Discoveries from Philippines World Cinema

Angelita continues her journey in finding her real parents.

Pepe writes a letter to his mother in the province talking about how nice Manila is, and how his new job is going to give the whole family a better life.

A story of two youths whose love story begins by a chance meeting on a bus ride. Their lives get tangled in a web of comedy by way of two feuding landladies.

Charles, an engineering student with an eye for beauty, just returned from school to a dormitory owned by Aling Linda, a strict, lonesome widow. Other occupants of the dorm include Max–now on his 7th year in college, Sheen–his reluctant partner, Steven–a social entrepreneur, Ramon–his cop lover, Alex–a call center agent, and Jenny–his attentive girlfriend. They all spend the evening tucked away in solitary rooms, talking about collective experiences, sharing a similar fate. And rent is due.

After his expulsion from college Juni Locsin (Gabby Concepcion) is forced to continue studies at Eastern College Of The Republic, an ordinary university. This is a contrary environment to the young man accustomed to luxury.

Unlucky in love, Keanna dreams of winning big on a game show; when that fails, she ends up a cleaning lady at a huge corporation. But her fortune seems to turn when she's promoted to a top job with the company, complete with all the perks of a luxe lifestyle. Even her romantic life is on an upswing, as the company's owner takes a shine to her. In fact, all her childhood dreams appear to be coming true.

Melinda is a new substitute teacher at the Malawig Elementary School, located in a poor remote barrio. A young university graduate, her family expects her to look for work abroad, but in her idealism she takes on a challenging job in the provincial public school, which lacks resources and has corrupt personnel. The heavy monsoon rains and the nearby NPAs also add to her difficulties. The children are indifferent to their studies, having been affected by the hopelessness around them. Melinda tries to motivate them by capitalizing on their interest and talent in singing. She takes advantage of a funding opportunity to enter them in a choral contest. She encounters some resistance, however, from the school administration and from the parents of her students. Furthermore, the death of one of the choral group’s members at the hands of the Armed Forces of the Philippines casts a pall on their once joyful preparations. Melinda, however, constantly tries to rise above these challenges.

Rebecca is born to a poor family, a young woman whose life is defined by poverty and deprivation. But of the many things she has to endure, it is the insults that other people hurl that hurt the most. Yet despite of everything, Rebecca remains ambitious and unabashed. She pledges to herself that she will one day raise herself and her family from poverty and when that time comes, she will get back at those who had oppressed them.

An advocate for the poor begins a rocky romance with the president's spoiled son while accompanying him on an immersion trip to a rural community.

Rigor dies but in Marta's fear that Noel might turn out like his amoral father, she raises her son with an iron hand.

This film isn't about unlearning love; it's about rediscovering it—especially for oneself. Even when Kath's path changed, she still found what she was always meant to discover: a part of herself that had long been waiting to be seen.

The film is about inspiration, reminding the power of collective action, the importance of preserving the heritage of Santa Ana, and the boundless potential that lies within the community. It is a story that deserves to be told, a story that will resonate with audiences of all ages and backgrounds.

Strong-willed and sophisticated, Divina takes over the business of her late father Don Ferrer who had requested Divina to ensure that his daughter Nora with his mistress is cared for. But Nora wins the love of Jerry, the only man who has captivated Divina’s discriminating heart. From the start. Jerry is attracted to Nora whose steadfast suitor Oscar respects and honors her chastity, only to find out that she has fallen in love and has given herself to Jerry.

Three friends are in their quarter life crisis. Seeking adventure and thrills, they spend most of their weekend nights on brothels and night clubs. One night, an unexpected incident will change their lives permanently.

A sea gypsies from Zamboanga who are now living in Mabalacat, Pampanga, Nadia of the group called Sama d’Laut. She hopes to marry the man she loves but was forced to leave when things got really difficult for her home province.She ends up in Mabalacat where she is forced to live a new life.

Taking place in a convent, we follow the story of Sister Sofia whose life takes a grave turn upon the arrival of, the troubled and haunted, Fatima. (Shown in the Sineng Pambansa National Film Festival) A masters' master tribute seeks to honor the memory of Celso Ad. Castillo with the showcase of the last film he directed.

