THE Film Development Council of the Philippines (FDCP) has announced this year’s recipients of the Parangal ng Sining award, a diverse group of living legends and pioneers who have shaped, and continue to shape, Filipino filmmaking.
This year’s lifetime achievement honorees are former president and actor Joseph “Erap” Ejercito-Estrada, actress and producer Charo Santos-Concio, actress and director Laurice Guillen, and award-winning independent filmmaker Lav Diaz.
FDCP chairperson Jose Javier Reyes described the four awardees as “influential not just through their respective works in film, but in the industry as a whole.”
He cited Mr. Estrada’s role in founding Mowelfund and the Metro Manila Film Festival, Ms. Santos-Concio’s contribution as a moving force in Star Cinema and ABS-CBN, and Ms. Guillen’s leadership of the Cinemalaya Independent Film Festival. Of Lav Diaz he said, “He paved the way for Filipino filmmakers to be recognized in the international film circuit.”
Also recognized for the annual achievement awards are the film Iti Mapukpukaw (The Missing) directed by Carl Joseph Papa, which won Best Animated Film at the Asia Pacific Screen Awards; the sports drama Sunshine, directed by Antoinette Jadaone, which won the Crystal Bear at the Berlin International Film Festival; and actress Judy Ann Santos, who won Best Actress at the 45th Fantasporto International Film Festival in Portugal for the horror film Espantaho.
“There are many other films and talents achieving great things, but we are acknowledging these three for winning in major international festivals,” said Mr. Reyes at a press conference on March 28.
The awards ceremony will take place on April 11, 5 p.m., at Seda Vertis North, Quezon City, with actress Iza Calzado as the host.
To complement the awards ceremony, a series of tribute screenings will be held at Ayala Malls Vertis North on April 10 and 12, showcasing works of the honorees. Featured films include: Itim (1976) starring Ms. Santos-Concio; Tanging Yaman (2000) directed by Ms. Guillen; Ang Babaeng Humayo (2016) directed by Mr. Diaz and starring Ms. Santos-Concio; and Sa Kuko ng Agila (1989)starring Mr. Estrada.
FESTIVALS, SCREENINGS, WORKSHOPS, PROGRAMSMr. Reyes assured the press that rumors notwithstanding, the Cinemalaya film festival will be held this year and next, though at least this year the festival will be held in October instead of August. “Tuloy ang Cinemalaya sa October. Tuloy din ang Cinemalaya 2026. May mga pagkakaiba lang, pero tuloy yan. (Cinemalaya will push through in October. Cinemalaya 2026 will also push through. There are just differences, but it will push through.)”
The second quarter of the year will be marked by special screenings of various local and foreign films.
First is “A Curation of World Cinema” which will be shown in select cinemas this April. The mini-film festival will screen two recent Oscar nominees: the Brazilian drama I’m Still Here and the Australian animated film Memoir of a Snail. After that is the “I-nanimate” Animation Film Festival, which will screen award-winning films like Iti Mapukpukaw and the Latvian film Flow which won Best Animated Film in this year’s Academy Awards.
In May, the “Pamanang Pelikula” program will return to bring restored Filipino classics to the big screen. It will be led by ‘Merika, a film directed by Gil Portes and starring National Artist for Film Nora Aunor.
In June, the new “Curation of Asian Cinema” will feature the restored Jaguar, directed by Lino Brocka, among other Asian cinema masterpieces. The month will also have the Pelikulaya film festival, which celebrates queer narratives in solidarity with Pride Month.
With a mandate to promote film education and development, the FDCP will hold the Sine Kabataan pitching lab towards the end of April. Films born from this process are screened in September. At the same time, the Indie Siyensiya Workshop, held in partnership with the Department of Science and Technology, will be showing science-themed films made by students.
In Bacolod, actress Angeli Bayani will be teaching a crash course on Meisner Acting for aspiring actors who wish to hone their craft, scheduled for the month of May.
Now ongoing until June is the student film assistance program, which gives young filmmakers a financial grant of up to P50,000 and a masterclass opportunity. Interested applicants can visit the FDCP pages for more details.
Finally, Mr. Reyes revealed that the Philippine Film Industry Roadmap, being formulated in collaboration with creative consultancy agency Olsberg SPI, will be finalized in July.
It aims to “chart a sustainable path for the future of local cinema,” he said. — Brontë H. Lacsamana
