From Screen to Spotlight: Southeast Asian community filmmakers shine at the 2025 SineMaya Community Short Film Festival

The 2025 SineMaya Community Film Festival, organized by BENTE Productions, the multimedia arm of CARD MRI, culminated in an awarding ceremony on December 15, 2025, at SM City San Pablo.

The festival celebrated short films that embodied the official theme, “PAMANAON: Stewards of the Future,” highlighting the importance of legacy, responsibility, and collective action. This year’s festival brought together filmmakers from diverse communities who used filmmaking as a platform to explore social realities, cultural heritage, and hope, while also embracing innovation through emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence.

By combining storytelling with innovation, the event showcased how film can be both an artistic and transformative medium. Reaffirming the festival’s vision, CARD MRI Founder and Chair Emeritus Dr. Jaime Aristotle B. Alip highlighted the transformative power of storytelling, saying, “Through SineMaya, filmmakers were encouraged to craft stories that reflect how the choices and actions of today shape the lives and opportunities of future generations.”

He also praised the participants for creating works that go beyond entertainment. “Their courage, creativity, and purposeful narratives demonstrate how art can help shape a more compassionate and responsible world,” he added. Following a rigorous judging process of all 18 SineMaya finalists, where each entry was carefully assessed for storytelling, technical skill, creativity, and social relevance, the winning films emerged as works that inspired, moved, and touched the audience. Top honors were awarded to “Alab” by Paroy Film Productions, which received Best Film for the AI-Powered Film category, and “Light by the Sea” by Light by the Sea Productions, which won Best Film for the Legacy Lens category. Both films also earned special recognition through the Legacy Awards, with “Alab” receiving the CARD MRI Managing Director’s Choice Award, and “Light by the Sea” being named one of the recipients of the CARD MRI Founder’s Excellence Award, alongside “Pamaon” by ShotUp Productions.

These recognitions underscored the films’ ability to merge artistic excellence with strong messages of service, resilience, and intergenerational responsibility—values closely aligned with the festival’s theme. Outstanding achievements in performance, direction, and technical craft were also recognized. The Acting Awards honored Rosalie Castillo as Best Supporting Actor in a Female Role for her portrayal of Nanay Riya in “Pag-alala” of Balik-Tanaw Productions, and Ken Laurence Ante as Best Supporting Actor in a Male Role for his role as Arvin in “Liham” by Bikolanong Lagalag Productions. The Best Actor in a Female Role was bagged by Jorlyn Ledesma for her performance as Lira in “Binhi sa Kaugmaon” by Kanlaon Film Productions, while Nel Estuya received Best Actor in a Male Role for his portrayal of Tatay Fernando in “Saan Aabot Ang Singkwenta Ni Tatay?” filmed by Kisapmata Film Productions. Technical excellence was likewise celebrated, with Best Editing awarded to Jhon Lorenz Jegillos for “Liham” and Best Cinematography to Jimuel Sohitado for “Binhi sa Kaugmaon”. Meanwhile, Dang Thi Hanh was named Best Director for the visually and emotionally compelling “Light by the Sea”.

Innovation took center stage in the AI-lamat Category, where “Alab” emerged as a dominant force, winning multiple awards, including Best AI-Powered Visual Effects, Editing, and Cinematography, as well as Excellence in AI-Enhanced Directing for Christian Laurence Jegillos. Meanwhile, “Damay: Mangagaway” by Dangshin Productions received Best Lifelike AI Characterization, highlighting how technology can be harnessed to deepen storytelling while maintaining emotional authenticity. Special awards recognized creativity and audience impact, with “Ang Huling Punla” by Dos-T Productions winning Best Musical Scoring; “Saan Aabot Ang Singkwenta Ni Tatay?” by Kisapmata Film Productions earning both Best Screenplay and the People’s Choice Award; and “Damay: Mangagaway” by Dangshin Productions taking home Best Trailer.

The festival also underscored its commitment to social advocacies through the Community Development Awards. Honorees included “Hope in the Rain” by Catalyst Productions for Agriculture; “The End of the Sky” by CanhDieuVanh Productions for Gender Equality; “Pamana” by Liwayway Films for Education; “Ang Huling Punla” by Dos-T Productions for Environmental Protection; “Hangarin” by Kumatha Productions for Disability Representation; and “Pag-alala” by Balik-Tanaw Productions for Youth Empowerment. Additional recognitions went to “Tao Rin Ako” by Panangaawat Productions, which received the Inclusive Service Award, and “Pamanaon” by ShotUp Productions, honored with the Young Filmmaker Award. The success of the festival was made possible through the guidance and leadership of key figures who continue to champion community development through the arts.

“SineMaya is more than a film festival. It is a shared journey of storytelling where every film becomes a mirror of our values and a bridge to the future we want to build together, ” said Ms. Marilyn M. Manila, BENTE Productions President.

Before the awarding ceremony, all 18 SineMaya finalists were simultaneously screened at SM Cinemas in Iloilo City, Davao City, and Manila on November 22, 2025. This nationwide screening allowed audiences from different regions to experience the stories firsthand and actively participated in determining the People’s Choice Award.

SineMaya Community Film Festival is a platform dedicated to empowering grassroots and community filmmakers to tell stories that promote social development, inclusion, and shared responsibility.

Anchored in the belief that cinema can be a tool for education, advocacy, and transformation, SineMaya encourages narratives that reflect lived experiences, highlight community issues, and inspire positive action. As the festival concluded, the 2025 SineMaya Community Film Festival once again affirmed that storytelling— grounded in compassion, innovation, and service—remains a powerful force in strengthening communities and shaping a more inclusive, hopeful, and sustainable future.