CINEMALAYA RETURNS FOR its twenty-second edition this August, featuring nine full-length films from local filmmakers. This year's collection of films centers on the theme 'Reel Reflection,' described as a "[celebration of] films that emerge from reflection—bringing forth voices, perspectives, and experiences that deepen our understanding of ourselves and one another."

It was widely rumored that this was the year that Cinemalaya would have its homecoming at the Cultural Center of the Philippines, but it seems like this year is still happening at the Red Carpet theaters in Shangri-La Plaza in Mandaluyong City. The recently wrapped press conference happened there, too. Cinemalaya 2026 happens from August 6th through the 18th.

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Omnibus trailer for Cinemalaya 2026. ©Cinemalaya

With the festival date fast approaching, we figured now is ideal timing for a one-page festival guide with the film's full details, synopses, previews, and more to help you decide which films to catch next month. Here's your Unreel guide to the 2026 Cinemalaya Independent Film Festival.

Official posters for Cinemalaya 2026 full-length feature films.

Cinemalaya 2026 — Full-length features

This year's in-competition program screens a ten-pack assortment coming from emerging and established Filipino filmmakers.

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Official trailer for Ma-an Asuncion-Dagñalan's 2 Valid IDs. ©Cinemalaya

2 Valid IDs

Drama | 90 min | dir. Ma-an Asuncion-Dagñalan

Sylvia, a poor farmer, is unable to claim the money sent to her because she lacks the required two valid IDS. In her struggle to secure the IDs, Sylvia finds herself in a situation that challenges her character, beliefs, and morality.

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Official trailer for Dustin Celestino's A.ni.mál. ©Cinemalaya

A.ni.mál

Drama, Dark Comedy | 120 min | dir. Dustin Celestino

In a provincial Philippine town, the daughter of the mayor comes home with a video of a powerful family friend abusing his dog.

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Official trailer for JL Burgos' Ganggang. ©Cinemalaya

Ganggang

Drama | 89 min | dir. JL Burgos

At the first clash of their fighting spiders, Ilay and Ten-ten knew they would go home as losers. Anton, the winner of the fight, will once again lord over their school. At the sideline is Mel, a newcomer and a city boy, watching the rowdy play in awe, unaware that soon he will become an ally of Ilay and Ten-ten against the real neighborhood bully.

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Official trailer for Mark Duane Angos' Hand of God. ©Cinemalaya

Hand of God

Drama | 106 min | dir. Mark Duane Angos

In a remote village scarred by years of conflict, a young army lieutenant introduces football to children. As the game begins to heal wounds and rebuild trust, he forms a fragile bond with a child soldier—forcing both to choose between the innocence they’ve lost and the violent realities of war.

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Official trailer for Alpha Habon's Kaka Sa Wayan. ©Cinemalaya

Kaka sa Wayan

Drama | 90 min | dir. Alpha Habon

A coming-of-age story of two friends in Mindoro–Niko, a Manila boy, and Ayan, a Mangyan. Their unique bond spans a whole summer of being introduced to each other’s culture and lifestyle, with Niko teaching Ayan how to read, who in turn teaches Niko how to swim.

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Official trailer for Giancarlo Abrahan's Mag-Iina (The Mothering). ©Cinemalaya

Mag-Iina (The Mothering)

Horror | 105 min | dir. Giancarlo Abrahan

Near the 40th day of her estranged father’s death, a woman returns to her family’s ancestral home, where three generations of women are bound together by grief, madness, and evil thicker than blood.

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Official trailer for Vahn Leinard Pascual's Status: Rejected. ©Cinemalaya

Status: Rejected

Drama, Comedy | 90 min | dir. Vahn Leinard Pascual

Longing for love and the promise of a better life, a grandmother finds herself swept into an unexpected online romance that challenges her sense of worth, family, and the dreams she refuses to let go of.

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Official trailer for David R. Corpuz's Tayo Lang ang Nakakaalam. ©Cinemalaya

Tayo Lang Ang Nakakaalam

Drama | 120 min | dir. David R. Corpuz

Bound by a love kept in silence, a man struggles to remain seen within a family that once made him feel at home.

