Year 3

 Cine Panalo 2026 announces Top 7 film grantees

By Earl D.C. Bracamonte

The Puregold Cine Panalo 2026 Film Festival rolled its green carpet to reveal the Top 7 film directors who will compete in the full length feature film category. Each of the finalists will each receive a Php 5-million production grant.

"The upcoming 2026 Puregold Cine Panalo filmfest is going to be the festival's biggest installment yet. It was only right that we revealed the Top 7 films with a splash of our own," said senior marketing manager Ivy Hayagan-Piedad. 

"In a highly competitive year, 203 entries went through a meticulous deliberation. We pre-screened 70 entries from the first cut and chose 33. From that number came the 15 semifinalists, and ultimately the seven finalists. This was an elite selection for a big film festival. There will be six mall venues, with the support of Ayala Malls and the Film Development Council of the Philippines (FDCP)," shared festival director Chris Cahilig.

The lucky seven film.entries are:

- "Apol of My AI" (Thop Nazareno) about a kid's love for his teacher.

- "Mono No Amare (Point & Sadness of Impermanent Things by BC Amparado) which is a film about life and death that's shot in Japan.

- "Stuck on You" (Mikko Baldoza) centers on Sheryl , a manicurist and her musings.

- "Beast" (Lawrence Fajardo) unravels the tale of a farmer and his beast of burden on their way to Manila.

- "Patay Gutom" (Dead Hungry by Carl Papa & Ian Pangali) dissect love in its different forms.

- "Wantawsan" (Joseph Abello) is about a dad who will do everything for his kid's birthday.

- "Multwoh" (Rodina Singh) will solve the dilemma of how a ghost could finally say I love you to someone afraid of ghosts.

The esteemed panel of judges was comprised of industry mavens Jeffrey Jeturian, Moira Lang, Veronica Velasco, Chris Cahilig, Ivy Hayagan-Piedad, and Sony Bautista.

Now on its third year, the Puregold Cine Panalo filmfest has served as a platform for intrepid Filipino filmmakers in crafting their dream projects; some of which were eventually selected to compete at international film festivals across Europe, Asia, and Africa.

The 2026 Cine Panalo filmfest will unfold next year at the Ayala Malls and Gateway Cineplex 18 cinemas. Aside from the seven full-length features, twenty short films from student directors will likewise be screened during the festival. For more info, check out the festival page through facebook.com/puregoldcinepanalo.