We present the (almost) complete guide to Film Festivals in the Philippines.

IMPORTANT This article was originally posted in February 2019. I decided to update the list with new festivals. Due to the covid-19 pandemic, some festivals took place online and their dates changed so there may be errors when it comes to the festivals’ dates.

Introduction:
This guide was made taking into account film festivals that have their focus on Filipino movies. There are a handful of festivals focused on Korean, Spanish, Japanese and Chinese films that we didn’t include in this list. We also tried to include all type of festivals from those presented nationwide (like the Metro Manila Film Festival and the Pista Ng Pelikulang Pilipino), the well-known festivals (like the Cinemalaya, CinemaOne, CineFilpino, etc) and those focused on Inter-college films organized by Colleges and Universities (like the Sine Abierto, Sinepiyu, etc).

The National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) and the Film Development Council of the Philippines (FDCP) are the two main governmental organizations supporting local festivals.

We welcome comments and corrections. If you find it useful and interesting don’t forget to share this article with your tropa (friend). Thanks for your continued support and cooperation.

Sebastián Nadilo
(Owner of AFF)

General Festivals:

Active Vista International Human Rights Film Festival
Type of festival: Local
Organizer: DAKILA
Place: Metro Manila
Date: December
Screens: Feature & Short Films
Theme: Human Rights
Website
Facebook

The Active Vista International Human Rights Film Festival is organized by DAKILA – Philippine Collective for Modern Herosim – a local group of activists who work together to creatively spark social consciousness towards social change or transformation. Active Vista calls on film makers to submit short films that dwell on the issues of human rights. The competition looks for films that stimulate passionate discussions about human rights and capture the intensity of these filmmakers as they view the world in their own perspectives. The last edition feature a short film competition and took place during December in Metro Manila.

Animahenasyon Philippine Animation Festival
Type of festival: Local
Organizer: Animation Council of the Philippines, Inc.
Place: Taguig, Metro Manila
Date: November
Screens: Feature & Short
Theme: Animations
Website
Facebook

The Animahenasyon Philippine Animation Festival aims to encourage the production of original content in Philippine animation, recognize the Filipino talent in the field of animation, and achieve local and international animation excellence and competitiveness. The festival takes place in Metro Manila on November.

Binisaya Film Festival
Type of festival: Local & International
Organizer: Binisaya Organization Committee
Place: Cebu City, Cebu
Date: August
Screens: Feature & Short Films
Website
Facebook

Founded by local filmmakers and established in 2009, the Binisaya Film Festival aims to develop a uniquely Cebuano sensibility by providing a venue to showcase Bisaya films and Global Cinema unfettered by commercial constraints. BINISAYA has also maintained its status over the years as a hotbed for discussion over the direction of Cebuano films and its place in the world by inviting industry luminaries such as RA Rivera, John Torres, Richard Bolisay, Jade Castro, Teddy Co and Ramon Bautista to name a few. BINISAYA has also showcased works from neighboring Asian countries like Thailand, Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Afghanistan through the Asian shorts competition. The festival itself has travelled through pop-up screenings all over the country—schools, cinematheques, posh coffee shops, barangay basketball courts, under bridge communities, etc.

Cebu International Film Festival
Type of festival: Local & International
Organizer: CIFF Committee
Place: Cebu City, Cebu
Date: September
Screens: Feature & Short Films
Website
Facebook

The Cebu International Film Festival aims to gather filmmakers to celebrate the art and craft of filmmaking, promoting valuable cross-cultural partnerships, and sharing inspirational stories across the globe. CEBU.IFF shall serve as a springboard for local film makers to feature their stories through the art of film making. It also aims revive the Visayan film industry and further support the development of Philippine produced films that have a global reach through trainings and workshops by noted shakers in the industry, both local and global. The festival usually takes place in September at Cebu City, Cebu. The festival screens local and international films.

