Hiligaynon's full-length film "Salum," directed by TM Malones, and Mindanaoan's short film "Champ Green" were honored with the top prizes in their respective categories at the second edition of the Puregold CinePanalo Film Festival.

At the awarding ceremony, held on March 19 at The Elements, Eton Centris in Quezon City, "Salum" took home four Puregold CinePanalo trophies in the full-length category namely: Panalong Pelikula, Panalo sa Production Design, Panalo sa Sound Design, and Panalo sa Musical Scoring as well as a cash prize of PhP 250,000. 

T.M. Malones, director of 'Salum," expressed that his motivation for the movie stemmed from his love of seafood. He also thanked the local government of Iloilo, the Coast Guard, and the underwater team for supporting the movie. 

"I am happy na naging super safe lahat. Minsan uulan tapos biglang iinit. Kahit na ganun ang panahon na survive namin yung shooting days namin. Na-enjoy namin ang seafood. Mukhang one month muna kaming hindi kakain n scallops. (I am happy that everything was super safe. Sometimes, it would rain, and then suddenly, it would warm up. Even in that kind of weather, we survived our shooting days. We enjoyed the seafood. It looks like we won't be eating scallops for a month)," said T.M.

Shot at Gigantes Island in Iloilo, "Salum' tells the story of a scallop diver (Allen Dizon) striving to discover treasures of the sea to uplift his struggling family. 

"Champ Green" received a PhP 100,000 cash prize and five trophies in the student shorts category including Panalong Maikling Pelikula, Panalong Pangalawang Aktor for Sol Eugenio, Panalo sa Kwento, Panalo sa Brand Intrusion, and Mowelfund Special Citation. 

In addition, "Champ Green," being the students shorts winner, also won film equipment including a Black Mist ⅛, a Dream Filter, a Blue Lightstreak Filter from MFP Rentals and Kase Philippines; a Nanlite FC 60B with Merch from MQ Group and Nanlite Philippines; and a Hollyland Lark C1 Wireless Microphone from Sieztech Enterprize and Hollyland Tech Philippines. "Champ Green" also won an extra PHP25,000 for winning the Panalo sa Brand Intrusion, as did fellow short film G! and full-length film "Journeyman" who won the same award; as well as Checkmate and Taympers, who similarly tied for Pinakapanalong Promosyon ng Pelikula. Each of these sponsors gladly awarded Champ Green with the equipment in order to support the development of young Filipino filmmakers such as Champ Green director Clyde Cuizon Gamale.

In the full-length category, another Hiligaynon film "Tigkiliwi" nabbed seven trophies including Panalong Karangalan Mula sa Hurado and Panalo sa Kwento for its writer-director Tara Illenberger. The charming film about a community of misfits swept the acting awards categories including Panalong Aktres for Ruby Ruiz, and Panalong Pangalawang Aktor for Jeffrey Jiruma.  

In an interesting turn of events, two ties were declared during the awards night. The Panalong Aktor trophy was shared between JP Larroder as Tigkiliwi’s Tata, and Khalil Ramos as the titular Olsen in "Olsen’s Day" while both "Journeyman" and "Olsen’s Day" were declared the winners of the Panalo sa Cinematography category. Meanwhile, JP Habac of "Olsen’s Day" bagged the Panalong Direktor award. 

"Journeyman" by the sibling-tandem of Christian Paolo and Dominic Lat took home a total of six trophies namely: Panalo Sa International Jury, Panalo sa Cinematography (tie with Olsen’s Day), Panalo sa Film Poster, the MTRCB Special Award for Responsableng Paglikha, Panalo sa Brand Intrusion, and the Puregold Always Panalo Film which it shared with the romantic-comedy film Fleeting by Catsi Catalan. 

For the student shorts, "Uwian," directed by Panalong Direktor winner Vhan Marco Molacruz of Colegio de San Juan de Letran crushed the competition, winning five different awards including Panalong Direktor, Panalo sa Musical Scoring, Panalo sa Production Design, Panalong Aktres for Geraldine Villamil, and Panalong Pangalawang Aktres for Uzziel Delamide. 

Other notable entries to the student shorts category included Sean Rafael Verdejo’s absurdist dramedy "Dela Cruz," Juan P., which took home Panalong Karangalan Mula sa Hurado; as well as Ira Corinne Esguerra’s coming-of-age sibling story "SamPie," which took home the Puregold Always Panalo Film award.

Each award was deliberated upon by an impressive lineup of qualified judges, including Festival Director Christopher Cahilig, Festival Chair Ivy Hayagan-Piedad, and Republic Creative Creations, Inc. representative Sonny Bautista, each of whom sat on both the student shorts and full-length jury panels. Joining them on the students shorts panel were directors Emmanuel Dela Cruz and Victor Villanueva, as well as film critic Lito Zulueta. The full-length jury panel, on the other hand, consisted of Cahilig, Hayagan-Piedad, and Bautista, as well as directors Jeffrey Jeturian and Mae Cruz-Alviar, writer and producer Moira Lang, and Estonian filmmaker Tiina Lokk, the festival director of the Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival.

