The prestigious Montañosa Film Festival (MFF) 2025 celebrated its 5th year, March 15, at Orchard Hotel, with an open film competition on the theme, “Concentric Circles-Stories in Resonance”, aimed to highlight the country’s innovative cinematic voices.
With almost 240 entries for this year’s MFF competition, most of these come from the National Capital Region, followed by Calabarzon, Central Luzon, Western Visayas, including Baguio, Abra, and Kapangan from the Cordillera region.
The competition has four categories: Documentary with 48 entries; Mobile, 25; Experimental, 26; and Narrative with 141 entries that provide a nationwide platform for filmmakers to create their imaginative stories.
Films that fall into any of these categories, including experimental projects, mobile films filmed on a phone, or conventional narrative works, are accepted.
“This year, we intend to grow the festival even further as we see it becoming a movement of independent filmmakers from different regions who believe in the importance of film and creativity, and also to foster cooperation among the regional film festivals in the Philippines,” Ferdinand Balanag, MFF founder and film director, said.
Balanag said he looks forward to the growth of the festival next year that will involve entries from other international film festivals including participation from filmmakers and luminaries from Southeast Asia’s film industry.
The MFF will continue to give opportunities for local filmmakers to share their stories and promote our culture to the rest of the world
“Dito nagkakaroon ng opportunity for the filmmakers na hindi makapasok sa mainstream. It’s a chance for us to voice out our stories,” Julius Lumiqued, an MFF filmmaker, added.
This year’s MFF edition also has the Baguio’s First Animation Festival Competition in partnership with the Cordillera School of Digital Arts (CSDA) which allows individuals to submit their entries in animation.
In addition to MFF 2025, the SineMusiKain (Film+Music+Food Fair) at Burnham Park will also be held this March for every creative and cultural enthusiast to enjoy, including free movie screenings, live performances, and food events.
Festival activities are: Opening Gala at SM City Baguio, March 26; MFF Open Cinema: Competition Film Premieres, SM Cinemas, March 27-30; and “Peli-Gulat” Fright Night Screenings of filmmakers’ horror film entries, Diplomat Hotel, March 28-29; and Closing Gala and the “Panagdayaw” or Awarding Ceremony, recognizing the winners of the film festival, March 30, at the Baguio Country Club.
The event concludes with the annual Baguio Music Festival at the Rose Garden, Burnham Park, on April 06.-Baguio Public Information Office
