The Cinemalaya Philippine Independent Film Festival, now on its 21st year, continues to honor the finest Filipino independent filmmakers — as well as the distinguished individuals who take on the vital role of selecting this year’s most outstanding films.
This year’s Main Competition Jury features an exceptional lineup of respected figures in film and the arts: Christopher de Leon, Pepe Diokno, Mark Schilling, Sophia Wellington, and Michiko Yamamoto — each bringing a wealth of experience, artistry, and global perspective to the festival’s prestigious judging panel.
The Cinemalaya 21 Main Competition Jury
Christopher de Leon, celebrated actor and director, is hailed as the “King of Philippine Drama.” With a prolific career spanning five decades, he has received numerous accolades including eight FAMAS Awards, two Gawad Urian Awards, four Luna Awards, nine Star Awards, and eight MMFF trophies. Acknowledged as one of the greatest Filipino actors of all time, de Leon has also received lifetime honors such as the Lino Brocka Achievement Award, the FAMAS Circle of Excellence Award, and a star on the Eastwood City Walk of Fame.
Jose Lorenzo “Pepe” Diokno is an internationally acclaimed director, producer, and screenwriter whose debut feature, Engkwentro (2009), premiered at Cinemalaya and went on to win the Lion of the Future – Luigi De Laurentiis Award and the Orizzonti Prize at the Venice Film Festival. His subsequent works, including Above the Clouds (2013) and Kapatiran (2014), have screened at major festivals such as Tokyo, Singapore, and Karlovy Vary. Diokno is an alumnus of Berlinale Talents (Germany), Torino Script Lab (Italy), and Produire Au Sud (France), and currently develops new projects under his company Kapitol Films.
Mark Schilling, a veteran film critic and journalist, has been reviewing Japanese cinema for The Japan Times since 1989 and covering Japan for Variety since 2005. He serves as Program Advisor for the Udine Far East Film Festival, Europe’s largest festival of Asian cinema. Schilling is also an author of several definitive works on Japanese cinema, including The Yakuza Movie Book and No Borders, No Limits: Nikkatsu Action Cinema. His original story Convenience Story was adapted into a feature film in 2022.
Sophia Wellington is an educator, writer, and script consultant with over two decades of experience in international film and television. A former lecturer at NYU Tisch School of the Arts Asia, she currently heads the Screenwriting Department at the London Film School (LFS). Wellington has mentored emerging filmmakers globally and has conducted workshops with Cinemalaya Institute, EICTV (Cuba), and other international creative organizations.
Michiko Yamamoto, one of the Philippines’ most celebrated screenwriters, has written acclaimed films such as Magnifico (2003), Ang Pagdadalaga ni Maximo Oliveros (2005), On the Job (2013), Honor Thy Father (2015), and On the Job: The Missing 8 (2021). Her works have been featured in major film festivals including Berlin, Sundance, Cannes, Venice, and Toronto. A collaborator of Reality MM Studios, she continues to develop bold, genre-defying stories for both local and global audiences.
NETPAC Jury: Honoring Asian Excellence in Cinema
The NETPAC (Network for the Promotion of Asian Cinema) Jury this year includes Loy Arcenas, Ina Feleo, and Pradip Kurbah — a distinguished panel representing theater, film, and artistic innovation across Asia.
Luis Ramon “Loy” Arcenas is a film and theater director whose award-winning works include Ang Larawan (MMFF Best Film, 2017), REquieme! (Cinemalaya Special Jury Prize, 2012), and Niño (Cinemalaya and Busan International Film Festival, 2011). A seasoned set designer in both the U.S. and the Philippines, Arcenas has long been associated with New York’s Ma-Yi Theatre Company.
Irina “Ina” Feleo is a multi-disciplinary artist, dancer, and award-winning actress known for her performances in Endo (Cinemalaya 2007) and Sanglaan (2009). She has earned multiple nominations, including Urian Best Actress and Best Supporting Actress nods, and continues to explore storytelling across dance, film, and writing.
Pradip Kurbah, a self-taught filmmaker from Meghalaya, India, is a trailblazer in Khasi-language cinema. His award-winning films such as The Elysian Field (Ha Lyngkha Bneng), Ïewduh (Market), and Onaatah: Daughter of the Earth have brought regional Indian cinema to global recognition. The Elysian Field notably won the Golden Saint George for Best Film at the 47th Moscow International Film Festival.
Cinemalaya 21: Celebrating Two Decades of Independent Cinema
Cinemalaya 21 opens on October 3 with a red-carpet ceremony, an opening program, and the screening of Pradip Kurbah’s The Elysian Field. The festival runs until October 12, with screenings at Red Carpet Cinemas by Shangri-La Plaza, Ayala Malls Cinemas, and Gateway Cineplex 18.
For more information, visit the CCP website (www.culturalcenter.gov.ph) and Cinemalaya.org, and follow the official CCP and Cinemalaya pages on Facebook, X (Twitter), Instagram, and TikTok for updates.
