Up-and-coming film directors will soon have the chance to showcase their very own “kwentong panalo ng buhay” as part of Puregold’s recently launched, first-ever film festival.

Dubbed CinePanalo Film Festival, the event will be marked by largesse—Puregold is giving away millions worth of production grants to help fund the works of a select group of filmmakers that will participate in it. To date, the festival is arousing immense interest and the application process is well underway to determine who will be part of it.

Vincent Co, President of Puregold Price Club Inc., spoke about the exciting opportunities that await participants. “We want CinePanalo to uplift the spirits of young and gifted filmmakers who are just waiting for a break,” he said. “We hope that the financial grant and the sheer exposure they get will provide an important boost to their aspirations.”

Chris Cahilig

Puregold’s CinePanalo Film Festival is looking for inspirational and heartwarming stories that conform to the festival’s official theme, “Mga kwentong panalo ng buhay.”

Applicants whose creations reflect timeless Pinoy values about love, family, and hope will find vigorous support at the upcoming festival.

Festival director Chris Cahilig affirms this as he stresses on the significance of the festival’s theme. “CinePanalo aims to leave audiences with the warm and fuzzy feeling that truly great cinema can inspire,” Cahilig says. “On this note, we look forward to seeing the wonderful stories our local directors will earnestly share with the public.”

From left: Richard Co, General Manager of Optima Digital; Ivy Piedad, Senior Marketing Manager of Puregold; and Monique Baldemor, Producer for Optima Digital, all in attendance for the CinePanalo press conference launch.

Only a select few that will best capture the spirit of the festival’s theme will receive the sought-after grants. Five amateur and professional directors will be given P2,500,000 each to produce a feature film for the festival. Meanwhile, twenty-five student filmmakers will be given P100,000 each to create shorts.

Ivy Piedad (2nd from left) posing with representatives from Puregold’s ad agency, Republic Creative Creations, Inc. From left: Sonny Bautista, Ivy Piedad, Jeng Galang, and Lyle Gonzales.

The completed films will be screened at a three-day festival to be held at Gateway Cinemas from March 8 to 10, 2024. The short films will also be posted on Puregold’s official social media pages such as the Puregold Channel on YouTube. These shorts will be featured next to Puregold’s successful retailtainment series such as “GV Boys,” “Ang Babae sa Likod ng Face Mask,” and “Ang Lalaki sa Likod ng Profile”.

“People need films that the whole family can enjoy,” Cahilig asserts. “At a time when films marked by violence or worldly desires are increasingly made accessible to more people, the CinePanalo Film Festival’s focus will be on more heartfelt and hope-filled stories.”

The festival was officially launched at a press conference organized by Cinema 76 Film Society last Aug. 8, 2023. Since the announcement of the event dropped, festival officials have been receiving dozens of inquiries from interested filmmakers. An esteemed selection committee will sift through all applications to find the exceptional directors who will make up the festival’s lineup in March.

Interested participants may email [email protected] to receive the materials needed to apply. All applications and requirements must be emailed back by Oct. 27, 2023. A shortlist of selected directors is expected to drop by Nov. 6, 2023.