CineFilipino Film Festival
Type of festival: Local
Organizer: Unitel Productions Inc. and Cignal Inc.
Place: Metro Manila, NCR
Date: May
Screens: Feature & Short Films
Website
Facebook
Twitter

CINEFILIPINO is a film festival that aims to support and develop new cinematic, audience-friendly works of artistic merit by up-and-coming and established filmmakers to help define the human experience through a Filipino perspective. It’s a venue for different stakeholders in the industry to showcase and develop their respective talents and make the Filipinos more globally competitive. The event usually takes place in May at Metro Manila and it features a competition for feature-length movies, short feature films (Student Short Feature and Open Short Feature categories), and super shorts.

Cinema One Originals Film Festival
Type of festival: Local
Organizer: Creative Programs, Inc., Cinema One, ABS-CBN
Place: Metro Manila, NCR
Date: November
Screens: Feature & Shorts
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Cinema One Originals Film Festival is organized by ABS-CBN Film division (CinemaOne Originals), its primary goal is to howcase the diverse talent and voices of Filipino film makers. The film entries are split into two categories, Plus and Currents, based on the films’ marketability. From the scripts submitted to the screening committee, five films are granted two million pesos each for the Cinema One Plus category while ten films are granted one million pesos each for the Cinema One Currents category. The selection is based on the quality of scripts and presentation of the film makers.

Cinema Rehiyon Film Festival
Type of festival: Local
Organizer: National Commission for Culture and the Arts of The Philippines
Place: Rotates around the country
Date: February
Screens: Feature & Short Films
Facebook

The Cinema Rehiyon Film Festival is the flagship project of the National Commission for Culture and the Arts of The Philippines (NCCA). It is said that this is the most important events for filmmakers as it gathers directors from all over the country in one place. Each year there is a different hosting city for 2019 the festival will take place in Dumaguete.

Cinemalaya Philippine Independent Film Festival
Type of festival: Local
Organizer: Cinemalaya Foundation, Inc. and the Cultural Center of the Philippines
Place: Manila & Metro Manila
Date: August
Screens: Feature & Short Films
Website
Facebook
Twitter
Instagram

The Cinemalaya Philippine Independent Film Festival is an event organized by the Cinemalaya Foundation Inc. during August at the Cultural Center of the Philippines (Manila) and various Ayala Cinemas. The aim of the festival is to develop and promote independent films. Each year the festival provides funding for ten films presented during the festival. The Gawad Alternatibo also takes place during the festival, this competition celebrates short independent films from across the Philippines.

Ngilngig Asian Fantastic Film Festival Davao
Type of festival: Regional
Organizer: Pasalidahay Organization
Place: Davao City, Davao del Sur
Date: October
Screens: Feature & Short Films
Theme: Town Tales and Superstitions
Website
Facebook

Ngilngig Asian Fantastic Film Festival Davao is an annual showcase of films that explores the myriad meanings of the “ngilngig”—a common Bisaya expression for something that is “kuyaw” (fantastic) or for something that elicits horror or alluding to the macabre.

From what used to be a horror-genre festival, Ngilngig Festival has expanded its scope to become the first fantastic film festival of its kind in Southeast Asia, extending the reach to other neighboring countries’ “ngilngig” and fantastic films that are significant with our own ways of telling stories to promote and preserve our myths, traditions, history and culture into cinematic form.

Festival de Cine Paz Mindanao
Type of festival: Local
Organizer: Zamboanga-Basilan Integrated Development Alliance, Inc., Peace Advocate Zamboanga, Hombrella Pictures, and Joint Task Force Zamboanga
Place: Zamboanga City, Zamboanga del Sur
Date: November
Screens: Feature & Short Films
Theme: Peace
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The festival is organized by Zamboanga-Basilan Integrated Development Alliance, Inc., Peace Advocate Zamboanga, Hombrella Pictures, and Joint Task Force Zamboanga. Festival de Cine Paz Mindanao aims to support and strengthen the vision of sustaining the journey for peace through cinema, making it more than a conventional film screening event where audiences watch competing films and leave immediately after screening. The festival aims to discuss peace in an interactive way which allows people to converse and share their ideas and thoughts about peace in Mindanao after years of peace dialogues and peace efforts. The even usually takes place on November in Zamboanga City.

