films, filmmakers must be willing to accept criticism without trying to silence it, while critics must be able to argue their positions without fear of punishment. More voices should lead to better discourse, not more gatekeeping.

Beyond the awards

The ceremony honored the Second Golden Age of Philippine Cinema (1976–1986), celebrated contemporary artists gaining international attention, and recognized those who have helped document and shape our cinema.

But our next chapter demands more than celebrating past achievements or securing foreign acclaim. It requires stronger local audiences, room for new voices, honest criticism, and, above all, an industry mature enough to protect its talent, allow itself to be challenged, and take concrete care of its own.