Atty. Dennis Gorecho
- Major awards for gothic horror “Mag-iina” at Cinemalaya 2026 - August 25, 2026
- Major awards for queer film “Tayo Lang Ang Nakakaalam” at Cinemalaya 2026 - August 24, 2026
- Children tie for Best Supporting Actor award in Cinemalaya 2026 - August 19, 2026
The gothic horror-drama film “Mag-iina” swept major awards at 22nd Cinemalaya Independent Film Festival Cinemalaya for winning Best Film, Best Director, Best Supporting Actor, Best Screenplay, Best Production Design, and Best Original Musical Scoring.
“Mag-iina” follows Anj (Janine Gutierrez) as she returns to her ancestral home days before the 40th day after her father’s death.
She reunites with three generations of women in her family, mother Mita (Agot Isidro), aunt Ysobel (Cherry Pie Picache) and matriarch Angela (Jackie Lou Blanco) who are trapped in grief and madness, uncovering long-buried “dark forces.”
It was cited as Best Film for “pushing the boundaries of filmmaking; for its layered narrative, unraveling dark family secrets, deep-seated grief, and a matriarchal dynamic that subtly exposes broader truths about Philippine society and politics; for its exceptional technical artistry; for the commanding performances from its predominantly female cast; and for its bold, fearless, and visionary filmmaking.”
Best Director went to Giancarlo Abrahan who has shown “his fearless and visionary filmmaking; for effectively orchestrating cinema’s technical resources into a richly layered family drama reflecting broader Philippine socio-political realities; for his bold, boundary-pushing choices and command of atmosphere; and for drawing out transcendent, deeply resonant performances to construct a haunting cinematic masterpiece.”
Best Supporting Actor went to Lucas Andalio who was cited for “taking on a most complex role; for seamlessly navigating through intense, grotesque character shifts alongside seasoned co-stars; for instantly owning the screen, holding his own among an elite cast to pull off a jarring, grotesque transformation from innocent child to dark force that remains crucial to the film’s impact; and for an astonishingly mature performance for someone so young.” He tied with K.D. Omalin of Hand Of God.
Best Screenplay was awarded to Guelan Varela Luarca for a “masterfully written, fearlessly complex script; for its layered, visionary storytelling; for crafting a hauntingly rich narrative filled with fascinating, grotesque characters; and for turning a deeply resonant tale of domestic grief and family dysfunction into a sharp, provocative reflection of the underlying dark realities of Philippine society.”
Best Production Design was given to Katrish Aristoki for “immersive art direction; for crafting the haunting, gothic atmosphere and spatial design that effectively mirror a family’s deep dysfunction, trapping three generations of women within an unforgettable visual landscape of grief, madness, and dark domestic secrets.”
Best Musical Scoring went to David Yuhico for “a masterfully subtle and haunting soundtrack; for using evocative piano melodies to build intense atmospheric dread; for providing acoustic complement to a crucial narrative thread; for deeply enriching a movie’s gothic tone while accentuating the silent tension, grief, and dysfunction consuming a deeply estranged family.”
The queer film “Tayo Lang Ang Nakakaalam” also swept major awards for winning Best Actor for Martin del Rosario; Best Ensemble Performance for del Rosario, Miguel Ordon, Yayo Aguila, Epy Quizon; Best Cinematography, and Best Sound Design.
Other films that received Balanghai trophies in the full length category include :
– “2 Valid IDs” with Best Actress for Marietta Subong/ Pokwang, Special Jury Prize, Audience Choice Award
– “Status: Rejected” with Best Actress for Ruby Ruiz and NETPAC Award.
– “Hand of God” with Best Supporting Actor for KD Omalin
– “A.ni.mál” with Best Supporting Actress for Bituin Escalante and Best Editing.
The Best Actress award was shared by Pokwang for “2 Valid IDs” and Ruiz for “Status: Rejected”.
There was a tie for Best Supporting Actor award between Andalio (Mag-Iina) and Omalin (Hand Of God).
The winners In the short films category include Silkscreen as Best Short Film ; Gabriela Serrano for (Elenita Elena Elaine as Best Director: Para-paraan for Special Jury Prize; Runo! for Best Screenplay; Hoy Hoy, Ingat! for Audience Choice Award; The River Flows in Different Places for NETPAC Award.
With the theme “Reel Reflections,” the festival had nine full-length films and 10 short features in competition from the 278 short film submissions and 199 full-length story scripts.
It ran from August .6 to 18, 2026 marking Cinemalaya’s longest run ever as it spans two weekends.
Chris B. Millado, Cinemalaya’s festival director, said that this year’s festival earned Php18.5 million as of Augusts 17, which is 47% higher than last year’s Php12.6 million.
( Atty. Dennis R. Gorecho heads the Seafarers’ Division of the Sapalo Velez Bundang Bulilan Law Offices. For comments, e-mail info@sapalovelez.com, or call 0908-8665786.)
