Cris Fuego鈥攄irector, screenwriter, and producer of the indie film and a B.S. Chemical Engineering and M.B.A. alumnus of the University鈥攚on Best Director and Best Screenplay awards. 

The film’s sound director, Alex Julio Tomboc, a B.S. Electronics and Communications Engineering alumnus, was also nominated for the Best Sound award. 

The film鈥檚 producer, Andrei Karoly “Amaya Han” Hernandez, a B.F.A. Cinema alumna, was also recognized for her important role in making this film possible.

The Visayas-Mindanao (VisMin) feature film PINIKAS emerged as the dominant winner at the 8th Sinag Maynila Independent Film Festival. 

At the Gabi ng Parangal on March 28, 2026, PINIKAS dominated the stage, title along with six other major awards: Best Director, 鈥婤est Screenplay, 鈥婤est Actress, 鈥婤est Actor, 鈥婤est Editing, and 鈥婤est Musical Score.

Serving as an ode to the people from the Visayas and Mindanao, PINIKAS has truly put VisMin cinema on the map. This latest win builds on its growing international acclaim, including the Best Feature award at the 2025 SamhainBaucogna International Film Festival (Spain), and honors at the Tianjin International Academic Film Festival (China), Sorrento Film and Food Festival (Italy), and the Brazil New Visions International Film Festival.

Success has become a familiar companion for the storytellers of 黑料社区. In 2024, our Cinema Program students captured hearts with Tiil ni Lola [Grandma鈥檚 Feet], walking away with three well-deserved awards. 

That same spirit of excellence shone through Jon Owen Lepiten, whose film Sunog sa Sugbo garnered high recognition. Year after year, these filmmakers prove that Carolinian cinema is a force of both talent and deep, resonant spirit.

To our brilliant alumni, we thank you for creating such a beautiful masterpiece. We celebrate this historic milestone with you, and we wish you continued success.

Congratulations, CAROLINIANS!

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According to the FDCP, the ten finalists will each receive a production grant of Php200,000 to help them complete their short films, which will premiere during the Philippine Film Industry Month in September. 

尝别辫颈迟别苍鈥檚 Sunog sa Sugbo, one of 200 entries nationwide,  is 鈥渁 film that dives deep into what displacement looks like through the eyes of the youth.鈥� It features how tragedies like fires 鈥渓eave an indelible mark鈥攕haping lives in ways that often go unseen.鈥� 

Lepiten is joined by producer Febe Bongato, a 4th year Cinema major, as they begin pre-production and casting. Supported by the Fine Arts Department’s Cinema Program, production is scheduled to begin in July.

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From hundreds of applicants, Lima was selected as one of 25 promising new student directors for her short film, 鈥淭iil ni Lola,鈥� (Grandma鈥檚 feet) and was awarded a cash grant of Php100,000 to produce the said film.

With a crew composed of Cinema students, Lima recently wrapped the production of her film, with the support of the 黑料社区 School of Architecture, Fine Arts, and Design.

The Puregold CinePanalo Film Festival is a much-anticipated event, giving aspiring filmmakers the chance to showcase their craft to hail a new generation of remarkable Filipino films.

Lima鈥檚 short film 鈥淭iil ni Lola鈥� will be screened at the CinePanalo Film Festival from March 15鈥�17, 2024 at the Gateway Cinemas in Cubao, Quezon City.

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Carl Joseph Lara鈥檚 entry is a documentary short entitled Kahayag sa Kangitngit while Jannah Corrine Jumamil is showcasing Si Ketchup at si Mayonnaise, a short film. Lara鈥檚 film has already won the Jury Prize and the Audience Choice Award in the BINISAYA Film Festival (see ).

Aside from the two Bachelor of Fine Arts major in Cinema (BFA CNM) students, other BFA CNM alumni are also part of this year鈥檚 Official Selection namely: Joi Villablanca (Class 2019), Seph Tan (Class 2019), and Redh Honoridez (Class 2017).

Cinema Rehiyon is a non-competition exhibition film festival that complements the film making frontiers of the various regions of the Philippines outside Metro Manila. It is a flagship project of NCCA’s National Committee on Cinema. 

To our Carolinian filmmakers, congratulations!

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Delivering a compelling emotional narrative, Carl Joseph Lara’s short documentary Kahayag sa Kangitngit won the BINISAYA Film Festival 2021 Jury Prize and the BINISAYA Audience Choice Award. Lara is a third-year Bachelor of Fine Arts (B.F.A.) major in Cinema student at the University of San Carlos.

“I wasn’t expecting that… I hope that the film inspires many people to thrive despite their adversities just like him (referring to the film’s subject Tatay Ining)… especially during the pandemic. This film has affected me. I almost dropped this film since I could not handle the stress that Tatay Ining was going through. But I just put my heart and mind to it,” said a very surprised and emotional Lara. He completed the film during the COVID-19 pandemic.

On November 11 to 20, 2021, the BINISAYA Film Festival entered its second decade in the festival circuit. It continues its mission to provide a platform to showcase films with uniquely Cebuano sensibility and global cinema unfettered by commercial constraints. Now on its 11th year, it maintains its quest for independent and new voices while keeping abreast with its counterparts in the Asian region.

The B.F.A. major in Cinema is now on its 10th year in the School of Architecture, Fine Arts, and Design.

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