A funny poignant film about an Ilocana maiden.

It is Salve’s dream for her children to live happily after working hard to raise them alone. Now in her daughter Sally’s wedding, she feels she has accomplished that seeing her children giving tribute to her. Unknown to her, a big surprise awaits when they arrived home. An unconscious man is in their gate. Salve is quite familiar who the man is. She can never forget him – he is the man who left him years ago for another woman – her husband Benny.

Maricel Laxa and Maritoni Fernandez portrayed best friends whose relationship turned sour after dark secrets were revealed.

Amidst the protests for freedom in Hong Kong, a domestic worker plans to break free and run wild, towards her dreams of independence, romantic love, and true motherhood.

A Filipino-American man hires a translator to help translate a letter he wrote for the woman that broke his heart.

Mother gets a visit.

Ang Kalasag ng Pananampalataya (The Shield of Faith) is a documentary film about the people of San Miguel de Mayumo, Bulacan, and their centuries-old devotion to Saint Michael the Archangel. The film follows the town’s traditions—its grand fiestas, the historic Traslacion, and the music of the Biak-na-Bato Band—that continue to shape community life after 300 years. Through stories, memories, and music, the film shows how San Migueleños have carried their “shield of faith” from one generation to the next, protecting their culture and keeping their identity alive. More than history, Ang Kalasag ng Pananampalataya is a portrait of resilience and faith that invites viewers to see how tradition can endure and inspire in today’s world.

Eugene prepares for her comeback vehicle after a long sabbatical from movie making. Rainier proposes "The Itinerary," a heartbreaking anatomy of a crumbling marriage as told through a couple's trip to Baguio, their former honeymoon location.

"MN" stands for Marissa Navarro, a character played onscreen by screen legend Carmen Rosales. It tells of a story of Marissa, a strict, heartless, domineering and fiery heiress and daughter of a wealthy landowner, who instills and sows fear among its populace.

A satanic virus has been placed within the walls of Purgatory. Those who register 10,000 errors and above are vulnerable to the disease. Playing on the mysteries of the afterlife, 10,000 Errors crosses the borders of life and death, of heaven and hell, and of being powerful and being powerless.

Five gay men from different walks of life are confronted with important choices that could change everything for them.

A woman tries to cling onto dimming links to her past after inheriting a pygmy slow loris from her long-estranged husband; meanwhile, her niece prepares for marriage as the young couple ponders their gloomy future together. The present and the complex echoes of Vietnamese history are entwined before a contemplative and poetic perspective.

Jack and Popoy are escaped convicts on the trail of twenty million pesos. Their guilty conscience soon bothers them when they finally discover where the money is located.

Andy, a faithful and meek sacristan of Father Anselmo had his optic nerve severely damages when some armed men tried to rob the church one night. He's to become totally blind if not for Dan (a prisoner who was a victim of a frame up) who donated his eyes to him before he died after a usual prison riot. Having Dan's eyes, Andy was sent to a mission where he sees through dreams and instincts. He defends Dan's family even to the point of risking his life.

In this one-minute Docu-fiction follows the news about a looming Low Pressure Area (LPA) in The Philippines.

A film that depicts the radio talent search program on DZBB-AM "Tawag ng Tanghalan" which originated in the 1950s.

Unraveling the fantastical orgins of lizards, bats, monkeys, and water lilies.

In the quiet spaces of memory and longing, a young boy finds himself navigating the echoes of love and loss, searching for what remains when the person who held his world together is gone.

AC, an 8-year-old girl, uncovers the rich tradition of abel weaving, a cherished craft in her community. Guided by her grandmother, AC learns the intricate techniques of this art form, deepening her connection to her heritage and family legacy. The film beautifully captures AC's self-discovery and the profound bonds she forges with her community, inviting viewers to reflect on cultural preservation and the importance of familial ties.

