Bacolod city: This highly urbanized city has started accepting entries for the 3rd Bacolod Film Festival (BFF) set on Nov. 27 to 29, carrying the theme, 'Pag-angot: Celebrating Heritage, Shaping Our Future.'
According to Philippines News Agency, this year's local government unit-organized short film competition highlights the role of cinema in preserving Bacolod's cultural identity while encouraging fresh and innovative storytelling. 'We encourage aspiring and returning filmmakers to tell stories that celebrate Bacolod's rich heritage while inspiring a more inclusive future,' Mayor Greg Gasataya said during the festival's official launch at the Bacolod City Government Center on Monday.
Councilor Em Ang, author of City Ordinance 1061 which established the Bacolod Film Festival in 2024, stated that Bacolod City is steadily gaining recognition for its creatives industry, reiterating the city's vision of making Bacolod a center for filmmaking. 'The BFF serves as a platform for our filmmakers, from scriptwriters to the entire production team. It also gives them the opportunity to showcase their works in other film festivals here and abroad,' she added.
BFF 2026 festival director Tanya Lopez noted there has been much progress in Bacolod, with new buildings and places emerging while older ones slowly disappear. 'It is only fitting that through the Bacolod Film Festival, we document these changes and preserve them for future generations,' she remarked.
Filmmakers can submit original live-action films from Aug. 3 to 21. Entries must integrate three to five recognizable heritage elements of Bacolod, including its people, communities, historical landmarks, traditions, festivals, food culture, and other cultural assets. Eight to 10 finalists will be selected, each of whom will receive a PHP100,000 production grant to support the development and completion of their films.
The grant will be released in two tranches, with participating filmmakers also taking part in script consultations, workshops, and production mentoring organized by the festival. Film directors, together with at least half of their creative, production, and technical teams, should be registered voters and residents of Bacolod City. All filming locations must be primarily within the city, reinforcing the festival's commitment to showcasing Bacolod's unique culture, communities, and heritage on screen.
Last year, 'Tonton,' directed by Charlene Tupas, won Best Picture while Dranreb Cimatu was awarded Best Director for 'Tililing' during the competition that featured eight films produced under the theme 'Panan-aw: Local Frames, Global Change'.
