Celebrating 21 years of fearless storytelling, Cinemalaya returns with a diverse selection of 10 full-length features and 10 short films that challenge, examine, and celebrate both the mundane and extraordinary aspects of Filipino life.

Continuing its legacy of fearless storytelling, the Cinemalaya Philippine Independent Film Festival returns from October 3 to 12, 2025. With the theme “Cinemalaya 21: Layag sa Alon, Hangin, at Unos”, the country’s foremost independent film festival charts a bold new course in its 21st year. 

This edition features 10 full-length and 10 short films competing for top honors—each a testament to the power of independent cinema, namely its ability to inspire, provoke, and reflect the many faces of the Filipino experience. While Cinemalaya has sailed through its fair share of storms over the past few years, it returns ready to amplify a diverse set of voices that venture beyond the mainstream to deliver authentic stories, straight from the hearts and minds of burgeoning Filipino filmmakers. 

The Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) and the Cinemalaya Foundation, Inc. proudly expand this year’s cinematic celebration to even more venues. Joining as a new partner and main screening location is Red Carpet Cinemas by Shangri-La Plaza. Ayala Malls, a longstanding supporter of CCP and Cinemalaya for over two decades, continues its partnership as a key venue for Cinemalaya 21. Gateway Cineplex also comes on board, further widening access for moviegoers to experience the finest in Filipino independent cinema.

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The Finalists Of Cinemalaya 21

In a special event, members of the press were given the opportunity to view the official trailers of festival finalists. It was an enticing line-up of pieces with intriguing premises, not to mention a diverse one spanning multiple genres—from fantasy to comedy—and even featuring one stop-motion animation short film in the style of a psychological thriller (I’m Best Left Inside My Head). 

These finalists went through a rigorous selection process headed by renowned filmmaker Carlos Siguion-Reyna. He revealed that the selection committee received 336 short film submissions (already finished products) and 190 full-length film submissions (which included treatments and storylines). For the full-length category, 20 participants were later invited to pitch their projects before joining the festival’s Film Lab, after which the committee selected the final 10 entries.

“Yes, the whole process, submission, development to final film took about 20 months. That means, as we introduce the new films of Cinemalaya 2025 to you today, work on the 2026 Batch has already begun,” shares Cinemalaya Foundation President Laurice Guillen in an opening speech. “As you can see, it is a continuing cycle. After 20 years, you can say it’s a never-ending process. Difficult, almost impossible, but thoroughly necessary, meaningful and valuable to the industry and to Philippine culture.”

Full-Length Films in Competition

This year’s finalists vying for the Balanghai Trophy for Best Film in the full-length category are:

Bloom Where You Are Planted by Nonilon Abao

Three land rights activists contend with their volatile notions of home amid terror and red-tagging in Cagayan Valley.

Child No. 82 by Tim Rone Villanueva

At a wake, a persevering high school student must prove that he is the 82nd child of the Philippines’ biggest action-fantasy movie star in the hopes of seeing his late father one last time.

Cinemartyrs by Sari Dalena

Recreating forgotten massacres from Philippine history, a young filmmaker begins shooting at a site where 1,000 men, women, and children were slaughtered. But the angry spirits are awakened and the lives of her team and the local villagers are put in peril.

Habang Nilalamon ng Hydra ang Kasaysayan by Dustin Celestino

Four Filipinos confront the slow erasure of memory and truth in a country devoured by disinformation.

Padamlágan by Jenn Romano

Five days before the proclamation of Martial Law, the Colgante Bridge collapsed in Naga, forcing a father into a desperate search for his missing son.

Paglilitis by Cheska Marfori and Raymund Barcelon

Years after experiencing sexual harassment at her workplace, a former executive assistant is persuaded by a passionate lawyer to file a case against her rich and highly respected boss.

Open Endings by Nigel Santos and Keavy Vicente

Four queer women in their 30s who are exes-turned-best-friends navigate adulthood, love, friendship, chosen families, and everything in between.

