CinemaBravo

Puregold has just launched its first-ever filmfest called CinePanalo Film Festival where student, amateur, and professional filmmakers will have the chance to tell their winning stories.

This upcoming event is exemplified by its genorosity. Puregold is generously offering production grants worth millions to support the projects of a carefully chosen roster of filmmakers who will take part in the festival. As of now, the festival has garnered substantial attention, and the application procedure is currently in progress to ascertain the participants who will have the opportunity to join this exciting event.

READ MORE: Puregold announces CinePanalo Film Festival offering up to P2.5-M grant

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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.”

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.”

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.

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 August 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 thesecretariat@cinepanalo.com to receive the materials needed to apply. All applications and requirements must be emailed back by October 27, 2023. A shortlist of selected directors is expected to drop by November 6, 2023.