Ilonggo Cinema Festival returns with free screenings, workshops

Iloilo City turns its lens inward this October as the Ilonggo Cinema Festival (ICFest) returns to help power the city’s broader celebration of the arts. As part of the city’s October Arts Festival, ICFest serves as a cornerstone for regional storytelling, providing a platform for local filmmakers through free public screenings and professional development programs designed to strengthen the domestic film industry.

The official rollout begins on Oct. 6, 2026, with a press conference at Iloilo City Hall to outline the weeklong program. Festivities formally commence on Oct. 14 with the opening ceremony and the premiere of the opening feature film, Salum, accompanied by a curated showcase of spotlight short films.

The core of the festival, from Oct. 15 through Oct. 18, features industry lectures and extensive public screenings across different locations. On Oct. 15, Kevin Pison Piamonte leads the CineDiskusyon titled “Ang Pagpamukadkad sang Istorya: Concept to Script,” focusing on the journey from story development to directing. Screenings continue that day at both the FDCP Cinematheque Iloilo and Festive Walk Cinema. The lectures proceed on Oct. 16 with Jo Andrew Torlao presenting “Pagdumala sang mga Hangaway: Film Production Management,” addressing the structural execution of film projects, complemented by concurrent screenings at the FDCP Cinematheque Iloilo.

Then, on Oct. 17, Film Development Council of the Philippines (FDCP) chairman and director Jose Javier “Joey” Reyes will meet with young Ilonggo filmmakers for consultations on filmmaking techniques. On the same day, the FDCP will also hold a town hall meeting with filmmakers and representatives of various film festivals in Iloilo. Additional screenings will run at Festive Walk Cinema that day. The festival concludes on Oct. 18 with final film screenings at Festive Walk Cinema 1, followed by the official awarding ceremony.

Free screenings and festival events during ICFest are open to the public. Film enthusiasts, students and local communities are invited to witness and support the voices shaping the current movement of Ilonggo storytelling.