Filmmakers who are set to participate at the upcoming 2025 Puregold CinePanalo Film Festival were recently presented in a press conference held at the Artson Events Place in Quezon City. With a fresh group of contenders and their entries riding on the momentum of last year’s hugely successful festival, Puregold CinePanalo is fast turning out to be a hotly anticipated event in the local film industry’s calendar.
Millions of pesos in production grants are a great part of the draw. In Puregold CinePanalo’s 2025 run, the bounty benefitted eight winning filmmakers who received P3,000,000 each, as well as twenty-four student filmmakers who received P150,000 each.
With Puregold CinePanalo once again raring to provide millions in production grants to select participants, aspiring new filmmakers were spurred to craft more uplifting stories with the theme, “Mga Kwentong Panalo ng Buhay”.
At the press conference, Puregold CinePanalo proudly presented these worthy participants to attendees that comprised festival organizers as well as representatives from the festival’s various partners such as the MTRCB, Gateway Cineplex 18, Mowelfund, Terminal Six, CMB Films, and MFP Rentals.
Ivy Hayagan-Piedad, senior marketing manager for Puregold, spoke enthusiastically about working with a fresh batch of filmmakers. “After an intensely competitive application period, these directors came out on top of the heap,” she said. “We know they will produce excellent, gripping work and we can’t wait to share these with the viewing public at the upcoming festival.”
The Puregold CinePanalo Film Festival will forthwith showcase directors and stars of varying experience and acclaim within the industry, with the star-studded 2025 edition highlighting the filmmaking domain’s rich reserves of talent.
Mes de Guzman directs Sepak Takraw, starring Enzo Osorio, Nicollo Castillo, Ruby Ruiz, and Acey Aguilar. JP Habac’s Olsen’s Day will feature Khalil Ramos, Romnick Sarmenta, and child actor Xander Nuda. Tara Illenberger helms the film Tigkiliwi starring Ruby Ruiz in her second Puregold CinePanalo feature, Gabby Padilla, and Julian Paul Larroder. Dynamic duo Christian Paolo Lat & Dominic Lat are directing Journeyman, starring JC Santos and Jasmine Curtis-Smith.
TM Malones will be working on Salum with stars Allen Dizon and Christine Mary Dimaisip. Jill Singson Urdaneta’s Co-Love will showcase KD Estrada, Alexa Ilacad, Jameson Blake, and Kira Balinger.
Meanwhile, Baby Ruth Villarama’s Food Delivery: Fresh from the West Philippine Sea will mark the first-ever documentary to join the Puregold CinePanalo line up. Another historic first sees noted producer Catsi Catalan making her directorial debut with the film Fleeting, starring Janella Salvador and RK Bagatsing.
Also in attendance at the press event were twenty-four student filmmakers from universities across the country:
- Adelbert Abrigonda (Polytechnic University of the Philippines) – “Dan, En Pointe”
- Allan M. Balance Jr. (Polytechnic University of the Philippines) – “Cancer Din Ang Zodiac Sign Mo?”
- Angel Allizon Cruz (University of Santo Tomas) – “Dito, Dati”
- Roniño Dolim (University of Eastern Philippines) – “Sine-Sine”
- Kenneth Flores (Far Eastern University) – “1… 2… Strike!!!”
- Austine Rae R. Fresnido (FAITH Colleges) – “Sa Susunod Sisikat si Susan”
- Clyde Cuizon Gamale (University of the Philippines) – “Champ Green”
- Bjorn M. Herrera (Central Philippine University) – “Nanay’s Frankenstein”
- Maria Eleanor P. Javier (University of the Philippines Visayas) – “Mother at Sixty”
- Producer Ivan Gentolizo representing Mae Malaya (University of the Philippines) – “Sisenta!”
- Ira Corinne Esquerra Malit (University of Caloocan City) – “SamPie”
- Naiah Nicole Mendoza (Polytechnic University of the Philippines) – “Taympers”
- Vhan Marco B. Molacruz (Colegio de San Juan de Letran) – “Uwian”
- Jadrien Morales (University of the Philippines) – “Let’s Go Somewhere Else”
- Regene Narciso (Dalubhasaan ng Lunsod ng San Pablo) – “Papunta Ka Pa Lang, Naka-Bounce Na Ako”
- Alexie Nicole Pardo (Polytechnic University of the Philippines) – “Checkmate”
- Kieth Earl B. Rebaño (University of the Philippines Visayas) – “Daeaura”
- John Lester Rimorin (University of the Philippines) – “Japan Surplus”
- Jose Andy Sales (University of San Carlos) – “G!”
- Mark Joseph Sanchez (Polytechnic University of the Philippines) – “Our One and Only Bab(o)y”
- Aubrey Soriano (Polytechnic University of the Philippines) – “Si Nadia at ang Kanyang mga Kuro-Kuro”
- Jasper Tan (Far Eastern University) – “Sa Pagbunga”
- Johannes Tejero (University of San Carlos) – “Daog, Pildi”
- Sean Rafael A. Verdejo (National University Laguna) – “Dela Cruz, Juan P.”
With such a diverse lineup of filmmakers, the 2025 Puregold CinePanalo is primed to be another can’t-miss event for Philippine cinema. The completed films will be screened at Gateway Cineplex 18 from March 14 to 25, 2025.