There was a hush inside Cinema 12 of Gateway Cineplex 18 as the screen flickered to life — a woman reached for cocktail cans, marking the dramatic reveal of the seven official full-length film entries for Puregold CinePanalo 2026. The moment, both thrilling and emotional, set the tone for a celebration of creativity, passion, and Filipino storytelling excellence.
The seven feature films announced were:
🎥 Joseph Abello’s Wantawsan
🎥 BC Amparado’s Mono No Aware
🎥 Thop Nazareno’s Apol of my Ai
🎥 Carl Joseph Papa and Ian Pangilinan’s Patay Gutom (Dead Hungry)
🎥 Lawrence Fajardo’s Beast
🎥 Mikko Baldoza’s Stuck on You
🎥 Rodina Singh’s Multwoh (Patay na Patay Sa’yo)
Each of these filmmakers will receive a ₱5 million production grant, giving life to their visionary projects as they compete for the festival’s top honors. These feature films will also screen alongside 20 short films by talented student filmmakers, reinforcing Puregold CinePanalo’s mission to champion both emerging and established voices in Philippine cinema.
Adding a creative twist, the event fused film and retail flair by awarding each of the seven filmmakers a giant stylized grocery receipt — a playful nod to Puregold’s roots and a symbol of their record-breaking production grants.
“The upcoming 2026 Puregold CinePanalo is our biggest edition yet,” shared Ivy Hayagan-Piedad, Puregold Senior Marketing Manager. “We wanted the reveal of our Top 7 films to make a splash worthy of the festival’s growing legacy.”
Festival Director Chris Cahilig echoed this excitement, highlighting the exceptional talent and spirit behind this year’s lineup.
“Puregold CinePanalo is giving its largest grants to date — and these seven filmmakers truly earned it. Their passion, creativity, and ‘panalo sa husay’ spirit will move audiences to laugh, cry, and feel inspired. We can’t wait for everyone to experience these stories on the big screen.”
Now on its third year, Puregold CinePanalo continues to serve as a powerful platform for Filipino filmmakers to realize their creative dreams — many of whom have gone on to screen their works at prestigious film festivals across Europe, Asia, and Africa.
“Supporting Filipino artists has always been at the heart of Puregold,” Hayagan-Piedad added. “Seeing CinePanalo grow into one of the country’s most anticipated film festivals is a true source of pride for us. We believe this year’s lineup will once again showcase world-class Filipino talent.”
The Puregold CinePanalo 2026 Film Festival will take place next year at Gateway Cineplex 18 and select Ayala Malls cinemas.
This year’s festival is proudly supported by Canon Marketing Philippines, CMB Film Services, Terminal Six Post, IM Rentals, Asia Pacific Film Institute, Stage Post Audio and Music Productions Inc., the Film Development Council of the Philippines (FDCP), and the Movie and Television Review and Classification Board (MTRCB).
Stay updated by following the official Facebook page: facebook.com/puregoldcinepanalo
