CinemaBravo

Multi-talented filmmaker Nijel de Mesa and actress-producer Arci Muñoz introduced their latest projects to enthusiastic audiences as they premiered new works at the NDM Original Film Festival (NOFF) in Japan.

The pair, who continue to create under their production outfit NDMstudios, drew packed screenings for the inaugural edition of the festival. Positioned as the first of its kind, NOFF is envisioned as a traveling showcase that will bring NDM Original Films to different parts of the world.

The concept ties closely with the company’s signature “Fly-Film-Fun” business model, a strategy where the team “flies” to various countries, produces films on location, and balances the work with moments of leisure. Through this approach, de Mesa and Muñoz aim to expand the reach of their projects while highlighting diverse cultural backdrops in their storytelling.

“We got nervous during the first screening on the first day when the turn out wasn’t as good,” Direk Nijel shares his experience. “The event was free admission so we were hoping for a better turnout. But then suddenly, people piled up until the hall was full to the brim during the succeeding screenings for the other films,” he continued. Their packed second day was very much talked about and it just spilled over when their workshops began.

The event stretched from August 14-17, 2025 in Nagoya, Aichi Prefecture, Japan. The premiere screenings were from August 14-15 and the intensive acting workshop was held in tandem with the screenings from August 16-17, 2025.

The new NDM Original films which had their international premiere during NOFF2025 in Japan were “True Or False Positive” (starring Neil Coleta, Arnold Reyes, Mayton Eugenio), “Hongkong Kailangan Mo Ako” (starring JeanKiley, Mayton Eugenio), “Kunwari” (starring Asia Yoona, Eli Padilla), with a special screening of the award-winning “Subtext” movie version (starring Paolo Contis, Ciara Sotto, Ely Cellan, Hannah Arguelles, Nova Villa, and Boboy Garrovillo).

Present at the NOFF2025 were Ms. Jan Christine, Executive Vice President of NDMstudios (wife of Direk Nijel), Arci’s Mom Yolanda Muñoz, some members of their management team in Japan, as well as regular participants of the “Kagayaku Acting Workshop”, the outreach division of the film festival.

Participants of the workshop tied to the film festival were treated with a 2-day intensive Acting Workshop and a Q&A open forum with no-less than the award-winning director, Nijel de Mesa and Arci Muñoz. Under the visionary artistic direction of Direk Nijel, one of the core objectives of the NOFF2025 organizers is to hone new talents as they travel the world in search of new audiences for their films. Their next stop will probably be in Singapore and Taiwan, where NDMstudios are also known to operate. For updates on when and where in the world NOFF will hit again, go to www.facebook.com/NDMstudios. [Press release]