Freedom Film Festival
Type of festival: Local
Organizer: De La Salle University
Place: Manila
Date: –
Screens: Feature Films
Facebook

The Freedom Film Festival it is organized by the Communication Art and Organizational Communication Students of the De La Salle University-Manila. The festival aims to showcase a wide array of local films belonging to both indie and mainstream categories.

Maginhawa Film Festival
Type of festival: Local
Organizer: Cinema Centenario
Place: Quezon City, Metro Manila
Date: December
Screens: Feature & Short Films
Facebook

Launched in 2017 by Cinema Centenario, the Maginhawa Film Festival is one of the biggest annual events in Quezon City. This multi-sectoral platform aims to strengthen ties between the industry and local audience by showcasing the best films of all genres and themes. The festival also feature workshops, lectures, Q&A and Seminars. The programme features short films and full feature films.

Nabunturan Independent Film Exhibition – Nabifilmex
Type of festival: Local
Organizer: Municipality of Nabunturan, NCCA,
Municipality Tourism Council of Nabunturan
Place: Nabunturan, Compostela Valley
Date: September
Screens: Short Films
Website
Facebook
Twitter

The Nabunturan Independent Film Exhibition – NABIFILMEX is geared towards producing new and fresh cinematic works that will depict the stories of its local folks, will uncover the talents of local filmmakers from Nabunturan and the whole Compostela Valley Province. This event takes place on September in Nabunturan, Compostela Valley.

QCinema International Film Festival
Type of festival: Local & International
Organizer: Quezon City Film Development Commission
Place: Quezon City, Metro Manila
Date: October
Screens: Feature & Short Films
Website
Facebook
Twitter

The QCinema International Film Festival (QCinema) is organized by the Quezon City Film Development Foundation. This annual film festival is designed to serve as the lens through which the general public will get to appreciate the active role of Quezon City in Philippine filmmaking from its pioneering years in the 50’s down to the present and on to the future. The organization give grants to local filmmakers who premiere their films during the festival. In just a few years the QCinema managed to be ranked at the very top due to their excellent programming that includes not only local but international films.

Salamindanaw Asian Film Festival
Type of festival: Local & International
Organizer: Mindanao Cinematografica
Place: General Santos, South Cotabato
Date: November
Screens: Feature & Short Films
Website
Facebook

The festival is anchored on its mission to be a mirror (salamin) of peace (salam) in Mindanao, thus the name Salamindanaw. Some of the objectives are: To raise awareness and promote international cinema with emphasis on strengthening the cultural ties between Mindanao and its Southeast Asian neighbors which by tradition are linked by business and economic cooperation. To support the nascent film movement in Mindanao and its neighboring regions. And to To engage the public in both popular and critical discourse on art and cinema and their transformative power to shape ideas about society, thus encouraging cultural diversity and the plurality of creative expressions. The festival takes place on November in General Santos City. The programme features local and Asian films.

Sinag Maynila Independent Film Festival
Type of festival: Local
Organizer: Solar Entertainment Corp. and Brillante Mendoza
Place: Metro Manila, NCR
Date: March
Screens: Feature & Short Films
Website
Facebook
Twitter

In 2015, Solar Entertainment Corporation together with renowned director Brillante Mendoza launched this festival that aims to promote and support local independent cinema. The festival takes place on March in SM Cinemas around Metro Manila.

Singkuwento International Film Festival
Type of festival: Local
Organizer: NCCA, MPJ Entertainment Productions
Place: Intramuros, Manila
Date: February
Screens: Feature & Short Films
Facebook

The Singkuwento International Film Festival Manila Philippines (SIFFMP) is an international film festival that brings a collection of films that explore different genres ranging from youth, personal relationships, demise and destruction, growing up dreams and pains and societal issues. The festival’s main objective is to unite various Filipino and foreign filmmakers in our country and around the world. It is an avenue for Filipinos both here and abroad to share their voice, sentiments and thoughts via the films they have created. It also aims to provide a channel for non-Filipinos to share their impressions of the Philippines and its people. The festival takes place on February at the NCCA Theater (Intramuros, Manila).

