Southern Tagalog Stories Take Spotlight as Pelikultura 2025 Returns to UPLB
By Jessica Maureen Gaurano
Published November 18, 2025
The Pelikultura: The Calabarzon Film Festival returned this November 5 to 7 at the University of the Philippines Los Baños. The three-day event gathers new and rising filmmakers from the Southern Tagalog region, keeping the festival’s tradition of telling stories that grow from the ground: real, local, and full of heart.
Organized by PelikuLAB and the University of the Philippines Los Baños (UPLB) under the leadership of Festival Director Moses O. Villanueva and Festival Programmer Dr. Katrina Ross A. Tan, the festival celebrates the rhythm and diversity of Southern Tagalog’s storytelling. These films mirror the humor, lives, and struggles of people across the region and nearby provinces.
Award-Winning Documentary and Restored Classic Lead Festival Opening
The opening film for this year’s film fest was Bloom Where You Are Planted, a documentary by Noni Abao that recently won Best Film at the 21st Cinemalaya Philippine Independent Film Festival. It follows land rights activists Agnes Mesina, Amanda Echanis, and the late Randy Malayao, tracing their courage and steady resistance against state persecution in Cagayan Valley. Before the screening, Mike De Leon’s restored classic Kisapmata was shown as a tribute to one of Philippine cinema’s visionary filmmakers.
Competition Films
Southern Tagalog Shorts Premiere
At the heart of Pelikultura 2025 is the Southern Tagalog Shorts Premiere, a showcase of stories that capture the region’s pulse and character. This year’s official lineup includes:
Set A: In Between Spaces of Inheritance
HIJAS by Raina Vergara
Angono’s Finest Daycare by Mikyla Mae Alingasa
Oscar’s Recipe by Piolo Rayla
Mga Bulaklak sa Family Tree by Faith Ferrer Lacanlale
Cemento by Justine Borlagdan
Ang Paglipad ng Saranggola sa Aplaya by Danielle Cusi
Set B: Moral Economies
Angela and Her Dying Lola by Mark Terence Molave
City’s Laundry and Taxes by Diana Galang
NOONSTARS BET NA BET by Lorenzo Miguel Molina
Papa Xerox by Kylechandler Bigay
Dela Cruz, Juan P. by Sean Rafael Verdejo
#BuhayElbi: Thresholds
Also returning this year is #BuhayElbi, a showcase of stories born from within Los Banos. The 2025 lineup features:
Maria by Ma. Yna Cruzana
Si Kristyan, Si Hesus, at ang mga Baraha by Carl Joseph P. Bacong
Ang Nawawalang Necktie by Amira Kawasa
hikbi by Ellie Vibo
Exhibition Screenings
Beyond competition entries, Pelikultura 2025 showcases powerful and thought-provoking works through its Exhibition Film Sets:
Set A: Pananaw
Brownout Capital by Pabelle Manikan
Invisible Labor by Joanne Cesario
Sa Ilalum sa Balabal sa Alitaptap by Juvy Ann Clarito
Kinakausap ni Celso ang Diyos by Gilb Baldoza
Radikals by Arvin Belarmino
Objects do not fall randomly from the Sky by Maria Estela Paiso
Set B: Panaghoy
Watersports by Whammy Alcazaren
Rumbles of the Earth by Carl Joseph Lara
Bisan Abo Wala Bilin by Kyd Torato
Ang Gadya sa Suba by Daniel de la Cruz
Undefended: On Asia’s Most Dangerous Place for Environmental Defenders by Jacob Hinanay
Set C: Pamukaw
This set featured a collection of student films from across the country, originally part of the CCP Gawad Alternatibo lineup and now made accessible through the Cinemata platform. Titles include:
Grace by Alliah Jasreel Padre, Michael Andrew Colarina, Ivan Cris Caraon
Dahon by Janelle Basallo
Alon by Eugene Hontiveros, Nicole Salazar
The Naughty and The Hungry by Mark Ellison Mungcal
Maria Mahika by Chloie Sengco and Jermaine Velina
Muli Na Ka, Merlie by Shane David
Fly, My Dear by Angel Dizon
Present by Matthew Elijah Rañada
Beyond the Screen: Workshops and Talks
Pelikultura 2025 also held workshops and discussions focused on filmmaking and regional cinema. All workshops were open to the public with a participation fee of 100 pesos.
Program highlights:
Masterclass on Documentary Filmmaking with Kristoffer Brugada
Workshop on the Principles of Sound Design with Paulo Almaden
Artist Talk with Arden Rod Conde, Lisa Ito, and Steven Evangelio
Makiling Review Special Issue on Film Special Program
Book Talk with Dr. Katrina Ross A. Tan and Dr. Laurence Marvin S. Castillo on regional cinema and resistance in Philippine film and literature
Closing Film: From Ground Zero Showcased Stories from Gaza
The festival concluded with From Ground Zero: The Untold Stories of Gaza, a collection of Palestinian short films screened on November 7. The closing program was held in partnership with the Embassy of the State of Palestine in the Philippines. Proceeds from the screening were donated to organizations providing humanitarian support to families in Gaza.
List of Festival Winners
Best Film Southern Tagalog Shorts Premiere — Cemento by Justine Borlagdan
Best Film #BuhayElbi — Ang Nawawalang Necktie by Amira Kawasa
Jury Prize Award — Angela and Her Dying Lola by Mark Terence Molave
Other festival winners include:
- Audience Choice Award — Ang Nawawalang Necktie by Amira Kawasa
- Best Director — Danielle Cusi in Ang Paglipad ng Saranggola sa Aplaya
- Best Performance — Neicole Donio in Angela and Her Dying Lola
- Best Screenplay — Lorenzo Miguel Molina in NOONSTARS BET NA BET
- Best Editing — Justine Borlagdan in Cemento
- Best Cinematography — J. A. Tobias in Angela and Her Dying Lola
- Best Production Design — Franz Ojeda in Ang Paglipad ng Saranggola sa Aplaya
- Best Score — Joshua Paraguya in Ang Paglipad ng Saranggola sa Aplaya
- Best Sound — Justine Borlagdan in Cemento
Continuing the Southern Tagalog Legacy
Now in its 2025 edition, Pelikultura stands as one of the few film festivals that keep regional cinema alive and visible. More than screenings, it builds space for dialogue: about identity, community, and integrity in storytelling.
By grounding itself in Southern Tagalog stories, Pelikultura reminds us that some of the country’s most moving films aren’t found in the city, but in the persistent lives of those who live beyond it and in the regions.
Pelikultura: The CALABARZON Film Festival 2025 ran from November 5 to 7 at the University of the Philippines Los Baños. SINEGANG.ph is an official media partner of Pelikultura: The CALABARZON Film Festival.