CinemaBravo

With a rousing call to action—“From LGBT Rights to Human Rights”—the ALT-R HEROES 2025 Film and Advocacy Festival officially launched on June 29 at Sine Pop, Cubao. Presented by GagaOOLala and organized by 2076 Kolektib, the festival celebrates socially committed cinema that challenges, reclaims, and resists.

“These are not just films. These are lived experiences,” said Jay Altarejos, ALT-R HEROES Festival Director and founder of 2076 Kolektib. “In an era of fear, denial, and revisionism, the most radical act is to remember, to feel, and to resist through stories. Cinema, at its core, is a human right.”

The launch event drew a full house of cinephiles, filmmakers, artists, and advocates, all gathered to witness the unveiling of 13 short films that amplify voices from the margins. This year’s official competition lineup includes:

• Prom Queer by Dylan Margarette Fiona Cerio
• Last Night Na Ni Bading by Joshua Andrey A. Doce
• Sama Bella by Pia Duran
• Al-Owlah by Khert Gabayeron
• Ang Halikan Sa Water Fountain by Clyde Cuizon Gamale
• Tumbang Press(o) by Edsel P. Gasmen
• Phulera Poshak Porena (Defy) by Aasif U Hamid
• Katalonan by Cyrus Paulo Quiapos
• Quarantined Feelings by Bradley Jason Pantajo
• Malisbong 50 by Justine Polanco
• MIK-AP by Justiny Sayson
• PUTI by Geremy Evangelista Rivera
• Ode to Lavender by Rey Anthony Villaverde

Filmmakers such as Pia Duran, Khert Gabayeron, Clyde Gamale, and Justine Polanco were in attendance, sharing deeply personal reflections during the post-screening conversations.

The evening also marked a triumphant homecoming for Jay Altarejos’s acclaimed film Guardia de Honor, which opened the festival after a successful global run through Moscow, Rome, Barcelona, and Dhaka. The screening also served as a formal awarding ceremony, as Altarejos and veteran actress Laurice Guillen were presented their trophies for Best Director and Best Actress respectively, following their wins at the Ahmedabad International Film Festival in India.

Produced by ADCC Productions in cooperation with 2076 Kolektib, Guardia de Honor explores a family of uniformed men unraveling in the face of a crime on the eve of a presidential inauguration. With stark black-and-white cinematography by Manuel Garcellano and standout performances from Laurice Guillen and Allen Dizon, the film interrogates systemic impunity and generational trauma.

“We must go beyond the spectacle of violence. We must ask what system enables this and who benefits from silence. That is what cinema of social consciousness demands from us,” Altarejos said.

Later in the evening, audiences were treated to a special preview of Altarejos’s upcoming film Sa Panahong Walang Katiyakan, a quiet, aching portrait of queer love and generational grief set in pandemic-era Manila. Cinematographer Manuel Garcellano, sound designer Paulo Estero, and filmmaker-educator Marco Bertillo Mata shared their process and vision behind the film during an intimate discussion that capped the night.

The ALT-R HEROES 2025 jury was also officially announced, composed of:

• Lisa Ito-Tapang – Curator, educator, and art critic
• Siege Ledesma – Filmmaker and writer
• Bunny Cadag – Trans artist and cultural worker
• Marinel Cruz – Senior Entertainment Writer, Philippine Daily Inquirer
• Kyla Romero – Screenwriter and Cannes-selected filmmaker

Romero was also honored during the launch for her win at last year’s ALT-R HEROES edition.

Beyond competition and screenings, ALT-R HEROES 2025 will run from July to December with regional legs in Camarines Sur and Negros Oriental, in partnership with Shotlist Coffee and Beetzee Productions. These legs will include filmmaker talks and workshops on writing, directing, and editing, affirming the festival’s commitment to grassroots storytelling and collective memory.

The festival’s core organizing team—Altarejos, cinematographer Manuel Garcellano, and filmmaker-educator Marco Bertillo Mata—leads 2076 Kolektib in pushing cinema as a platform for truth and transformation. As Altarejos emphasized, “Cinema is a weapon against forgetting. At a time of social erasure and spectacle, we remain committed to telling stories rooted in truth and transformation.”

Several upcoming projects from the collective were also revealed at the launch:

• In post-production: Greatest Performance, a psychological thriller starring Sunshine Cruz, Soliman Cruz, and Oliver Aquino
• In pre-production: Bukod Kang Pinagpala, a spiritual drama originally intended for National Artist Nora Aunor and now recasting for the lead role of Mamay Leonora

ALT-R HEROES 2025 is supported by a strong lineup of sponsors and community partners, including Sine Pop, Full Post Asia, Ticao Altamar Boutique Resort, Camaya Sunset Villa, Artist Concept Production Company (Rico Ancheta), Ellió Scent Lab, iWantickets, and ADCC Productions.

To follow the journey of ALT-R HEROES 2025, visit @2076Kolektib on all social platforms for schedules, behind-the-scenes stories, and updates.

Padayon. ✊
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