Cine Kabalen Kapampangan Film Festival
Type of festival: Regional
Organizer: NCCA, Foundation for Lingap Kapampangan Inc.
Holy Angel University Center for Kapampangan Studies
Place: Angeles City, Pampanga
Date: December
Screens: Short Films
Facebook

The CineKabalen Film Festival aims to encourage Kapampangans to create Kapampangan films and contribute to the diversity of Philippine Cinema. It is organized by the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA), Foundation for Lingap Kapampangan, Inc., and the Holy Angel University Center for Kapampangan Studies. It takes place in Angeles City, Pampanga on December.

CineKasimanwa: The Western Visayas Film Festival
Type of festival: Regional
Organizer: NCCA, Cine Kasimanwa
Place: Across 6 Western Visayas provinces
Date: December – January
Screens: Feature & Short Films
Facebook

The CineKasimanwa: Western Visayas Film Festival is one of the largest regional festivals in the Philippines. It is organized by the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) and the Cine Kasimanwa organization. This festival is organized across six Western Visayas provinces (IloIlo, Capiz, Negros Occidental, Antique, Aklan, and Guimaras). The main program run in December and the screenings for international and experimental films take place in January.

Cinemagis – Digital Short Film Festival in Northern Mindanao
Type of festival: Regional
Organizer: Xavier Center for Culture and the Arts, Xavier Foundation
Place: Cagayan de Oro, Northern Mindanao
Date: January
Screens: Short Films
Facebook

The Cinemagis – Digital Short Film Festival in Northern Mindanao is organized by the Xavier Center for Culture and the Arts, Xavier Foundation in collaboration with the NCCA and the FDCP. The festival serves as a platform for young and professional filmmakers from the Northern Mindanao to screen their films and grow local film audience. The festival usually takes place on January in Cagayan de Oro, Northern Mindanao.

Lutas Negros Oriental Film Festival
Type of festival: Regional
Organizer: Foundation University, NCCA, FDCP
Place: Dumaguete, Negros Oriental
Date: August
Screens: Short Films
Facebook

The Lutas Negros Oriental Film Festival is organized by the Foundation University, in cooperation with the NCCA and the FDCP. This festival aims to encourage and develop the culture of storytelling through film. It exposes aspiring filmmakers to a wider network of film industry leaders and storytellers in the Philippines. Aside from film screenings, lectures, workshops, and mentoring sessions, special awards were afforded to the films that possess artistry and creativity in the said art form.

Mindanao Film Festival
Type of festival: Regional
Organizer: Mindanao Film & Television Development Foundation Inc.
Place: Davao City, Davao del Sur
Date: December
Screens: Feature & Short Films
Website
Facebook

The Mindanao Film Festival is organized by the Mindanao Film & Television Development Foundation Inc. This festival is one of the oldest regional festivals in the Philippines. The festival takes place in December and accepts films made by Mindanao filmmakers, films shot or related to Mindanao. The main objectives of the Mindanao Film Festival is to support the filmmakers of Mindanao by promoting and showcasing the wonderful and fascinating stories their films have to tell, and introducing their films to new and greater audiences. It is also supported by the Film Development Council of the Philippines (FDCP), National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) and the Davao Autism Intervention Center, Inc.

North Luzon Film Festival
Type of festival: Regional
Organizer: North Luzon Cinema Guild Inc.
Place: Tuguegarao City, Cagayan
Date: March
Screens: Short Films
Facebook

The North Luzon FF is organized by the North Luzon Cinema Guild Inc. The festival aims to discover, encourage, and support the filmmakers from the region that articulate, interpret and express the Filipino cultural heritage. The festival is open for all students, amateurs and professional filmmakers who were born and/or is currently residing in North Luzon & Central Luzon (Region 1, 2, 3 and CAR). There are two main Categories the Short Film Competition open to Ilocos Region filmmakers and the Exhibition Films Section open to Regional and Asian Filmmakers. The event usually takes place in March at Tuguegarao City, Cagayan.

Pelikultura: The Calabarzon Film Festival
Type of festival: Regional
Organizer: UP Los Baños, PelikuLAB
Place: Los Baños, Laguna
Date: March
Screens: Short Films
Facebook

The Pelikultura: The Calabarzon Film Festival is organized by the University of The Philippines and the PelikuLAB organization. The festival continues to provide a venue for Region IV-A’s (Calabarzon Region) budding, experienced independent filmmakers. The festival usually takes place during March in Los Baños, Laguna.

