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The inaugural Panorama Shorts Section of the 2026 Puregold CinePanalo Film Festival will bring ten completed Filipino short films to the big screen, with screenings scheduled from September 23 to October 4 at Gateway Cineplex 18 and select Ayala Cinemas. Each film will make its national premiere during the festival.

Expanding its commitment to Filipino filmmakers, Puregold CinePanalo Film Festival is launching the Panorama Shorts Section for the first time. Unlike the festival’s production grant categories, this new showcase is dedicated to previously completed short films submitted by both professional and student filmmakers.

While the festival’s grant programs provide selected filmmakers with funding to produce new projects, the Panorama Shorts Section serves as a curated platform for finished works. The initiative also opens the festival to more filmmakers who may not have been part of the production grant program.

A total of ten never-before-screened Filipino short films have been selected for the section, with all entries set to debut nationally during the 2026 Puregold CinePanalo Film Festival.

“The Panorama Shorts Section is yet another way for Puregold CinePanalo to continue expanding opportunities for Filipino filmmakers,” said Ivy Hayagan-Piedad, Senior Marketing Manager of Puregold.

“Every year, we see more deserving stories and more exceptional talent that deserve to be discovered. Through the Panorama Shorts Section, we’re granting another platform where these Filipino voices can reach audiences on the big screen.”

The Panorama Shorts Section is open to Filipino filmmakers who are at least 15 years old, including students, emerging filmmakers, independent creators, and industry professionals.

Eligible entries must be completed short films with a maximum running time of 20 minutes. Films must have finished production between January 1, 2025 and July 30, 2026, with all music and other creative materials in either original form or properly cleared for commercial use.

To preserve the excitement of discovery, selected films must be making their Philippine premiere. Student thesis films that have only been screened within their respective academic institutions remain eligible.

Submissions are open until 11:59 p.m. on August 15, 2026. Applicants must complete the online application form at the following link. The form requires a screener link to the finished film, a synopsis and logline in either Filipino or English, the director’s résumé with links to previous works, and two recent photographs.

The official selection of ten Panorama Shorts Section films will be announced on August 23, 2026.

Although the Panorama Shorts Section is a non-competition showcase, one selected film will receive the Best Panorama Short Film award along with a ₱100,000 cash prize, to be presented during the annual Puregold CinePanalo Film Festival Awards Night.

Hayagan-Piedad encourages filmmakers from across the country—whether students, emerging storytellers, or experienced creators—to submit their completed films and become part of Puregold CinePanalo’s growing celebration of Filipino cinema.

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