The Philippine film industry is buzzing with excitement as the 2025 Puregold CinePanalo Film Festival approaches, promising to celebrate local talent and captivating storytelling. While anticipation builds for this year’s event, films from the inaugural 2024 edition are making waves on the international stage. Garnering attention at prestigious global film festivals, these entries showcase the exceptional creativity and artistry of Filipino filmmakers. Their achievements not only elevate Philippine cinema to global recognition but also underscore Puregold CinePanalo’s significant contribution to nurturing world-class talent.
Among the festival’s standout films, Under a Piaya Moon, directed by Kurt Soberano and awarded Best Picture, was featured at the 2024 Festival International du Film Transsaharien de Zagora in Morocco, held from December 9 to 13.
CinePanalo 2024 pieces to be featured in various film festivals around the world from
Morocco to Spain to Hong Kong.
Meanwhile, Carlo Obispo’s A Lab Story, which won the Always Panalo Film and Audience Choice awards, was showcased at the 2024 Asian Film Festival Barcelona in Spain from October 24 to November 3. The film also made its mark at the 2024 Brunei Film Blitz, held from December 18 to 20.
Finally, Kent Cadungog’s student short film, Text FIND DAD and Send to 2366, which received the Special Jury Prize for Short Film, was featured at the 2024 Singapore International Film Festival from November 28 to December 8. The film is also set to captivate audiences at the upcoming Emirates Film Festival, scheduled for January 15 to 18, 2025.
Pacific Youth Micro Movie Festival in Hong Kong.
Apart from the three films, a number of other entries in the first Puregold CinePanalo were also invited for recognition at various international film festivals. Student short “Tiil ni Lola,” directed by Reutsche Colle Lima, was displayed at the 2024 Asia-Pacific Youth Micro Movie Festival in Hong Kong from November 21 to 23.
In addition, the 2024 Jagran Film Festival featured Joel Ferrer’s “Road to Happy” in the non-competitive section of the Children Showcase, while the aforementioned “A Lab Story” competed in the International Feature category.
Meantime, Eugene Torres’ “One Day League: Dead Mother, Dead All” was displayed at the 2024 Exposures Montreal Trans Film Festival, which concluded last September.
make Puregold CinePanalo 2025 bigger and better for both its feature film and student
shorts selections.
Finally, joining “Text FIND DAD and Send to 2366” at the Emirates Film Festival is Jenievive Adame’s student short, “Smokey Journey.”
For Puregold Senior Marketing Manager Ms. Ivy Hayagan-Piedad, the recognition of Puregold CinePanalo’s winning entries in film festivals across the globe proves that prodigiously talented Filipino filmmakers simply needed the first Puregold CinePanalo to unleash their dream projects.
“The ability of young Filipino filmmakers to make masterpieces has never been the question. Really, it’s always been about opportunity,” said Hayagan-Piedad. “I speak for all the organizers of the Puregold CinePanalo film festival when I say that we’re proud to have given them such opportunities. It goes to show that when you give Pinoy artists a canvas, they will create art the entire world can appreciate.”
CinePanalo Festival Director Chris Cahilig concurs with Hayagan-Piedad and believes that the success of the 2024 entrants will boost excitement for the 2025 entrants.
“Hopefully the success of our 2024 CinePanalo batch encourages more people to check out what the upcoming 2025 edition has in store,” said Cahilig. “Together with Puregold, we hope to make the next CinePanalo bigger and better.”
The eight finalists of the Puregold CinePanalo 2025 will be receiving a three-million-peso (PHP 3,000,000.00) grant each, while the 25 student shorts will be receiving a production grant of one hundred and fifty thousand pesos each (PHP 150,000.000). The eight films and 25 student shorts are set to debut at the 2025 Puregold CinePanalo Film Festival, which will run from March 14 to 25, 2025 in Gateway Cinemas.
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