CineMatahum 2026 celebrates Visayan films, expands to Aklan, Bacolod

ILOILO CITY — From award-winning performances to stories of memory, identity, and community, CineMatahum 2026, the University of the Philippines Visayas (UPV) film festival, closed another chapter in its mission to bring Visayan cinema closer to home.

The festival held its awards night on Oct. 24, recognizing filmmakers, actors, and creative teams behind stories from across the region.

Guided by its advocacy campaign, PARA: Pauli sa Isa kag Isa, CineMatahum celebrated cinema as a way of returning to the people, places, and experiences that shape communities.

Films from Cine Kasilingan and Cine Barrio received honors across major categories, including Best Film, Best Director, Best Actor, and Best Actress, alongside awards for screenwriting and technical achievements.

Special recognitions also highlighted emerging filmmakers through the Film as Pedagogy 24-Hour Film Challenge, Daily Guardian’s Padya Sugilanon (Story Prize), and the SineClub Choice Awards.

Beyond the trophies and distinctions, the closing night reinforced a message that had shaped the festival from the beginning: The journey of regional cinema does not end when the lights come up or the credits roll.

It continues wherever stories are told, shared, remembered, and brought home.

Recognizing the stories and storytellers

Two films emerged as major winners in the festival’s competitive categories.

In Cine Barrio, Tililing: E-motion Sickness, directed by Dranreb Cimatu, won Best Film and Best Director.

The film also received Best Actress for Rita Malacon, Best Editing and Best Cinematography for Fahleen Fang Casidsid, and Best Screenplay for Keifer Occeno.

In Cine Kasilingan, Ang Huling Banlaw ni Susan, directed by Hezekiah Estorque, won Best Film and Best Director.

The film also earned Best Actress for Jonalyn Mateo, Best Editing and Best Cinematography for Casidsid, Best Sound Design for Juan Miguel Estrope and Alexus Jan B. Yap, Best Production Design for Dranreb Cimatu, Swoop Diaz, and Zanna Jamili, and Best Screenplay for Estorque and Kurt Romulo.

The awards recognized the range of creative work involved in bringing a film to life, from developing a compelling screenplay to shaping its visual language, sound, and production design.

Other winners included Amar, which earned Dick Matthew Best Actor in Cine Barrio, and Siga Suga, which earned Joseph Columnida Best Actor in Cine Kasilingan.

In the technical categories, Ining Kanta na Indi ko Mahambal Sa Imo won Best Sound Design in Cine Barrio, credited to Alexus Jan B. Yap, while You Will Learn How To Tie It Again received Best Production Design for Kayehl Beatrix Penuela.

The SineClub Choice Awards recognized You Will Learn How To Tie It Again, represented by Fahleen Fang Casidsid, in Cine Barrio, and Remember, Sunshine, represented by Aneesa Victoria Dabao, in Cine Kasilingan.

Daily Guardian also presented its Padya Sugilanon (Story Prize) to three films: Kanibal, directed by Michael Baylon; Ang Huling Banlaw ni Susan; and Dollyhouse, directed by Shekainah Lozarita.

The award recognized the films for their storytelling, craft, regional voice, and overall impact, highlighting cinema’s ability to encourage meaningful conversations and reflection on human experiences.

In Hiligaynon, padya means prize, while sugilanon means story.

The recognition reflects Daily Guardian’s commitment to supporting regional filmmaking and celebrating stories that go beyond entertainment to engage audiences with the realities and experiences of their communities.

Performances that carry stories beyond the screen

Among the evening’s memorable moments were the acceptance messages of the Best Actor awardees, whose reflections revealed the personal connections behind their performances.

Matthew described playing Amar as one of the most challenging roles he had undertaken since entering the film industry.

He also recalled lying inside a coffin as a once-in-a-lifetime experience, recognizing the demands of the role as a testament to the production team’s hard work.

For Matthew, however, the character’s significance extended beyond the challenges of portraying him.

“We are all Amar in our own lives. We all have our struggles, and we all have injustices to fight against. This is for all the Amars who continue to seek justice,” Matthew said.

His message connected the character’s struggles to those who continue to confront injustice in their own lives, underscoring how cinema can give voice to experiences that extend beyond the screen.

Meanwhile, Columnida won Best Actor for Siga Suga, directed by Kris Catherine P. Bautista.

The film follows Bok and his grandmother, Mamang, as a blackout brings them together in a quiet moment of love and companionship.

