The City of Manila and the Department of Tourism, Culture and Arts of Manila, in association with KreativDen Entertainment, launched The Manila Film Festival (TMFF) 2024 as it presented the top eight student filmmakers in the short form category.

The festival has recognized the outstanding work of eight individuals out of the nearly 100 entries received from student filmmakers across the nation. 

These talented filmmakers have been awarded a P150,000 grant, a testament to their creativity and dedication to their craft.

"TMFF aims to rejuvenate its commitment to transforming the historically prestigious and iconic city of the Philippines into a vibrant creative hub for Filipino arts and culture, particularly in cinema," festival director and consultant Ed Cabagnot, one of the founding members of the Cinemalaya Philippine Independent Film Festival.

Ed began working in Philippine film in the early 1980s as a Film Programmer at the Experimental Cinema of the Philippines. For more than two decades, he was head of the Cultural Center of the Philippines Media Arts Department, where he organized cinema festivals and film workshops and managed the Gawad CCP Para Sa Alternatibong Pelikula at Video. 

He was also one of the founding members of the Cinemalaya Philippine Independent Film Festival and has served as a jury for several film festivals: QCinema International Film Festival (2016-2017), Pusan International Film Festival (2008), Berlinale’s Forum (2011), and Amsterdam’s IDFA International Documentary Festival (2013).

The TMFF celebrates the theme "Manila in Me," which highlights Manila as the City of Indefinite Possibilities and a Thousand Tales. It acknowledges that Manila resides in the sphere of dreams and aspirations in the minds of Filipinos everywhere - all around our islands and even in the hearts of overseas Filipinos.

The top eight entries are:

• An Kuan, Joyce Ramos (director), Pamantasan Ng Lungsod
• Bahay, Baboy, Bagyo, Miko Biong (director), University of the Philippines Film Institute
• Ballad of a Blind Man, Charlie Garcia Vitug (director), De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde
• Ditas Pinamalas, Adrian Renz Espino, Adamson University
• Happy (M)others Day, Ronnie Ramos (director), University of the Philippines Film Institute
• Pinilakang Tabingi, John Pistol Carmen (director), Bicol University
• Una't Huling Sakay, Vhan Marco Molacruz (director), Colegio de San Juan de Letran - Manila
• threefor100: o ang tamang porma ng pag uukay at iba pang mga bagay-bagay, i think!, Cedrick Labadia (director), iACADEMY

Aside from the eight student filmmakers, TMFF has invited four respected young filmmakers to create short films alongside the student entries. They are:

• Lumang Tugtugin, Lorenzo "Pepe" Diokno (director), Madonna Tarrayo (producer)
• May at Niia, Sigrid Bernardo (director), Ava Yap (line producer)
• Nananahan, Dwein Baltazar (director), Iana Bernardez (line producer)
• Shortest Day, Longest Night, JP Habac (director), Maria Kristina Cruz (line producer)

ANIMA, an entertainment production studio that brings Filipino talent to the global stage, will produce these four feature films.

It has successfully released several highly acclaimed titles with global reach such as Hito, which won the Best Film for Live Action Short Film at the 2023 Vienna Shorts and Best Picture at the 2023 QCinema International Film Festival; Where Is The Lie (Marupok AF), which received Special Jury Recognition at the 2023 LA Asian Pacific Film Festival, ad Leonor Will Never Die, a surreal drama film that accepted the Special Jury at the 2022 Sundance Film Festival, and is currently available for streaming on Netflix.

The eight student films and the four short films of the featured directors are set to premiere at the Metropolitan Theater (MET) and will have their theatrical run from June 5 to 11, 2024. 

These movies will be screened at Robinson’s Movieworld – Manila and Robinson’s Movieworld – Magnolia (limited screening). A school tour of the films in key academic institutions all over the country has been planned.

The Manila Film Festival will culminate with the holding of its awards night at the MET on June 11.

Eleven awards will be given, including Best Film, Best Director, Best Screenplay, Best Actor, and Best Actress. Special awards such as People's Choice and Jury's Choice will also be presented.

The members of this year's jury are Park Sungho, Asian Cinema programmer at the Busan International Film Festival; Bianca Balbuena, Head of Studios of Kroma Entertainment's ANIMA, Neil Daza, award-winning director, cinematographer, and photographer; Coreen "Monster Jimenez, producer of Leonor Will Never Die; and Eduardo "Dodo" Dayao, writer, screenwriter, and director.

The Manila Film Festival 2024 screening committee is a panel of judges consisting of established personalities in the arts, culture, and entertainment industry: Bianca Balbuena, Noah Tonga, Wanggo Gallaga, Mackie Galvez, Dido Camara, and DTCAM’s Charlie Dungo.