Starting in September, the Sinag Maynila Independent Film Festival returns for its 7th edition to continue its advocacy of showcasing the best of contemporary filmmaking in documentary, short film, and feature film formats. This year saw a record-breaking number of entries from mostly students from all over the country. The final selection for all categories were formally presented to the media during the 2025 Sinag Maynila presscon held last August 20 in Gateway Cinema in Quezon City.
"We are thrilled to continue our advocacy for 'Sine Lokal, Pang-International' and provide a space where these talented individuals can share their work with a wider audience. The enthusiasm from the filmmaking community is exactly what Sinag Maynila is all about," said Sinag Maynila founder and Solar Entertainment President Wilson Tieng.
Headlining this year’s festival are five local and foreign films competing in the feature film category and headlined by some of the country’s most talented stars. JC Santos, Sunshine Teodoro, and Gian Pomperada headline director Kevin Pison Piamonte’s Ilonggo film Candé which is a story about a Filipino chef in New York who returns to his hometown during a hometown fiesta and ends up confronting his tragic past.
Director Topel Lee is in his element in his latest horror film Jeongbu which stars Aljur Abrenica in the lead role of Ethan, along with co-stars Ritz Azul and Empress Shuck. Jeongbu (which is the korean word for mistress) features the story of an evil element who wants to change the personality of Ethan’s wife.
Madawag Ang Landas Patungong Pag-Asa (The Teacher) is award-winning director Joel Lamangan’s latest film which stars Rita Daniela, Jak Roberto, and Albie Casiño. Rita plays the title role of a new teacher who struggles help a community who is used to their old way of doing things and is on a mission to persuade the elementary children in a remote village to return to school after a shooting incident and a pandemic.
JM De Guzman, Carla Abellana, and Cesar Montano lead the cast in director GB Sampedro’s Sinag Maynila entry Selda Tres (Cell Number Three). The story revolves around a law office messenger who helps defend his former cellmates in court as a paralegal after his own brief and wrongful incarceration.
Canadian screenwriter and film director Serville Poblete’s entry is his debut feature film Altar Boy which first premiered in the Borsos Competition program at the 2021 Whistler Film Festival. He co-produced the film alongside his childhood friend Mark Bacolcol, who is also one of the lead stars in the project along with Shai Barcia, and Pablo S.J Quiogue. This coming-of-age story is about a Filipino Canadian teenager who struggles to have independence against his domineering and deeply religious mother.
Sinag Maynila Film Festival will be screened from September 24 to 30 at Gateway, Robinsons Manila, SM Mall of Asia, and SM Fairview. Admission is priced at only ₱250 per ticket.