Emerging and Established Filmmakers Take Home Awards at the 2026 Puregold CinePanalo Awards Night

Film

Oct 2

This year’s Puregold CinePanalo Film Festival marked several firsts while bringing together established filmmakers and emerging student directors, giving audiences a chance to discover the breadth of Filipino storytelling.

Words Gerie Marie Consolacion
Art by Kirk Bertrand
October 2, 2026

The third edition of the Puregold CinePanalo Film Festival featured seven full-length films and 19 student shorts,showcasing Filipino creativity and the evolving ways filmmakers tell their stories.

For this year’s festival, the organizers decided to do away with a unifying theme and instead give filmmakers the freedom to tell the stories they wanted to tell. The decision was made to listen more closely to the filmmakers and allow their individual voices to take center stage.

A week after the festival officially opened in cinemas, Puregold CinePanalo held its Awards Night at Gateway Cineplex 10. The event brought together the casts, crews, production teams, panel of judges, and members of the media to celebrate this year’s entries.

Mono No Aware emerged as this year’s Pinakapanalong Mahabang Pelikula, while Limlim took home the Pinakapanalong Maikling Pelikula. Both directors expressed their gratitude to the people who supported them throughout the filmmaking process.

The Shorts and the Full-Length Films

Of the 19 student short-film entries, 13 received awards. Limlim and Kun Hain, Bisan Diin led the student category with four awards each, followed by Alumahan with three. Starfish, 12 Shots, Miss Intrams, and Ang Huling Banlaw ni Susan each received two awards.

Other student-film winners included The Sound of K, Pulis Dunggab, Nang Matakasan ang Tagay, When Heaven Inched Towards Earth, Bumtak Sara ti Nuangen, and Teks Battle: Shoot Pati Pato.

The seven full-length entries also faced a competitive field. Mono No Aware led the category with nine awards, followed by Apol of My Ai with four. Patay Gutom (Dead Hungry) and Multwoh (Patay Na Patay Sa’yo) received three awards each, while Stuck On You took home two.

The Awards

Part of the fun of watching a CinePanalo entry is spotting how brands and sponsors are incorporated into each film. This year, Alumahan won the Panalo sa Brand Intrusion in the student shorts category for its subtle use of Ariel. In the full-length category, Multwoh (Patay Na Patay Sa’yo) featured Palmolive and Colgate in the background.

The panel also gave special recognition through the Panalong Karangalan mula sa Hurado, awarded to Kun Hain, Bisan Diin in the student category and Apol of My Ai in the full-length category.

The international jury also had its own set of winners, with Alumahan and Mono No Aware receiving the Panalo sa International Jury award.

And, of course, no film festival would be complete without the audience. Ang Huling Banlaw ni Susan and Multwoh (Patay Na Patay Sa’yo) received the Panalo sa mga Manonood award. Meanwhile, Pulis Dunggab and Miss Intrams tied for the Puregold Always Panalo award, the brand’s special recognition.

Celebrating the Artistic Side of Filmmaking

A film’s journey often begins with its poster, and this year’s Panalo sa Film Poster in the student shorts category was shared by Keith Ian Serfino of Alumahan and Eidan Maninang of Nang Matakasan ang Tagay. In the full-length category, Denver Balbaboco of Patay Gutom (Dead Hungry) took home the award.

Beyond the poster, films also rely on their marketing teams to bring audiences into their stories. When Heaven Inched Towards Earth stood out for its promotional campaign, earning the Pinakapanalong Promosyon sa Pelikula award.

Sound also played a major role in shaping this year’s films. Hannah Gagalac of Bumtak Sara ti Nuangen and Willie Apa Jr. of Mono No Aware received the Panalo sa Sound Design award. Meanwhile, Lenard Kent Villanueva of Miss Intrams and Emerzon Texon of Apol of My Ai were recognized for Panalo sa Musical Scoring.

The Panalong Awitin went to John David Brion, Edlyn Icao, and Kier Mosquito for “Game Na!” from Teks Battle: Shoot Pati Pato, while “Reyna ng Quezon City,” written by Juana, from Stuck On You was also recognized.

On the visual side, production design helped establish the world and mood of each film. The Panalo sa Production Design was awarded to Jim Flores, Minnesota Flores, and Sol Samodio of 12 Shots, as well as Rodrigo Ricio of Multwoh (Patay Na Patay Sa’yo).

The Panalo sa Visual Effects went to Junelle Bacho Tecson and Luis Mañalac of Starfish, along with the Patay Gutom (Dead Hungry) Animation Team.

For cinematography, Geia de Vera of Limlim and TM Malones of Mono No Aware received the Panalo sa Cinematography award. The Panalo sa Editing award went to Brian Spencer Reyes of Kun Hain, Bisan Diin and Edmund Telmo of Mono No Aware.

The People On Camera and Behind the Scenes

Behind every film are the writers, directors, performers, and countless members of the production team who bring the story to life.

The Panalong Kwento was awarded to Jomarie Corro-Reyes and William Roberts of Kun Hain, Bisan Diin, as well as Carl Joseph Papa and Yvonne Garcia of Patay Gutom (Dead Hungry).

Corro-Reyes also received the Panalong Direktor award, alongside Samantha Palaje of Limlim and BC Amparado of Mono No Aware.

The acting awards recognized the performers who brought each filmmaker’s vision to the screen. Nor Domingo of 12 Shots and Zanjoe Marudo of Apol of My Ai received the Panalong Pangalawang Aktor award, while Nour Hooshmand of Starfish and Momoko Kobayashi of Mono No Aware were recognized as Panalong Pangalawang Aktres.

The festival also highlighted its young performers. Zoey Madison Lim of Limlim and Zion Cruz of Apol of My Ai received the Panalong Child Performer award.

The Panalong Aktor award went to Jay Gabriel Cañada of The Sound of K and Juan Karlos of Mono No Aware. The Panalong Aktres award was given to Jonalyn Mateo of Ang Huling Banlaw ni Susan and Xyriel Manabat of Stuck On You.

Mono No Aware also received the Panalong Ensemble award.

This year also marked the first time the festival recognized the Panorama Shorts, with Zig Dulay’s The Other Side of Reality receiving the Pinakapanalong Maikling Pelikula award in the category.

Same Time Next Year?

With this year’s diverse lineup, audiences are already looking forward to the fourth edition of CinePanalo. Chris Cahilig summed up the festival’s spirit with his statement, “Panalo ang pagsugal ng Puregold sa mga filmmakers.”

Irene Jose also described CinePanalo as “more than a film festival, a celebration of film creativity. A platform for the emerging voices.”

While this year’s winners have been announced, the festival itself continues until October 4 at Gateway Cineplex 18, TriNoma, Fairview Terraces, Ayala Malls Feliz, Ayala Malls Circuit, Ayala Malls Manila Bay, and Market! Market!