Tupas and Cimatu lead winners at Bacolod film fest

By Dolly Yasa

BACOLOD CITY — Young filmmakers Charlene Mead Tupas and Dranreb Cimatu emerged as top winners at the 2nd Bacolod Film Festival Awards Night held Saturday, Nov. 29, 2025, at SM City Bacolod Cinema.

A press statement from the Bacolod City Communications Office on Sunday said Tupas’ film Tonton took home the coveted Best Picture award, along with Best Cinematography, Best Production Design, and Best Actress for Maria Victoria Mendoza.

Cimatu’s Tililing also dominated several categories, earning:

Best Makeup – Swoop Diaz (back-to-back winner)
Best Costume Design – Zabiel Nemenzo
Best Supporting Actress – Errol Filoteo
Best Screenplay – Kiefer Occeno
Audience Choice Award – PHP 25,000 prize
Best Director – Dranreb Cimatu – PHP 25,000 prize

Other awardees included:

Best Special Effects – Bagong Bayan
Best Original Story – Bagong Bayan
Best Sound Design – We Can Really Only Ever Be One, Jay Baluno
Best Musical Score – Tuyaw, Lex Chavez
Best Editing – We Can Really Only Ever Be One, Aldwin Juson
Best Supporting Actor – Aladin Dato (Tuyaw)
Best Actor – Oliver Villavert (We Can Really Only Ever Be One)
Jury’s Choice Award – Tuyaw
Jury’s Special Award (Best Ensemble) – Balay Alibangbang

This year’s festival featured eight short films under the theme Panan-aw: Local Frames, Global Change, spotlighting the creativity of Bacolod’s young storytellers.

Mayor Greg Gasataya lauded the filmmakers and organizers for mounting an exceptional festival despite recent weather disturbances.

“They made something seemingly impossible and exceeded expectations,” he said. “Bacolod will continue to be a home for young filmmakers dreaming to make it big.”

Vice Mayor Claudio Puentevella, together with Councilor Em Ang—author of City Ordinance No. 1061 institutionalizing the festival—also affirmed continued support for the city’s creative sector.

Festival Director Tanya Lopez of the Negros Cultural Foundation highlighted the event’s collaborative spirit, thanking the city government, festival partners, and jurors Dr. Katrina Tan, Tito Valiente, Butch Ibañez, Chris Millado, and Roland Tolentino.

The Bacolod Film Festival is jointly implemented by the city government of Bacolod and the Negros Cultural Foundation, with support from the office of Bacolod City Rep. Albee Benitez.

Institutional partners include the FDCP, NCCA, MTRCB, and The Negros Museum.