Talisay City has officially kicked off its first-ever TaliSine Short Film Festival, introducing a new venue for student filmmaking and local storytelling in Negros Occidental.
Presented by the Department of Education Schools Division Office of Talisay City and the TaliSine Festival Organizing Committee, in partnership with the City Government of Talisay through its Tourism Promotions and Development Office and Economic Development and Investment Promotions Office, the festival opened with the program “Pamukaw: Handuraw sang Kultura kag Istorya” last August 17 at Don Simplicio Lizares National High School.
City Assistant Administrator Ismael Penado formally declared the festival open on behalf of Mayor Rowena Guadalupe Lopez-Lizares. DepEd OIC-Schools Division Superintendent Dr. Jen-Ann V. Rosal welcomed city officials, division personnel, teachers, and students with City Councillor Martin Gerard C. Lizares and UP Visayas Associate Professor and filmmaker Jonathan Jurilla.
Jurilla, who also serves as the Festival Director of TaliSine, said, “This event is only the beginning. Seeing the positive response from Talisaynons and witnessing young students with no previous experience in filmmaking create and produce their own stories, then seeing audiences resonate with them, has been truly heartwarming. I’m fully motivated to push this event as an annual tradition, and I hope that, in the future, we can also welcome filmmakers from outside Talisay to join us.”
The launch featured a cultural performance by the Salinlahi Dance Troupe and presented the nine competing films, namely “Bitso-Bitso” bydirector Camerone Jean G. Realubit and from producer Ma. Yolanda Diongon; “Dabo-Dabo” byJulia Joy Treyes and from Ma. Nadeil Rivera and Kevin John B. Lamio; “Dutan-on” by Rijannah Louisse A. Kubota and from Sir Kirk Joy B. Padios; “Limbong” by Rei Edriane Amihan and from Patricia Mae T. Tingson; “Padayon” by Cheslene Rae Valdevieso and from Diana Jean Perez; “Palapak” by Thea Megan Capili and from Ms. Maribel Lastrado; “Panublion” by Reuben James Bolo and from Ralph Vincent Garbanzos; “Sincerely, Dos Hermanas” by Sophia Mae T. Dela Cruz and from Kezandra D. Gentelizo; and “TaGu (Tanum nga Gugma)” by Franco Amier Piz and from Ma. Jessadel S. Quinoñes.
The films covered themes of family, identity, culture, resilience, and youth experiences. Rather than confining screenings to a single venue, TaliSine operated as a citywide short film caravan running from August 17 to 24. The initiative transformed local high school spaces into temporary cinemas, running morning and afternoon sessions daily to reach student audiences directly.
The caravan included multiple stops across public and private secondary schools like Don Simplicio Lizares National High School, Dr. Antonio A. Lizares Memorial High School, Efegenio Lizares National High School, Inocencio V. Ferrer Memorial School of Fisheries, Colegio San Nicolas de Tolentino – Recoletos, Rafael B. Lacson Memorial High School, and Notre Dame Talisay.
Each screening had talkback sessions where student directors, cast and production crew members interact with their peers. These exchanges gave young filmmakers a platform to share their creative journeys and inspire fellow students to embrace storytelling and advocacy.
The festival’s groundwork began during the TaliSine Film Learning and Development Workshop held from May 12 to 14. Student filmmakers received training from industry practitioners, including Jurilla, visual artist Tey Sevilleno, theater artist Mary Jane Quilisadio, production designer Kathryn Baynosa, and cinematographer Aldwin Juson. Student representatives and coaches also gathered for a Kamustahan orientation at the New City Hall’s SP Session Hall ahead of the festival run.
Evaluating the entries are Helen Arguelles-Cutillar, tourism/cultural development advocate and Festival Director of Sagay City’s Margaha Film Festival; Leonard Ian Billones, filmmaker, screenwriter, and contributor to regional and national film projects; and Daniel de la Cruz, award-winning Ilonggo filmmaker and founder of BDABDA Studios.
The TaliSine Short Film Festival caravan will culminate with the TaliSine 2026 Awards Night on September 4, 7 p.m. at the Talisay City Public Plaza, where the top student filmmakers will be recognized.
Seymour B. Sanchez
Seymour Barros Sanchez is an advocacy filmmaker, communication and film lecturer, freelance writer, creative producer, technical consultant, and a former producer for news and current affairs programs. He served as Bacolod Film Festival director in 2024 and Technical Consultant for Academic Linkages of the Film Development Council of the Philippines from 2022 to 2025. He is a member of the Academic Film Society Advisory Committee of the FDCP, a representative of the Education Sector to the National Committee on Cinema Executive Council, and Secretary of the NCC.
