25th Película>Pelikula spotlights world-class Spanish cinema

The 25th edition of Película>Pelikula (the Manila Spanish Film Festival) returned to Metro Manila from October 4 to 11, featuring 23 acclaimed feature-length and short films spanning Spain, Latin America, and the Philippines.

The event, organized by Instituto Cervantes de Manila together with the Embassy of Spain, AECID Cultura, and key local partners, marked its silver anniversary at Power Plant Cinema 2 at the Power Plant Mall in Rockwell Center, Makati City.

Staying true to its founding mission of making global cinema accessible to the local audience, all screenings were free of charge and presented in their original language with English subtitles. The 2026 curated roster offered a rich mix of festival winners, historical epics, family animation, and provocative documentaries.

Película>Pelikula, first established in 2002, has grown into the longest-running foreign film festival in the Philippines and the premier Spanish-language film event across Southeast Asia.

Instituto Cervantes de Manila cultural head José María Fons Guardiola shared that selecting the annual lineup is an organic, collaborative endeavor. The team worked closely with Latin American embassies and international film circuits to secure award-winning titles while balancing audience tastes. Local viewers tend to gravitate toward comedies and melodramas, making Película>Pelikula a space of shared laughter and collective tears.

The festival established the inaugural Galardón XXV Aniversario, an honor created to recognize a film professional who has significantly bridged Philippine and Spanish-speaking cinema, to celebrate its 25-year milestone. This year’s distinction was awarded to veteran Filipino actor Ronnie Lazaro, a steadfast ambassador and champion of the festival since its early days.

Película>Pelikula also extended its celebration well beyond the projection room through lectures, artistic workshops, and music. Film historian Nick Deocampo presented a special lecture last October 6 at Power Plant Cinema 2, delving into the historical influence of Spanish cinema on Philippine filmmaking history.

Mexican artist and sculptor Juan Pablo Chipe hosted free creative workshops, including a children’s modeling clay session at Instituto Cervantes Intramuros last October 4 and a recycling and collage workshop at the SoFA Design Institute (Proscenium Retail Row, Rockwell Center) last October 6.

The festival also highlighted short films from Spain, Latin America, and the Philippines last October 11. The program included Arvin Belarmino and Kyla Danelle Romero’s film “Agapito” (2025) and Gabriela Serrano’s “Elenita, Elena, Elaine” (2025).

In keeping with the Película>Pelikula festival tradition, attendees were encouraged to cast their votes for their favorite film throughout the week for the Premio del Público or Audience Choice Award. The winning title, “Los Tigres,” received a special encore screening during the closing ceremonies last October 11.

Película>Pelikula offered a welcoming seat for every film buff, whether one was looking for international award contenders, lively animation, or thought-provoking documentaries.