Trifecta Film Fest
Type of festival: Showcase
Organizer: DLSU Green Media Group
Place: Malate, Manila
Date: February 2020
Screens: Feature Films
Facebook

Organized by the DLSU Green Media Group, the Trifecta Film Fest  aims to promote and support the Philippine film Industry through highlighting and showcasing three of today’s best films. 

Istorya Ng Pag-Asa Film Festival
Type of festival: Showcase
Organizer: Office of the Vice President
Place: Philippines
Date: June
Screens: Short Documentaries
Website
Facebook

Istorya ng Pag-asa (INP) started as a traveling photo gallery featuring different stories of hope of the Filipino people. Through words and portraits, the project aims to inspire, empower, and be a source of hope for all. Originally an offshoot of the annual Quezon City reading advocacy program “Araw ng Pagbasa, Araw ng Pag-asa,” INP was officially adopted by the Office of the Vice President (OVP) on November 27, 2016. Since then, INP continues to grow with stories of hope sourced from local communities, with the support of partners and stakeholders from all over the Philippines.

Daang Dokyu – Festival of Philippine Documentaries
Type of festival: Local
Organizer: Daang Dokyu Team
Place: Philippines
Date: September 2020
Screens: Short & Feature Documentaries
Website
Facebook

DaangDokyu showcases an inclusive program of Philippine documentaries from the early days of Philippine cinema and television to contemporary times. DaangDokyu is a festival celebrating the hundred years since the country started capturing in film the stories of its islands and the Filipinos. It strives to be a significant gathering of the country’s best documentarists for film and tv together with leading change-makers in culture, arts, and education.

Abrenian Heritage Film Festival
Type of festival: Regional
Organizer: Dexter Macaraeg
Place: Philippines
Date: September 2020
Screens: Short & Feature Films
Facebook

Abrenian Heritage Film Festival (AHFF) is the first and only film festival in Abra Province founded in 2019 by Dexter Macaraeg to help promote the arts, culture and heritage of the Cordillera Region, through films, lectures and workshops.

Bamasa Film Festival
Type of festival: Regional
Organizer: Bamasa Film Festival Team
Place: Philippines
Date: November 2020
Screens: Short Films
Facebook

BAMASA is a film festival in Bantayan Island. An avenue for quality films to be screened and appreciated by all through its annual thematic programming. A vehicle for Bantayan Islands’ growth in creativity and culture in film.

Inter College/University Festivals:

Cine Animo
Type of festival: Inter College/University Festival
Organizer: La Salle University
Place: Ozamiz City, Misamis Occidental
Date: February
Screens: Short Films from students
Facebook

The Cine Animo Film Festival is an event organized by the La Salle University that takes place in Ozamiz City, Misamis Occidental. The festival focuses on digital short films created by student filmmakers from Misamis Occidental and Zamboanga Peninsula. Thanks to a partnership with the Film Development Council of the Philippines (FDCP) the festival host Talks with professional filmmakers. The festival usually take place in Februaty and all the activities takes place at La Salle University (Ozamiz).

CineMapúa
Type of festival: Inter School Festival
Organizer: School of Media Studies (SMS) from the Mapúa University
Place: Mapúa University, Intramuros, Manila.
Date: Janaury
Screens: Short Films from students
Facebook

The CineMapúa is an annual student film festival organized by School of Media Studies (SMS) from the Mapúa University . The festival is open to College & High School students in all universities, colleges, and high schools in Philippines. The festival usually takes place in January at the Mapúa University.

Un-film Festival
Type of festival: Inter College Festival
Organizer: DLSU Green Media Group
Place: Manila, NCR
Date: July
Screens: Short Films
Website
Facebook
Twitter

The Indie Un-film Festival (IUF) is an intercollegiate digital film festival organized by the DLSU Green Media Group. It celebrates film by showcasing the competition’s finalists and a plenary talk involving the country’s renowned filmmakers. The festival held screenings and talks with different filmmakers.