Republika ng Pipolipinas by Renei Dimla

When the local government threatens to evict her from her own land, a farmer renounces her Filipino citizenship and builds her own micronation.

Raging by Ryan Machado

A young man’s quest for truth and justice interwines with a plane crash mystery, uncovering a sinister plot that propels his desire to be heard but also threatens his community.

Warla by Kevin Alambra

Kitkat, a 19-year-old transgender woman, finds the family she’s been longing for in a gang of sisters who kidnap foreign men to fund their gender-affirming surgeries, until their crimes force her to question the true cost of belonging.

Short Features in Competition

The short film category also showcases bold, original voices from a new generation of storytellers, and includes the following entries: 

“Ascension from the Office Cubicle” by Hannah Silvestre

Thelma, an exploited call center agent, grows increasingly enamored by the late night host of the local lottery draw.

“Figat” by Handiong Kapuno

While the world is lost in screens, a young Kalinga girl—untouched by the pull of technology—brings a handmade instrument to class, carrying the voice of her ancestors and inspiring a quiet yet powerful return to cultural pride.

“Hasang” by Daniel de la Cruz

One summer, a young boy witnesses his grandmother slowly transforming into a tilapia.

“I’m Best Left Inside My Head” by Elian Idioma

Alec Dominguez, a 20-something-year-old multi-talented, multi-awarded-golden-boy-adopted by-the–owners–of–gay-philantrophists has a reunion with his old buddies from his original home, The Dominguez Orphanage.

“Kay Basta Angkarabo Yay Bagay Ibat ha Langit” by Marie Estela Paiso

A young girl turns into a fish and recounts the territorial aggression being experienced by the fisherfolk in her hometown Zambales.

“Kung Tugnaw ang Kaidalman sang Lawod” by Seth Andrew Blanca

In his desperation to send money to his girlfriend, a debt-stricken seafarer takes his superior’s help, only to sense an unknown presence tightening its hold on him.

“Please Keep This Copy” by Miguel Lorenzo Peralta

Across a white void, old pages come to life and speak. A cacophony of archival voices of rebellious youth in a private all-boys Catholic high school during a moment of political turmoil breaks through, seeking liberation as lines break out of formation and colored ink spills out of the pages.

“Radikals” by Arvin Belarmino

A young rookie from a bizarre chicken-dance group faces a heckler after being the worst dancer at a performance—leading him to a series of strange events that reveal what the group does to their weakest link.

“The Next 24 Hours” by Carl Joseph Papa

After a sexual assault, a young woman navigates a cold and bureaucratic system over the course of 24 hours, fighting to reclaim her safety and sanity while battling the manipulations of her assailant.

“Water Sports” by Whammy Alcazaren

Two sad boys harness the power of their love in an attempt to survive a world devastated by climate change.

37th Gawad CCP Para sa Alternatibong Pelikula at Video:

Running alongside the main competition is the 37th Gawad CCP Para sa Alternatibong Pelikula at Video—the longest-running independent film competition in Southeast Asia. Entries will compete across four categories: Short Feature/Narrative, Experimental, Documentary, and Animation—continuing to spotlight inventive, boundary-pushing work from Filipino creators.

Since 2005, Cinemalaya has supported and showcased over 1,000 titles, including full-length features, shorts, documentaries, classics, and art films, many of which have earned acclaim both locally and internationally. Now two decades strong, the festival remains a vital force in Philippine cinema.

A closer look at this year’s lineup reveals that, while the films vary widely in execution and tone, they are united by thematic threads that reflect enduring societal concerns—expanding on cultural narratives deeply woven into everyday Filipino life. With its unwavering commitment to discovering new talent and amplifying independent voices, more than just a festival, it has become a home for storytellers who dare to go against the current.

For more information, visit the CCP website at www.culturalcenter.gov.ph and the Cinemalaya website www.cinemalaya.org. Follow the official CCP and Cinemalaya Facebook pages and other social media accounts on X, Instagram, and TikTok.

Photos courtesy of the CCP and Cinemalaya.