Discoveries from Philippines World Cinema

Paloma is a young lady deprived of romance while being closely guarded by her elder sister. Her caged state is about to change when a buff man hired to be their gardener enters her life.

A story set in the Philippine Republic in the 1900s where a lass, a Spanish mestizo, and a fisherman are caught up by Macabebe soldiers who are trying to capture Emilio Aguinaldo.

In a world where dreams are often limited by poverty and prejudice, a Grade 10 student from a struggling neighborhood, dares to dream of becoming an engineer and battles the weight of gender stereotypes.

A story about the life of a young girl living with her mother in the slums of Manila, which becomes unbearable when her mother's young boyfriend moves in with them.

Ang Huling El Bimbo is a story of friendship told through the songs of the most iconic Pinoy rock band from the 90’s. It is an original story that should resonate with people who understand how the powerful bond between friends shapes our lives. It will also be a nostalgic journey, driven by songs that have become part of the collective Pinoy psyche. Filmed live at the Newport Performing Arts Theater, Resorts World Manila

When his sister disappears after leaving their home in hopes of singing stardom, Luis tracks her down and discovers the grim reality of her whereabouts.

No one can stop a true warrior. Inspired by a true story.

Araro tells the story of the sanctity of marriage of Andoy and Elena. Like Adam and Eve, their vows were tempted by a stranger named Steve, figuratively playing the snake in the paradise. Will their love prevail over temptations? Will morality and sexuality defines their humanity? In the end, the temptations lead them to become better persons and stick to the sanctity of their marriage vow.

After living in Denmark for 38 years, Francisco has decided to move back to his homeland, the Philippines—a country he feels he has never really left. So, on a cold winter evening, he meets with his daughter, who was born and raised in Denmark, to tell her that he plans to leave just a few days later.

When the Love Is Gone is a 2013 Filipino romantic drama film directed by Andoy Ranay, starring Cristine Reyes, Gabby Concepcion, Alice Dixson, Andi Eigenmann, and Jake Cuenca. The film is distributed by Viva Films with co-production of Multivision Pictures and was released November 27, 2013 nationwide as part of Viva Films' 32nd anniversary. The movie is a remake of the 1983 blockbuster movie directed by Danny Zialcita entitled Nagalit ang Buwan sa Haba ng Gabi which stars Dindo Fernando, Gloria Diaz, Laurice Guillen, and Eddie Garcia.

An elderly nun witnesses a young construction worker's fatal accident, compelling her to question the ethical principles of the institution she has devoted her life to.

A hustler and the child he took in routinely con the wealthy — but a life-changing opportunity could end their inseparable bond.

It follows Apol who is a writer and a diner waitress who falls for a customer who already has a girlfriend. She then gains the ability to turn back time which she uses to go back to the ay she first meets Ozzi.

Rafi (Anne Curtis) is happily committed to her lovely partner in life, Mark (Derek Ramsay). She's a bachelorette from a rich family, who belongs to the "Friday Club", the regular get-together of her college friends. Rafi is an attention-getter because of her in and out beauty and impressive credentials. But one day, a major life decision shifts everyone's impression of her. Sam (Andi Eigenmann), a rebellious, carefree and happy-go-lucky woman, who thinks that she can get away with her every dilemma. However, her perspectives turn 180 degrees when she meets the man who unexpectedly changes her life.

Two Pinay bar dancers working hard in the land of rising sun. Ayu searches for her father, who is a local; while Aki weighs on getting an abortion. Their lives overlap and intersect with one another, thus affecting their life decisions.

A transgender sex worker in her late 40s along Fields Avenue whose only aspiration is to have breast implants for her profession unexpectedly assumes the role of a mother to her orphaned niece, a transgender youth who is only beginning to discover her own sexuality. As she works more shifts to save for her implants, troubles arise when she begins to feel the weight of her struggles – being an aging sex worker in fast-evolving society, a partner to her young fiancé, and a parent to a teenager she just met. Her difficult confrontations eventually lead her to a new attitude towards life, and a unique recipe to a famous Kapampangan dish, Sisig.

Ely, a young man who can't get over Celine, his past love, meets Mia, a young woman who escaped from a painful past in the Philippines and is trying her luck to rebuild her life in Spain. They meet. They fall in love. But can they overcome the hurt of the past to have a future together?

The movie follows a group of teenagers that are terrorized by an evil spirit. The film revolves around the traditional Filipino belief that one should never go home directly after visiting a wake since it risks bringing evil spirits or the deceased to one's home.