Although Columnida is not fluent in Bisaya, he found himself deeply connected to the film’s portrayal of a grandmother’s love and the comfort of her presence.

Through Bok and Mamang, he found echoes of his relationship with his own grandmother, whom he lovingly calls “Nay.”

In his acceptance message, Columnida dedicated the award to her, expressing his longing to share the moment with her and bring the recognition home to Bacolod.

“I hope that when I experience brownouts again, I get to feel your presence, even just for a little while, just like Bok felt Mamang’s,” he said.

He also expressed his wish to tell her about the achievement and see her smile once more.

While Matthew’s portrayal of Amar highlighted the struggles of those seeking justice, Columnida’s tribute to Nay reflected the love and longing that remain through memories of a loved one.

Their acceptance messages showed how performances can draw from deeply personal experiences and transform them into stories that resonate with audiences.

A platform for emerging filmmakers

Beyond the main competitive categories, CineMatahum continued to provide opportunities for filmmakers to experiment with storytelling and present their work to audiences.

The Film as Pedagogy 24-Hour Film Challenge recognized short films created within a limited production period.

Guyod by Funfun Lang Productions took first place, followed by Going Nowhere by DFD Pictures in second place and Sikway by Tifosi Tintindisarapin Productions in third.

The challenge highlighted the resourcefulness, creativity, and collaboration needed to produce a film under tight time constraints while demonstrating that filmmaking can be both enjoyable and accessible.

By working with available resources and turning simple ideas into stories, participants demonstrated that creating films does not always require a large budget or expensive equipment.

Instead, the challenge emphasized imagination, teamwork, and a willingness to tell a story.

40 films, 3 categories, 1 regional conversation

CineMatahum 2026 featured 40 films across seven screening setlists, with screenings held Oct. 14 and 15 at UPV’s Miagao campus and Oct. 22 and 23 at the UPV Cinematheque in Iloilo City.

Describing this year’s edition as “way bigger than ever,” the organizing team brought together films representing different experiences, cultures, and identities across the Visayan region.

The lineup was divided into three categories: Cine Kasilingan, Cine Barrio, and Cine Banwa, each offering a different avenue for filmmakers to present their work.

Cine Kasilingan featured 10 competitive entries exclusively from UPV students, including those from UP High School and the university’s Graduate School.

The category provided a platform for student filmmakers to tell stories shaped by their personal, academic, disciplinary, and cultural experiences.

Cine Barrio featured 14 competitive entries from student filmmakers in high schools and colleges across the Visayas, excluding UPV.

Through its interschool format, the category brought together perspectives from different educational institutions and communities.

Cine Banwa presented 16 noncompetitive films selected from nonstudent and community-based creators.

The category expanded the festival’s scope beyond campus filmmaking, showcasing works grounded in local realities while engaging with broader themes.

The films explored folklore, cultural traditions, family relationships, personal struggles, social realities, and identity, reflecting the different ways filmmakers understand and represent their communities.

The use of regional languages also allowed stories to retain the expressions, nuances, and cultural references that shape everyday life in the Visayas.

The festival also held film talks featuring filmmakers Missy Dadivas Dimson and Kurt Romulo on Oct. 22, who discussed the process of bringing ideas to the big screen.

On Oct. 24, filmmaker Rodina Singh explored institutional barriers and censorship in filmmaking.

The sessions encouraged discussions on storytelling, creative practice, and the challenges of bringing diverse narratives to audiences.

The next stop: Aklan and Bacolod

As the festival closed its 2026 edition, organizers also announced the next chapter of its journey.

CineMatahum is set to expand to Aklan and Bacolod in 2027, with activities expected around September.

Festival director Kevin Piamonte announced the upcoming destinations during the awards night, reflecting on how far CineMatahum had come since its beginnings as CineMapadayon in 2022.

“This has been a journey, and this is our fifth year. It never crossed my mind that we would get this far,” Piamonte said.

He also reflected on the festival’s byahe, or journey, theme, acknowledging that he had not initially imagined how literally CineMatahum would become a journey across communities.

For Piamonte, the festival has always been about building a community and creating a space where people feel welcome.

He hopes its continued expansion will encourage more people to make films not only for themselves but also for the communities they belong to.

“Whatever causes we stand for, let us fight for them through film,” he said, emphasizing cinema’s power to amplify the issues and aspirations that matter to people.