Three years after its launch, the Puregold CinePanalo Film Festival has grown from an ambitious idea into a platform for Filipino filmmakers.
Speaking at the festival’s media conference, festival director Chris Cahilig reflected on CinePanalo’s beginnings and how Puregold’s decision to support the festival was rooted in its belief in the talent and potential of Filipino filmmakers.
“When we first launched it, many doubted us and wondered if we were really serious about it. But Puregold took a chance because they believed in the ability and talent of Filipino filmmakers,” Cahilig said.
He added that the festival was built on the belief that Filipino stories could go beyond the country’s borders and reach audiences in different parts of the world.
“They believed that if we gave Filipino filmmakers a platform for their stories, they could go beyond borders and reach places that we could not have imagined reaching. Look at them now. The filmmakers who started here have brought their films to different countries and introduced Filipino stories to audiences outside the Philippines,” he said.
For the festival’s first two years, organizers followed a specific theme centered on “winning stories.” Cahilig said they eventually decided to do away with it.
“We gave our filmmakers the freedom to tell what they wanted to say, what they wanted to show, and what they felt needed to be heard and seen by our audiences. We wanted them to have the freedom to tell their stories and to show the perspectives they believe are important,” Cahilig said.
That decision is reflected in this year’s lineup, which brings together seven full-length films and 19 student short films. The entries cover different genres, subjects and perspectives, with filmmakers coming from various parts of the country.
Cahilig particularly highlighted the short films as evidence of the emerging generation of Filipino filmmakers finding their own cinematic voices.
“We have 19 student short films that are not defined by just one perspective. They have different views and ways of looking at life and being Filipino,” he said.
For him, the diversity of the films is not a division but a reflection of the broader Filipino experience.
“Different perspectives, different voices, different visions. But inside the cinema, all of these come together into one big story — our story as Filipinos. And for me, that is the real beauty of CinePanalo,” Cahilig said.
The full-length competition features Thop Nazareno’s coming-of-age film “Apol of My Ai,” Lawrence Fajardo’s “Beast,” BC Amparado’s “Mono No Aware,” Rodina Singh’s “Multwoh (Patay Na Patay Sa’yo),” Carl Joseph Papa and Ian Pangilinan’s “Patay Gutom,” Mikko Baldoza’s “Stuck on You,” and Joseph Abello’s “Wantawsan.”
The student shorts, meanwhile, tackle a range of subjects including family, grief, identity, faith, social realities, coming of age and community life.
While Cahilig expressed pride in the festival’s growth, he stressed that there is still more work to be done in supporting Filipino cinema.
“I am happy when I see that we are fulfilling dreams that once seemed impossible. But I know that our journey is only beginning,” he said.
“There are still many stories that need to be found, many voices that need to be heard, many filmmakers who need to be given opportunities, and many more Filipino films that deserve to be seen by the world,” Cahilig added.
“While there are Filipinos who have stories they want to tell, there should always be a space where they can share them. And while there are filmmakers who are willing to take risks, there should always be someone who will stand behind them,” he ended.
The Puregold CinePanalo Film Festival 2026 runs from Sept. 23 to Oct. 4 at Gateway Cineplex 18, TriNoma, Fairview Terraces, Ayala Malls Feliz, Ayala Malls Circuit, Ayala Malls Manila Bay and Market! Market!
Regular tickets are priced at P250, while discounted tickets cost P200. A festival pass priced at P2,000 is also available. Festival passes will be sold at Gateway Cineplex 18 beginning Sept. 22 and at TriNoma starting Sept. 23.
