MANILA, Philippines – Philippine cinema will never be complete without women.
We’ve seen talented actresses effortlessly shapeshift into any role you could imagine, be it the notorious kontrabida (villain), the successful career woman, or the doting mother — and these don’t even begin to cover it all.
But Filipinas have been known to shine behind the camera, too. Plenty of the Philippines’ most prominent directors, screenwriters, cinematographers, and producers are women.
And this edition of the Philippine Film Industry Month (PFIM) seeks to celebrate all these female luminaries, taking on the theme of “Pelikula at Pilipina.”
During the 2025 PFIM gala night, the Film Development Council of the Philippines (FDCP), led by Jose Javier Reyes, honored five outstanding women for their work in pushing local cinema forward. Learn more about their legacies here.
Lee Briones-Meily: Power in softness
Lee Briones-Meily is the cinematographer behind iconic films like Tanging Yaman, Crying Ladies, and Amigo. A Communication Arts graduate from De La Salle University, Meily is a quiet yet strong force on set — racking up a long list of awards throughout her career.
Among her accolades, the 62-year-old cinematographer has won back-to-back Metro Manila Film Festival Best in Cinematography awards for her work in Baler and I Love You, Goodbye in 2008 and 2009, respectively; and also took home a Best in Cinematography prize at the 2017 Luna Awards for Ignacio de Loyola. She also won Best in Cinematography for Kamkam at the 2015 FAMAS Awards.
“Mula noon hanggang ngayon, unti-unti kong binubuo kung ano talagang ginagawa sa likod ng camera. Natututo akong tumayo with honesty, hanapin ang kwento na galing sa aking puso, [and] the truth that I want to say in the stories that I do,” the cinematographer said during her PFIM acceptance speech.
(From the past to the present, I’m slowly piecing together what is really done behind the camera. I learned to stand with honesty, look for the stories that come from my heart, and the truth that I want to say in the stories that I do.)
Raquel Villavicencio: Laying the solid groundwork
Raquel Villavicencio knows how to give life to films no matter where she is on set.
As an actress, you may have seen her in films and television shows like Dragon Lady, Kapag Nahati ang Puso, Niño, Bisperas, and more.
But she is also often found behind the scenes, laying the foundation for many of the media we deem iconic today. She was a frequent collaborator of the late Mike de Leon, who directed some of the films she wrote the scripts and screenplays for: Kisapmata, Kakabakaba Ka Ba?, and Batch ’81.
If you’ve watched (and loved) the plots of films Hihintayin Kita Sa Langit, Init sa Magdamag, Makiusap Ka sa Diyos, Saan Ka Man Naroroon, Palimos ng Pag-ibig, and The Promise, to name a few, you have Villavicencio to thank.
During her acceptance speech, Villavicencio credited her success as a writer, production designer, and actress to the large community of women in the local film industry who have rallied behind her all these years, among them being director Laurice Guillen, Mother Lily Monteverde of Regal Entertainment Inc., and Emilia Blas of Lea Productions.
Gina Alajar: Uplifting stories of women, by women
Whether you prefer television over movies and vice versa, it’s hard to miss Gina Alajar’s presence.
She’s been in over 100 series and films as an actress, beginning her career when she was just an 8-year-old girl who wanted to showcase her acting chops in front of the camera. Moral, Sister Stella L., Bulaklak sa City Jail, Biktima, José Rizal, Mano Po, Pieta, Amaya, Sana Ngayong Pasko — these don’t even begin to scratch the surface of her extensive acting credits.
Alajar means business, and it’s not just as an actress. She’s an accomplished television director, too.
She breathed life into the teleseryes Kadenang Kristal, Rio Del Mar, Hawak Ko ang Langit, and Walang Hanggan from the mid-‘90s to the early 2000s — to Magdalena: Anghel sa Putikan, Anna Karenina, The Half Sisters, Onanay, and Prima Donnas from the 2010s to the 2020s.
“I was given the privilege to grow, not just an actress but also as a director. At ito po ang natutunan ko, na sa bawat role, bawat kwento, ay hindi lang para sa akin at tungkol sa akin (And I learned that every role, every story, isn’t just for me and about me). It’s for the Filipino people. It’s about our identity, our struggles, our resilience, our hope, and most especially our faith,” Alajar said as she accepted her award during the gala night.
Malou Santos: From reluctant newbie to film production powerhouse
A decorated industry veteran making decades of impact, Malou Santos has produced films featuring the biggest stars of each generation.
The steadfast reputation she had built in the film industry, however, had come as a surprise. Santos shared during her acceptance speech that she had worked as a casino front desk officer, encyclopedia seller, and assistant bank manager before her sister, Charo Santos-Concio, asked her to help her out with the film, Pasukuin si Waway.
Malou had contested at first, telling her sister that she had no knowledge of how film production worked, and she wasn’t even a Mass Communication graduate. But Malou eventually gave in, and all it took was Charo agreeing to let her take pictures with the actors on set.
Now, Santos is the guiding force behind Star Cinema — the production house that has brought to the fore many of the Philippines’ most popular films across genres — and has produced a long list of movies that Filipinos from any age group would recognize.
There’s Labs Kita, Okey Ka Lang? (1998) featuring the timeless, iconic love team of Jolina Magdangal and Marvin Agustin. She’s Dating the Gangster (2014) that featured one of the most notable love teams of the current generation, KathNiel. The Feng Shui movies that helped cement Kris Aquino’s status as the “Philippine Box Office Horror Queen.” And let’s not forget the bone-chilling Patayin sa Sindak si Barbara (1995), which starred Lorna Tolentino, Dawn Zulueta, Tonton Gutierrez, and Antoinette Taus. The list goes on.
Olivia Lamasan: Generational story shaper
“She birthed stories that live in us long after the credits roll. Olivia Lamasan gave us love stories with depth, family dramas with love, and characters who looked and loved like us. She spoke the language of the Filipino heart and we listened,” the opening spiel of Olivia Lamasan’s tribute video said.
A writer, director, producer, and creative consultant, Lamasan served as the writer for early ‘90s films like Ipagpatawad Mo, Bala at Rosaryo, Lumayo Ka Man sa Akin, and Mahal Kita, Walang Iba.
She would go on to direct her first-ever feature film, Maala-ala Mo Kaya: The Movie, in 1994. Maala-ala Mo Kaya has always been about telling the stories of Filipino people in a way that would not only touch viewers, but would leave a lasting impact on them long after the screen goes black. Since then, it became clear that this would be the foundation of Lamasan’s storytelling.
She became the director behind the romance film Sana Maulit Muli starring Lea Salonga and Aga Muhlach; the family drama film Madrasta topbilled by Sharon Cuneta and Christopher de Leon; the romcom Got 2 Believe, featuring Claudine Barretto and the late Rico Yan; the romance drama The Mistress with John Lloyd Cruz and Bea Alonzo; and the emotional Barcelona: A Love Untold with Kathryn Bernardo and Daniel Padilla, among others.
She is also the producer behind the romantic drama Hello, Love, Goodbye, starring Alden Richards and Kathryn Bernardo, and would go on to write the film’s 2024 sequel, Hello, Love Again, which set the new Philippine box-office record just over a week after its premiere.
Aside from the five honorees, Sunshine director Antoinette Jadaone and Food Delivery: Fresh From the West Philippine Sea director Baby Ruth Villarama, also received special citations during the awarding. – Rappler.com