Piling Obrang Vidyo
Type of festival: Inter College/University Festival
Organizer: University of the Philippines – Diliman.
Place: Quezon City, Mentro Manila.
Date: January
Screens: Short Films
Facebook

Established in 2004, Piling Obrang Vidyo is an inter-collegiate short film competition where students from various universities and colleges nationwide compete and showcase their best short films. An average of 400 people is gathered every year to the U.P Film Institute’s Theater, the U.P Cine Adarna.

Sine Abierto
Type of festival: Inter College/University Festival
Organizer: Thomasian Film Society, University of Santo Tomas
Place: Manila, NCR
Date: May
Screens: Short Films
Facebook

The Sine Abierto film festival is an event dedicated to senior high school and college students. The festival usually take place in May.

SinePiyu
Type of festival: Inter College/University Festival
Organizer: Far Eastern University
Place: Manila, NCR
Date: –
Screens: Short Films
Facebook

Sinepiyu is an annual film festival in Far Eastern University for the celebration of short films made by students organized by the FEU Film Society. Since its formation in 2007, the event continuously grows yearly catering FEU Communication Students and those with other universities and colleges. SinePiyu doesn’t have an specific date since liked to graduating students.

Sine Siklab
Type of festival: Inter College/University Festival
Organizer: 24 Frames
Place: Manila, NCR
Date: August 2020
Screens: Short Films
Website
Facebook

Sine Siklab offers a digital film competition module open to all students and youth nationwide. In its 2nd year, with the current theme “BURN BRIGHTER”, Siklab aims to bring out the brightest version of filmmakers across the country by providing them a platform to raise their voice and shine light on issues that make us better people in these times of pandemic and crisis. The festival is organized by 24 Frames, a student film organization of CIIT College of Arts and Technology (Philippines).

Nationwide Festivals:

Pista Ng Pelikulang Pilipino (PPP)
Type of festival: Nationwide
Organizer: Film Development Council of the Philippines
Date: September
Screens: Full Features and Short Films
Website
Facebook
Twitter

The Pista Ng Pelikulang Pilipino is a nationwide week-long celebration of Filipino cinema. During the first two editions the festival took place in August but for this year (2019) it will take place on September to avoid over saturation with other festivals in August. The festival is organized by the Film Development Council of the Philippines (FDCP) in partnership with the theaters, and public and private partners. During the festivals local Cinemas can only screen the films presented by the PPP. The Main Competition features 8 Full Feature films, and the Short Film Competition (Sine Kabataan) 8 films. Last year the Special Feature section presented films like Tu Pug Imatuy by Arnel Barbarona, Balangiga: Howling Wilderness by Khavn, Hide Tide by Tara Barrera Illenberger to name a few.

Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF)
Type of festival: Nationwide
Organizer: Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA)
Dates: December 25th – January 7
Screens: Full Features and Short Films
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The Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF) is an annual film festival held across the Country. It takes place from December 25th until January 7th of the next year. Like in the PPP cinemas only can screen the films selected by the MMFF. This festival is the oldest even in Philippines, it started in 1975 under the name of Metropolitan Film Festival and organized during September. The Executive Committee usually selects 8 films to be screened during the event and a handful of Short Films. We won’t get into much details because we can speak for hours but this festival is known to have lot of controversies (and madramas). What we will say is that the main focus of the MMFF has been box-office over quality films.

I am trying to find more information about the following festivals:
Bakunawa Film Festival
Bantayan Film Festival
Cine de Oro
Cine Marya Women Film Festival
Margaha Film Festival
Northern Mindanao Film Festival
Sine Negrense Film Festival
Sine Sandaan
Sinebugsay
Sineliksik: Bulacan Docufest
Sundayag Film Festival
Urduja Film Festival

Other Film Festivals:
– Ateneo Video Open
– Metro Manila Pride Queer Arts Festival
– Makata Indie Film Festival
– Pandayang Lino Brocka Political Film and New Media Festival
– Short + Sweet Film Festival in Manila
– Quezon City International Pink Film Festival
– ToFarm Film Festival

So what do you think? Did we miss any? Please let us know in the comment section. Thanks for your time.