This year’s CinePanalo saw increased grants for all entries, with PHP 3,000,000 grants for full-length entries, and P150,000 grants for student shorts. The festival was also supported in large part by its partner organizations ​​Terminal Six Post, CMB Film Services Inc., Gateway Cineplex 18, MFP Rentals, the MTRCB,  and the Mowelfund Film Institute.

“The Puregold CinePanalo Film Festival will always be fueled by a deep love for the art of cinema, and an even deeper ambition to show what Philippine talent and passion has to offer,” said Festival Chair Ivy Hayagan-Piedad. “With the CinePanalo having reached a successful second edition, the possibilities are now endless. We can’t wait for all the wonderful films yet to grace the Puregold CinePanalo in all the years to come.”

Salum, Champ Green, and all the other full-length and student short films of the Puregold CinePanalo Film Festival 2025 will continue to screen exclusively at the Gateway Cineplex 18, Cubao, Quezon City until the closing of the festival on March 25. Regular tickets are P250, with discounts available for students, PWDs, seniors, Tindahan ni Aling Puring, and Perks Card members for P200. Meanwhile, festival passes for the entire experience cost P2,000, granting holders entrance to all official movie entries.

FULL LIST OF WINNERS:

Pinakapanalong Pelikula

Full-Length: Salum (TM Malones)

Student Shorts: Champ Green (Clyde Cuizon Gamale)

Puregold Always Panalo Film

Full-Length: Journeyman (Christian Paolo Lat & Dominic Lat), Fleeting (Catsi Catalan)

Student Shorts: Sampie, (Ira Corinne Esquerra Malit)

Panalong Direktor

Full-Length: JP Habac, Olsen’s Day

Student Shorts: Vhan Marco B. Molacruz, Uwian

Panalong Aktres

Full-Length: Ruby Ruiz as Nay Pansay, Tigkiliwi

Student Shorts: Geraldine Villamil as Remy, Uwian

Panalong Aktor

Full-Length:

Khalil Ramos as Olsen, Olsen’s Day

JP Larroder as Tata, Tigkiliwi

Student Shorts: 

Lucas Martin as Sam, SamPie

Jasper John as Juan Dela Cruz, Dela Cruz, Juan P.

Panalong Karangalan Mula sa Mga Hurado

Full-Length: Tigkiliwi (Tara Illenberger)

Student Shorts: Dela Cruz, Juan P. (Sean Rafael A. Verdejo)

Panalo Sa Mga Manonood

Full-Length: Co-Love (Jill Singson Urdaneta) 

Student Shorts: Sisenta! (Mae Malaya)

Panalong Pangalawang Aktres

Full-Length: Gabby Padilla as Marlin, Tigkiliwi

Student Shorts: Uzziel Delamide as Imang, Uwian

Panalong Pangalawang Aktor

Full-Length: Jeffrey Jiruma as Pol, Tigkiliwi

Student Shorts: Sol Eugenio as Tekbong, Champ Green

Panalong Ensemble

Full-Length: Tigkiliwi (Tara Illenberger)

Student Shorts: Sine-Sine (Roniño Dolim)

Panalong Kwento

Full-Length: Tara Illenberger, Tigkiliwi

Student Shorts: Clyde Cuizon Gamale, Champ Green

Panalo sa Cinematography

Full-Length: 

Dominic Lat, Journeyman

Kara Moreno, Olsen’s Day

Student Shorts: Lance Lascano, Dan, En Pointe

Panalo sa Production Design

Full-Length: Kyle Fermindoza, Salum

Student Shorts: Andrea Jayne Perang, Uwian

Panalo sa Musical Scoring

Full-Length: Armor Rapista, Salum

Student Shorts: Len Calvo, Uwian

Panalo sa Editing

Full-Length: Vanessa Ubas de Leon, Co-Love

Student Shorts: Jose Andy Sales, G!

Panalo sa Sound Design

Full-Length: Fatima Nerikka Salim and Immanuel Verona, Salum

Student Shorts: Elian Idioma, Dela Cruz, Juan P.

Panalong Awitin

Full-Length: “DI KO PINILI” by Kiko Salazar, performed by Chie, Co-Love

Student Shorts: “Suga, Camera, Saad” by Jonathan Rey Sartorio and Lloyd Martin Villacortes Arce, performed by Jonathan Rey “ROTT” Sartorio, Sine-Sine

Panalo sa Brand Intrusion

Full-Length: Journeyman (555 Sardines and Lucky Me!)

Student Shorts: Champ Green (Bear Brand), G! (Chuckie)

Panalo sa Film Poster

Full-Length: Journeyman by Christian Paolo Lat and Dominic Lat

Student Shorts: Checkmate by Alexie Nicole Pardo

Pinakapanalong Promosyon ng Pelikula

Student Shorts: 

Checkmate by Alexie Nicole Pardo

Taympers by Naiah Nicole Mendoza

Responsableng Paglikha

Full-Length: Journeyman

Student Shorts:

1. Dan, En Pointe by Adelbert Abrigonda
2. Sine-Sine by Roniño Dolim
3. 1… 2… Strike!!! by Kenneth Flores

Mowelfund Special Citation

Full-Length: Olsen’s Day

Student Shorts: Champ Green

Panalo sa International Jury

Journeyman by Christian Paolo Lat and Dominic Lat