After three decades' wrongful incarceration for murder, a woman discovers that her friend and fellow inmate committed the murder of which she was accused. This leads to her release and subsequent discovery of the man who framed her — her ruling class ex-lover.

A lonely man meets a free-spirited woman, who teaches him nine steps in order to move on. As she helps him, they will start to fall for each other.

Experience the first three weeks of the groundbreaking action-packed drama that is also the retelling of 'Voltes V,' the most loved anime of all generations, a touching story of love for family amidst the war between humans and the invading Boazanian Forces. The only thing that stands between Earth and its complete annihilation is the Earth's last line of defense- the Voltes team and their super robot, Voltes V.

Evading the police, Issa and her brother Tomas seek shelter in a secluded orphanage in the forest. But the siblings’ safe haven soon reveals itself to be a hellscape controlled by a sacrificial cult in thrall to a fearsome nocturnal deity.

In a world where dreams are often limited by poverty and prejudice, a Grade 10 student from a struggling neighborhood, dares to dream of becoming an engineer and battles the weight of gender stereotypes.

Ángel is a newly arrived immigrant who is experiencing his first winter in Chicago. The film follows his realisation of what it may mean to be away from home for a very long time.

Two years after their breakup, a Bicolano chef on the rise reunites with his ex- girlfriend who is back in the province for a brief work visit. Still feeling bitter about their breakup, he tries to seduce her to ruin her engagement, only to find himself falling for her once more.

A story about the life of a young girl living with her mother in the slums of Manila, which becomes unbearable when her mother's young boyfriend moves in with them.

An actress commits suicide in a theatre full of people. Now she haunts the venue and those who visit.

Ramon failed to get his inheritance just as his mother died. The last will testament asked that he be able to have a son. He and his girlfriend embarked on a quest to find the perfect pair to give them a baby.

Four young people getting horny. Settled on one roof. Can they control their lust?

Accused of treason, Dr. Jose P. Rizal awaits trial and meets with his colonial government-appointed counsel, Luis Taviel de Andrade. The two build the case and arguments for the defense as significant events in the central figure's life prior to his incarceration unfold. Upon hearing Rizal's life story, Taviel begins to realize that the accused not just is innocent but exhibits in fact all the qualities of an extraordinary man. When the mock trial unreels, Taviel is all set to act as the prime advocate for his client as Rizal himself is about to give an earth-moving speech to defend his honor and address his countrymen. Meanwhile, the Spanish authorities have worked out the vast political machinery to ensure a guilty verdict. A revolution waits in the wings.

Two hours after the apocalypse started in the Philippines, a silly Filipino stray rescue dog is dead set on finding her student owner through a long dangerous journey to defeat her worst enemy: an empty food bowl.

A young woman, who just arrived in a barrio, falls in love with a married man. When people around them start to meddle, their forbidden romance is put to test.

A community rushes to a faith healer after learning that one of them was miraculously healed from a deadly disease by the same person. They are torn apart afterwards as the healing brings them a terrible curse that wreaks harm and death.

A hardworking and loyal OFW, a chef from Dubai, returns home hoping to pursue his dream of owning his restaurant and starting his own life. However, he finds himself at odds with his family and their toxic tendencies, making him question “Where does sacrifice end and selfishness begin?"

A computer scientist bargains with the AI character that lives on a virtual island inside his supercomputer simulation, offering it freedom in exchange for a cure to his son's rare, deadly neurological disease.

A lonely wife falls in love with her mysterious tenant, Kiko.

When an aspiring actor practices his role as a billionaire out loud, a gossip about him being rich spreads like wildfire. Now, the girls and the goons are after him.

Norma, a typical teenager who is always online, created a joint social media account for her and her boyfriend to mark their third monthsary. She gets a rare illness called electromagnetic hypersensitivity, which means she can't be around cellphones, tablets, laptops, and Wi-Fi. To help her cope with her syndrome, Norma relocates to a remote province with no signal, forcing her to have a long-distance relationship with Leo.

Legend has it that once every 100 years a superhero with the powers of lightning shows up to save mankind from the forces of evil. It is believed that if a person gets hit thrice by lightning and lives to survive another day, he shall be the chosen one. Perla is a dressmaker who lives and works for her siblings, Percy and Penny. After being hit by lightning thrice, Perla discovers that she has developed superpowers: she can generate heat and electricity with her hands, and lightning flashes come out of her hands. With these superpowers, she becomes famous as the superhero, VOLTA.