Borrowing a beloved song from his own 1984 feature Sister Stella L., Mike De Leon made this video in a damning response to the victory election of Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. as president of the Philippines. In a prepared statement at the Cannes premiere of his recently restored Itim, he wrote, “Horror has now acquired a more sinister meaning. It is no longer about a ghost but about the monsters of Philippine politics, monsters that, after a long wait in the subterranean caverns of hell, have returned to ravage and rape my country all over again. The crazy thing is that we invited them back.”

A nun is ostracized by her superiors after a brutal encounter with a rapist leaves her pregnant.

A jilted housewife uncovers a horrifying secret about her husband when he tries her adobong puti.

This film is based on a true story of Baguio City police officer Bobby Ortega.

A Filipino parody film of DC's Superman in three segments directed by different directors.

Venus and Mars are neighbors born during a rare planetary alignment, but while Venus grows up blessed by good fortune, Mars seems destined to bring nothing but bad luck to his friends and family. Just when everything looks hopeless for Mars, he discovers he has a rare gift and also that he's in love with the beautiful Venus. Is romance in the stars for Mars, or will his rotten fate break his heart again?

Unable to tell the difference between dreams and reality, a man tries to wake himself up from a nightmare.

Joy, a mother of a 4 year-old girl, finally decides to file a case under domestic violence against her abusive husband, Dante.

Lando is married to Lorna. He took on the huge responsibility of taking care of his widowed aunt Trixia and her two children, the youngest being a moron. Because of his obligations to his aunt's family, his relationship with his wife Lorna has not been as happy and ideal as they would have liked. Aside from being needy and dependent on Lando, Trixia has been very close to Lando, a fact that is very much seen by Lorna. A deep dark secret will be eventually revealed to Lorna: that Lando and Trixia is involved romantically and that Trixia's youngest child is Lando's. In the end, Lorna will be slowly relieved of the thorns that has been weighing down on her chest.

Faced with Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte’s bloody murders and brazen lies, ethically conflicted police lieutenant Hermes Papauran continues his struggle to find a resolution to a 15-year-old case around a volcanic ash-laden landscape and an impenetrable lake.

A composer with a bright future ahead of him is aboard a plane that crashes. he survives, but is badly disfigured. He decides not to return to his former life because of his disfigurement. He gets a job in a choir and meets a blind woman with a beautiful voice, and he believes that he can make her into a great singer. However, a wealthy patron takes a liking to her and arranges to take her to the US for an operation that can restore her sight. Her manager/lover is worried that if the operation is successful and she sees how horribly deformed he is, she will leave him.

This is not a film by Khavn. A crime-thriller retro-road movie based on the Kuratong Baleleng Rubout Massacre of 1995.

Ang Babae sa Likod ng Mambabatok unravels the multiple layers of the almost mythological figure-living legend, Fang Od, a 92 year old woman who has been called the ‘Last [Traditional] Tattoo Artist of Kalinga.’ The first layer of the story is the one she is most famous for-being a tattoo artist. At her eyes, she continues to exhibit sharpness and precision in the very demanding art and skill of tattooing. The second layer shows her many stories as woman who has reached the age of looking back. She regales us with stories of her many suitors, of her youth, the dancing and the feasts. She also looks back with not just a tinge of regret that she never married nor had children of her own. Her body covered in tattoos is a landscape on its own mirroring the map of a woman who has chosen wittingly or unwittingly a road diverging from convention and in the process became a culture-bearer.

Tom and Ric are cousins who search for the Yamashita treasures when a map was given to them by Tom's professor. The map was also being chased by a group of Japanese who are also interested with the treasures. With Tom's and Ric's effort and with the professor helped, they were able to find the treasure even though they've faced challenges and difficult situations.

A suicide calls for a deeper investigation when a peculiar sigil is unearthed in the crime scene. Convinced this was no mere coincidence, a detective dives into a hundred years’ worth of unexplained deaths, all of which occur in a single room.

A judge in the Philippines strives to overcome his internal conflicts and render verdicts based solely on the evidence presented in court.

Gabriela Silang a Filipino revolutionary leader best known as the first female leader of a Filipino movement for independence from Spain