Cinemalaya Presscon 2026 held at Shangri-La Plaza, July 8 2026
The 22nd Cinemalaya Filipino Independent Film Festival officially commenced with its Press Conference held at the Shangri-La Plaza Grand Atrium on July 8, 2026, ushering in another year of bold storytelling and independent Filipino cinema.
Festival Director Chris Millado unveiled this year’s theme, โ๐๐ถ๐ป๐ฒ๐บ๐ฎ๐น๐ฎ๐๐ฎ ๐ฎ๐ฎ: ๐ฅ๐ฒ๐ฒ๐น ๐ฅ๐ฒ๐ณ๐น๐ฒ๐ฐ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป๐,โ celebrating film as a mirror of the human experienceโbringing to light stories, perspectives, and voices that deepen our understanding of ourselves and one another.
Setting the tone for this year’s festival were messages from CCP President Kaye Tinga, CFI President Laurice Guillen, FDCP Chair Jose Javier Reyes, and Joy Polloso, Executive Vice President for Retail & Commercial of Shangri-La Plaza Corporation, highlighting the power of cinema to inspire reflection, dialogue, and connection.
Competition and Monitoring Committee Chair Carlos Siguion-Reyna, together with the festival’s partners, officially announced the Top 9 Full-Length Finalists and Top 10 Short Film Finalists competing in this year’s festival.
Members of the media, filmmakers, and invited guests were also given an exclusive first look at the official omnibus trailers and selected previews from this year’s entries, offering a glimpse into the compelling stories that await audiences at Cinemalaya 22.