Filipino stars, directors, and producers joined forces as the seven official full-length entries of the Puregold CinePanalo Film Festival were unveiled together with the media and public at the Gateway Mall 2. What started as a launch event felt more like a family reunion of creatives ready to share stories that matter.
This year’s festival runs from September 23 to October 4, and it’s expanding its number of cinemas in a big way. You’ll find the films not just at Gateway Cineplex 18, but also at Trinoma, Fairview Terraces, Feliz, Ayala Malls Circuit, Ayala Malls Manila Bay, and Market! Market! More screens mean more chances for audiences across Metro Manila to experience these films on the big screen.
The lineup itself is wonderfully diverse. There’s Thop Nazareno’s coming-of-age story Apol of My Ai, with Zion Cruz and Rochelle Pangilinan. Lawrence Fajardo’s fantasy Beast brings John Arcilla (currently in the US) and a strong supporting cast including Candy Pangilinan. BC Amparado’s drama Mono No Aware stars Juan Karlos Labajo alongside veteran Perry Dizon. Rodina Singh’s supernatural queer film Multwoh (Patay na Patay Sa’yo) features Sassa Gurl, Joao Constancia, and others. Carl Joseph Papa and Ian Pangilinan’s otherworldly love story Patay Gutom has Khalil Ramos and more. Mikko Baldoza’s romantic comedy with a deadly twist, Stuck on You, pairs Xyriel Manabat and River Joseph. And Joseph Abello’s slice-of-life comedy Wantawsan rounds it out with its political dilemma at the center.
Alongside these seven features, 19 student filmmakers from different parts of the country will screen their short films, bringing fresh voices and perspectives that prove the next generation is already here.
What makes Puregold CinePanalo truly special is how it supports Filipino stars and filmmakers. This isn’t just another festival that screens finished work. Puregold hands out substantial production grants of Php 5 million for each full-length film so directors can actually bring their vision to life without the usual crushing financial pressure. That kind of backing is rare, and it’s why established names and rising talents alike are showing up, plus Php 200,000 each for the student short films category.
Puregold is giving these filmmakers real resources, real cinema platforms, and real visibility. In many ways, it’s become a game-changer: a company that’s deliberately shining a light on talent so they can chase bigger dreams, not just locally but potentially on the international stage.
And the best part for audiences? The prices are incredibly reasonable. Regular tickets are only ₱250. Discounted tickets go for ₱200 for students, senior citizens, PWDs, national athletes, and Puregold cardholders. There’s even a festival pass for ₱2,000 that lets you catch every full-length film and the student short sets. At a time when going to the movies can feel expensive, Puregold is making quality Filipino cinema accessible.
Puregold CinePanalo 2026 is a must-see. Every film in this lineup carries the kind of heart, craft, and originality that suggests these filmmakers have the potential to be recognized not only across the Philippines but overseas as well. When a supermarket chain steps up like this, funding dreams, expanding screens, and keeping tickets affordable, it changes the game for Filipino cinema.
So mark your calendars. From September 23 to October 4, treat yourself to these stories. Support the filmmakers who are pouring everything into their work. Because when Puregold opens the door this wide, the whole industry gets a little brighter.
JUST IN: Puregold CinePanalo 2026 has announced its official Top 7 finalists for its full-length category. Each of these entries will receive ₱5 million, the highest production grant in Philippine film festival history.
Tickets are also available online here:
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