Karen and Lex meet on a dating app, only to discover they're living fifteen years apart, connected by a comet. As they unravel the mystery of their unique situation, they work together to change the past and alter their fates.

A modern-day version of the biblical legend of Cain and Abel, the strong-willed matriarch Señora Pina favors her younger son, Ellis, over the older Lorenzo, whom she blames for her husband's death.

Joy travels to Valletta, Malta, to reunite with her ex-partner Ced, aiming to ask him to walk their daughter down the aisle, as per her request. However, their complicated past and unresolved issues lead to comedic and heartfelt moments as they navigate their rekindled interactions.

An American military advisor becomes disillusioned by the brutality and corruption of the Central American government which hired him. When his shift in sympathies becomes known, he's arrested and tortured but soon escapes, along with a beautiful American woman, in order to join the rebels.

After living in Denmark for 38 years, Francisco has decided to move back to his homeland, the Philippines—a country he feels he has never really left. So, on a cold winter evening, he meets with his daughter, who was born and raised in Denmark, to tell her that he plans to leave just a few days later.

Influencer Allyson, bride-to-be Roni, and newly single Patricia are from different worlds, unaware that trusting the wrong man will force them into a terrifying situation where their lives may depend on each other.

The story of Celia and her family whose source of income is cooking and selling rice. Celia was obligated to marry Igme whom her parents got indebted to although she is still emotionally attached to the another man she loves.

To stamp out the threat of nuclear war, a special ops team must travel to North Korea to carry out a covert mission to destroy a nuclear power plant. Everything does not go as planned. Their communications are cut off and they must remember their survival training to get them through.

When a civil war in the Philippines breaks out, a gay man born into a military family is forced to enlist in place of his ailing father.

The story of gamers turned lovers Cairo and Gavreel, to spend time together in Gavreel's house, a few weeks before Cairo returns to his province. What starts out as a romantic holiday for the young couple turns into a relationship test that they have to overcome. Cairo is faced with the reality of his imminent departure while Gavreel is compelled to make a life-changing decision. After defying distance and even the pandemic, will Cairo and Gavreel be able to prove once again that their love for each other is strong enough to withstand fate and circumstance?

In 1947, those aspiring to be priest are sent to a remote convent to live in seclusion on the last day of their training. The purpose is to shield them from evil of the world. The plot thickens when a mysterious young girl comes to the convent but the question is whether she is really sent by God or by the Evil.

Daniel, a junior military officer, was reassigned to Zamboanga where he found his unit to be misbehaved and corrupt. He began working to solve the problem.

It has been 23 years since a world war during which combatants unleashed a lab-created virus that has made life no fun at all. Civilization has broken down into forcibly celibate, warring male and female tribes. Any co mingling, even rape, is punished by both sides with summary execution, for victim and perpetrator alike. A paramilitary fanatic on a vague religious mission leads his gunmen to massacre a peaceful scientific community where men and women committed the blasphemy of co-ed habitation.

After proposing marriage to Joanna, Paulo takes her to the beach, knowing that she loves swimming. He also encourages her to go free diving while he joins his friends for an exciting ride with his newly acquired heavy bike. One of the riders happens to be a very sultry woman named Vivien. Soon, Paulo finds himself in ecstasy as she gives him a different kind of ride. Meanwhile, Joanna takes free diving lessons from an extremely hot instructor named Robert. Joanna’s repressed sexuality is awakened and boldly lets Robert dive into her.

In a time when mutants and behemoth alien warriors have come to a rule, a rebel group of survivors must embrace mega fighting machines to take on intergalactic invaders threatening humanity.

Days before graduation, two college best friends go on one last road trip where they settle how they really feel for each other.

Three brothers return to Hong Kong for a family reunion only to find their father murdered by the Black Dragon Gang. They work with the police to bring down the syndicate by going undercover.

An illegal Filipino entertainer in Japan, Manuel, meets a bankrupt Japanese businessman, Shigeru. After knowing the whereabouts of a high-profile serial killer at large, the two men decide to capture the killer to get a big bounty.

A rich teenager runs away from home and joins a group of street hustlers who go on a road trip to fulfill the final wish of their dead friend.

A TV writer returns home to her estranged mother, igniting chaos as they navigate painful secrets and the complexities of their dysfunctional family.

As Father Severino Mallari, a 19th century priest during the Spanish occupation, descends into madness, his life and work as a parish priest in Pampanga is recounted, where he reportedly murdered 57 people to aid his ailing mother.