For its 22nd edition, the Cinemalaya Philippine Independent Film Festival has once again assembled a distinguished panel of filmmakers, curators, critics, producers, and cultural practitioners from the Philippines and across the globe to serve as jurors who will decide who will take home the coveted Balanghai trophy.
Drawn from different fields of cinema and the arts, the jurors bring a breadth of experience in filmmaking, criticism, curation, cultural work, and international festival programming that will shape the wide range of perspectives in evaluating this year’s Cinemalaya.
The Cinemalaya’s Main Competition Jury
Entrusted with selecting this year’s Balanghai Trophy recipients for the Main Competition are acclaimed filmmaker Sari Lluch Dalena, independent curator/cultural critic Marian Pastor Roces, Indian filmmaker Pradip Kurbah, Italian producer/ international events organizer Lorenzo “Lello” Carvelli, and cinematographer-filmmaker Dan Villegas.
Leading the Main Competition jury is Sari Lluch Dalena, one of the pioneers of Philippine alternative cinema whose body of work spans documentary, experimental, and narrative filmmaking. A professor at the University of the Philippines Film Institute, Dalena has received numerous distinctions for films such as Ka Oryang and The Guerrilla is a Poet. Her Cinemartyrs was part of last year’s edition of Cinemalaya, winning Dalena the Balanghai trophies for Best Director, Best Musical Scoring, and the Special Jury Prize. A recipient of the Fulbright-Hayes Scholarship, she was a recipient of the CCP Thirteen Artist Awards in 2000.
Joining her is Marian Pastor Roces, an internationally recognized independent curator, cultural critic, and policy analyst whose works have shaped conversations on art, politics, museums, and cultural heritage both in the Philippines and abroad. Her decades-long practice has included curating major museums, Philippine pavilions at World Expositions, and influential writings on culture and society.
An award-winning filmmaker from Meghalaya, director Pradip Kurbah has been instrumental in bringing Khasi-language cinema to international audiences. His acclaimed works have earned distinctions at the Moscow International Film Festival, Busan International Film Festival, and India’s National Film Awards. His continued advocacy for regional cinema has helped strengthen independent filmmaking in Northeast India.
Italian producer and international events organizer Lorenzo “Lello” Carvelli joins the jury panel, bringing extensive experience in film production and international cultural events,
including collaborations with the Cannes and Venice film festivals. Since expanding into filmmaking, Carvelli has worked on numerous international productions while remaining active in developing new film and television projects across Europe.
A winner of the Balanghai trophy for Best Photography three times (2008, 2010, and 2024), cinematographer and filmmaker Dan Villegas debuted with the coming-of-age film Mayohan (Maytime) in 2010, which won multiple awards at the 2010 Cinemalaya Independent Film Festival, including Best Cinematography, Best Screenplay, Best Music, and Best Actress. In 2025, he also won the prestigious Gawad Urian for his cinematography in Kono Basho.
The NETPAC Jury Members
The jury for the Network for the Promotion of Asian Cinema (NETPAC) Award will confer recognition on an outstanding Asian film at this year’s Cinemalaya. Serving on this year’s panel are filmmaker and educator Alvin Yapan, Chinese filmmaker and film scholar Haolun Shu, and director, producer, and media executive Perci Intalan.
Their combined expertise in filmmaking, education, production, and Asian cinema reflects NETPAC’s continuing mission of promoting exceptional cinematic voices from the region.
Award-winning filmmaker Alvin Yapan has long been recognized for works that have earned honors from the Gawad Urian, Cairo International Film Festival, and Philippine literary institutions. Alongside his filmmaking practice, he continues to mentor young artists as a faculty member at Ateneo de Manila University.
Filmmaker and Shanghai Film Academy faculty member Haolun Shu brings an international academic and artistic perspective, with films screened and recognized in festivals across Europe, Asia, and the Americas. His work spans documentary and fiction filmmaking while actively contributing to film education in China.
Rounding out the NETPAC jury is Perci Intalan, whose extensive work as a director, producer, and co-founder of The IdeaFirst Company has championed Filipino stories that have resonated locally and internationally. His longstanding relationship with Cinemalaya includes producing and directing films that have garnered NETPAC recognition and international festival acclaim.
Since 2005, Cinemalaya has become a meeting ground for filmmakers and audiences alike who believe in the transformative power of independent cinema. This year’s jury members carry forward that tradition, recognizing films that push and transform artistic boundaries in Philippine and Asian cinema.
Longer run, more venues
Co-organized by the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) and the Cinemalaya Foundation, Inc., with support from the Film Development Council of the Philippines, the country’s pioneering film festival returns with a longer run, from August 6 to 18, 2026, at the Red Carpet Cinemas at Shangri-La Plaza, Gateway Cineplex, and select Ayala Malls Cinemas (TriNoma, Manila Bay, Glorietta 4, Market! Market!, and Circuit).
A Nikkei Prize-winning film festival, the Cinemalaya Philippine Independent Film Festival invites audiences to witness the ever-growing passion and artistry of Philippine cinema with nine (9) full-length and ten (10) short films in competition, made possible through partnerships with Sony, Power Mac, and media partners TV5 Network Inc. and Manila Bulletin.
Regular tickets for Cinemalaya film screenings are priced at Php350.00, with a discounted price of Php250.00 for students. A 20 percent discount is also available to senior citizens, persons with disabilities (PWDs), national coaches, and national athletes. Tickets are available online through the partner cinemas’ ticketing portals and onsite counters.
