Building on the momentum of the recently-concluded Cinemalaya 21: Layag sa Alon, Hangin, at Unos, the CuCenter of the Philippines and the Cinemalaya Foundation Inc. are raising the artistic bar high once again as they unveil the 10 new full-length finalists who will be competing in the country’s pioneering independent film festival in 2026.
For its 22nd edition, Cinemalaya will continue to uphold its vision to develop and support the production of cinematic works of Filipino independent filmmakers that boldly articulate and freely interpret the Filipino experience with fresh insight and artistic integrity, with new narratives that embody the ever-evolving landscape of Filipino cinema.
The 2026 finalists, culled from the 20 semi-finalists, are still undergoing training at the Cinemalaya Film Lab, a three-month-long film-laboratory mentorship program meant to prime the finalists in the different aspects of filmmaking such as scriptwriting, directing, cinematography, performance, editing, production design, sound, music, production management, and promotion strategies, among others.
The 10 finalists of the Cinemalaya Main Competition (Full-Length Category) are:
2 VALID IDs BY MA-AN ASUNCION-DAGÑALAN and ABET PADAGDAGAN RAZ
Sylvia, a poor farmer, is unable to claim the money sent to her because she lacks the required two valid IDS. In her struggle in securing the IDs, Sylvia finds herself in a situation that challenges her character, beliefs, and morality.
‘A.NI.MAL BY DUSTIN CELESTINO
In a provincial Philippine town, the naïve daughter of the mayor comes home with a video of a powerful family friend abusing his dog.
DANGEOM BY PAUL STA. ANA
A gay Korean-Filipino dancer and his Korean aunt, bound by their patriarch’s dementia, clash over a missing heirloom dagger as they each struggle for acceptance – he in a foreign land; she, within a tradition that denies her.
GANGGANG BY JL BURGOS
At the first clash of their fighting spiders, Ilay and Ten-ten knew they would go home as losers. Anton, the winner of the fight, will once again lord over their school. At the sideline is Mel, a
newcomer and a city boy, watching the rowdy play in awe, unaware that soon he will become an ally of Ilay and Ten-ten against the real neighborhood bully.
KAMAY NI BATHALA BY MARK DUANE ANGOS
In a remote village scarred by years of conflict, a young army lieutenant introduces football to children. As the game begins to heal wounds and rebuild trust, he forms a fragile bond with a child soldier — forcing both to choose between the innocence they’ve lost and the violent realities of war.
MAG-IINA BY GIANCARLO ABRAHAN & GUELAN LUARCA
A woman returns to her family’s ancestral home to mourn her estranged father, reuniting three generations of women who uncover that the grief, the madness, and the evil within the decaying mansion are thicker than blood.
MAY BUNTOT ANG MGA YAN BY ALPHA HABON
A coming-of-age story of two friends in Mindoro – Niko, a Manila boy, and Ayan, a Mangyan. Their unique bond spans a whole summer of being introduced to each other’s culture and lifestyle, with Niko teaching Ayan how to read, who in turn teaches Niko how to swim.
STATUS REJECTED BY VAHN LEINARD PASCUAL
Longing for love and the promise of a better life, a grandmother finds herself swept into an unexpected online romance that challenges her sense of worth, family, and the dreams she refuses to let go of.
TAYO LANG ANG NAKAKAALAM BY DAVID CORPUZ
Bound by a love kept in silence, a man struggles to remain seen within a family that once made him feel at home.
TIRIK BY MAY-I PADILLA
Paring Bert, a priest, and his parishioner, Santos, a taxi driver, goes on a gritty journey to make peace with their moral conflicts while they elude an assassination attempt.
For more information, visit the CCP website (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.
