MANILA, Philippines (Sep 2026) : Two compelling Pinoy stories about displacement and late-in-life romance took center stage as the De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde Film community brought home top honors at Cinemalaya 2026.
Faculty member Lot-Lot Hermosura and alumnus Vahn Leinard C. Pascual both scored Network for the Promotion of Asian Cinema awards at the 22nd edition of the independent film festival.
A personal look at displacement in Gaza
Hermosura took home the NETPAC Award in the short film category for her 19-minute documentary, “The River Flows in Different Places”. The documentary tackles the heavy aftermath of the Oct. 7 war and the displacement of millions of Palestinians.
Framed like an intimate family diary, the film follows Net and Maha, two Pinay-Palestinian mothers returning to the Philippines with their families. Through home videos, personal photos, and raw interviews, Hermosura captures their struggle with identity, belonging, and memory. The project was produced by Yani Ali, with the University of the Philippines-Diliman serving as executive producer.
Navigating love and visa rejections at 69
Over in the full-length feature category, Benilde Film alum Vahn Leinard C. Pascual won the NETPAC Award for his debut feature, “Status: Rejected”.
The movie stars veteran actress Ruby Ruiz as Virginia “Biring” Divinagracia, a 69-year-old widow facing her fourth U.S. visa rejection. Feeling disconnected from her family, Biring dives into online dating and meets an American stranger named Steve, setting off a delicate story about hope, connection, and online romance. The film also stars Alessandra de Rossi, Beverly Salviejo, and Yani Villarosa.
Taking Pinoy stories to global audiences
These back-to-back victories mark a major milestone for the De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde Film Program, showing how local creators can tackle deeply personal human rights topics and relatable everyday struggles.
Both directors plan to take their award-winning films on the local and international festival circuits next.
Note: Specific screening dates and venue schedules for future local festival runs have not yet been announced.
