CEBU, PHILIPPINES — The Binisaya Film Festival returns for its 16th edition, which will run from August 16 to 23, featuring 31 films that reflect the realities shaping our “collective present.”
This year’s theme is “State of the Nation,” wherein Binisaya invites audiences to examine the country’s social and political landscape through stories from diverse communities across the Philippines and around the world.
“As a festival rooted in local voices and diverse storytelling, BINISAYA recognizes that understanding the nation requires listening to voices from different communities, languages, and realities. These films challenge us to confront difficult questions and imagine more just and inclusive futures,” the festival said on its Facebook page.
This year’s lineup features five categories: Archipelago Rising, BINISAYA Shorts, BINISAYA Horizons, BINISAYA World, and Giatay / Damned.
The Archipelago Rising program runs for one hour and seven minutes and features three films: “Objects Do Not Randomly Fall from the Sky” by Maria Estela Paiso of Zambales, “Searching for Sol” by Jaime Morados of Laguna, and “Elenita Elena Elaine” by Gabriela Serrano of Manila.
The BINISAYA Shorts section, dedicated to short films by Bisaya filmmakers, runs for two hours and eight minutes and features nine entries.
Representing Cebu are “The Knight of Candle Mountain” by Julian Maiz, “UWAK” by Ray Martin, “Sunog sa Sugbo” by Jon Owen Lepiten, “Anino sa Bukid” by Ana Cameña, “Sulong Kad” by Tyl Abellaneda, and “Legazpi: And That One Philippine Island of Cunning Fools” by Mico Lorenzo Minerva and Redh Honoridez.
Also included are the Davao-made films “Ang Kahimayáang Matúod” by Adrian Lo, and “The Groundhog’s Nightmare” by Cromwell Ken Ibo, as well as “Salbabida” by Jeff Balsamo of Lanao del Norte.
Meanwhile, BINISAYA Horizons, which highlights regional and non-Cebuano films, runs for one hour and 57 minutes and features six entries: the Manila-made shorts “Shane, Kyle, and the Unnatural Satellite” by Mar Baldovino and “I am a Halo-Halo” by Daniel Buhat, along with “All My Friends Are Static” by Migo Matas of Rizal, “Si Kara: Ang Babaye nga Nagdaba-daba” by Dale of Negros Occidental, “Where the Cave Ends” by Nix Vergara of Quezon City, and “ANI” by Ayessa Tan of Cavite.
The BINISAYA World section showcases nine international and Philippine short films with a total runtime of one hour and 50 minutes.
The international entries are India’s “Save_The_God” by Niraj Kumar Mishra, the United States’ “Usa (Deer)” by Matt Oflas, Malaysia’s “Avekṣā” by Tarshan Segar, Japan’s “Tristesse” by Yuri Muraoka, Indonesia’s “Wandering Feelings” by Rendro Aryo, and South Korea’s “Bleeding Summer” by Jeemin Baik.
The Philippine entries also include “Honey, My Love, So Sweet” by JT Trinidad, “The Red Banca” by Nena Jane, and “Static Noises” by Jomz Alip Lailo, a co-production with New Zealand.
Lastly, “Giatay / Damned” rounds out the festival’s shorts lineup with six films running a total of one hour and 22 minutes.
The Cebuano entries are “Pier Uno” by Honoridez and “Hey Strange” by Dan Lopez. They are joined by “when i leave this all behind” by Ma. Christine De Vera and Ryan Mojica of Cavite, “RAMPAGE! (o ang parada)” by Kukay Bautista Zinampan of Quezon City, “samtang naghulat ko nga maakoa ka…” by Linus Masandag of Leyte, and “I Will Die for You” by Jaime Morados of Laguna.
The festival will close with the feature film “Sandy” by Davao filmmaker Neo Bryce Largo, which follows a college student navigating loss and adulthood as her childhood friend prepares to leave for the United States.
Several filmmakers have shared their excitement over being selected for this year’s festival. Among them is Lepiten, who is celebrating the homecoming of his film, “Sunog sa Sugbo,” after it premiered at Sine Kabataan last year, where he won Best Director. The film was later recognized by Rolling Stone Philippines as one of the best Filipino films of 2025.
“It finally comes home to the city that birthed its flame,” Lepiten wrote on Facebook. His film follows a young boy whose family loses their home to a fire and is forced to make ends meet.
Balsamo also reflected on the inclusion of “Salbabida,” originally produced as a student film for a festival at Mindanao State University-Iligan Institute of Technology.
“A student project at best, but a project I can be very proud of because of the talented and passionate people behind it. I hope this milestone will be a catalyst for other school projects to not only end at that purpose. May our stories always have a place to be told, and may we strive for sustainability in everything that we create,” he wrote.
In a heartfelt Facebook post, Matas said his participation in the festival with his entry, “All My Friends Are Static,” marked a meaningful return to filmmaking after a seven-year hiatus. He also recalled studying at Cebu’s now-defunct International Academy of Film and Television (known as Bigfoot) 12 years ago, saying that his brief experience there deepened his passion for cinema.
“A lot of my peers from that time are now in the industry, making names for themselves and paving their own paths. As for me, a few years after that, I went on hiatus for seven years. Deep down, I felt left behind. But even during that time, I never truly left filmmaking. I may not have been working in the industry, but I was still trying to hone my craft in my own way,” Matas said.
“That’s why getting into Binisaya means so much to me. In a way, it feels like going back to my roots. This is one of the festivals I’ve always wanted to be part of, especially because of what it means to Philippine cinema and to contemporary, bold storytelling.”
The festival also confirmed that it has once again partnered with the Film Development Council of the Philippines for this year’s edition.
In a statement, Binisaya said their partnership “fosters an environment where independent filmmakers can connect with audiences, engage in creative exchange, and contribute to the continuing evolution of Philippine cinema. From screenings and educational programs to industry discussions and community engagement initiatives, the collaboration reflects a commitment to building a more inclusive and representative film culture.”
The festival also partially unveiled its jury, which includes Cebuano filmmaker Stephen Kelly Mahusay and Davao-based film journalist Daniela Kuizon, who is widely known in the Filipino film community on X as “manic pixie dani girl.”
Additional details, such as screening venues, schedules, and the open forum “Binisaya Talks,” will be announced at a later date on the festival’s Facebook page (https://web.facebook.com/binisaya).
Founded in 2009, the Binisaya Film Festival has built a reputation as one of the country’s unique independent film festivals, embracing unconventional cinema that has earned a loyal following among filmmakers and cinephiles who appreciate its offbeat approach to storytelling and the art of film.
“I believe in the spirit of the Binisaya community,” founder Keith Deligero said in a video announcing this year’s lineup. “Every year, we grow bigger and become better in filmmaking. We get to convert more people to become part of the community. The films we make are reflections of ourselves living in this world, in this nation.”
Written by JANUAR JUNIOR AGUJA/VAB