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Official trailer for May-i Guia Padilla's Tirik. ©Cinemalaya

Tirik

Drama, Thriller | 91 min | dir. May-i Guia Padilla

Paring Bert, a priest, and his parishioner, Santos, a taxi driver, embark on a gritty journey to reconcile their moral conflicts while they elude an assassination attempt.

Cinemalaya 2026 — Short films

This year, Cinemalaya 22's short competition features a quintet of films, including JT Trinidad's queer coming-of-age story, Honey, My Love, So Sweet, Gabriela Serrano's speculative drama, Elenita Elena Alaine, and Norvin de los Santos' magical realism dramedy, Hoy, Hoy, Ingat!

This year's shorts are—same as in previous years—spliced into two five-film programs. Here's the full list of shorts screening at Cinemalaya 2026.

Cinemalaya 2026 — Opening & Closing Films

Cinemalaya 2026 is bookended with two Filipino films about the rich. Dominik Locher and Honeylyn Joy Alipio's Enjoy Your Stay open the festival. The film stars Mercedes Cabral as an undocumented OFW working on the posh side of the Swiss Alps who is forced to betray her community's trust to avoid losing custody of her daughter in her homeland.

Rafael Manuel's Filipiñana—an expansion of the same-name 2020 film—will close the festival. It follows a young country club caddy who pieces together a violent picture of what lies beneath the club’s pristine surface.

Official posters for Cinemalaya 2026 opening and closing films.

When and where to watch Cinemalaya films

Cinemalaya 2026 is still HQ'd at the Red Carpet Cinema in Shangri-La Plaza in Mandaluyong City. The Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) has long served as the festival's home for previous iterations, but as of writing time, the venue is still renovation.

Cinemalaya 2026 screenings are also available in select Ayala Malls and Gateway Cineplex 18. Here's the full list of theaters.

Cinemalaya 2025 is happening from August 6th to August 18th, 2026.

Cinemalaya 2026 screening schedules

Cinemalaya has published the following screening schedules on their website. Do note that this schedule can change without notice. It's best to follow Cinemalaya's pages for real-time updates.

We have built this interactive festival schedule, which lets you see all of the available screenings. Easily save the screenings to your watchlist below. Don't worry, it saves your picks even if you close out of the tab. Just come back using the same browser and device.

Cinemalaya 22 · Festival Schedule
“Reel Reflections” — August 6–18, 2026 · Shangri-La Plaza, Ayala Malls & Gateway, Metro Manila
Full-Length Shorts Special
Official schedule from cinemalaya.org — always confirm before heading out.
Tickets: Red Carpet at the Shang (Shangri-La Plaza) · SureSeats (Ayala Malls) · Gateway Cineplex 18.

Ticket information

Looking to book your tickets for Cinemalaya 2026 screenings? Check the details after the bump for your options.

Ticket prices

Regular Cinemalaya tickets go for PHP 350 for regular tickets. Students can buy tickets at a discount for PHP 250. But the festival also offers the following Special Deals:

Check out Cinemalaya 22's pub-mats for full details:

Festival Passes

As of press time, there's no announcement about Cinemalaya 2026 festival passes, but if we're looking at last year's passes, here's what you can expect:

Cinemalaya has announced festival passes for this year's festival. Each pass costs PHP 3,500 and will likely grant you access to all nine full-length and ten short films competing this year. Pass holders will also likely get a number of perks like priority lanes and entries.

Book Tickets via Partner Cinemas

As of July 23, partner cinemas are now accepting pre-purchase of tickets. Sureseats and Red Carpet at the Shang. No news yet on Gateway's advanced booking (via TicketNET) for Cinemalaya screenings.

For real-time info/updates, check out Cinemalaya on Facebook.

Read our previous Cinemalaya coverage

The Unreel Guide to Cinemalaya 2025
The twenty-first edition of Cinemalaya stares right at the eye of the storm, featuring a fresh new batch of Filipino features and shorts.
UnreelUnreel Staff
‘Paglilitis’ review — More of a mistrial
The cost of making a stand feels exponential in a film that hones too much in on the abuse itself.
UnreelArmando Dela Cruz
Cinemalaya 2025 Shorts, reviewed — True indie mix
This year’s set of short films competing in Cinemalaya is a solid program of exciting filmmaking voices, mediums, and genres.
UnreelArmando Dela Cruz
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