The Gawad CCP Para sa Alternatibong Pelikula at Video, commonly referred to as Gawad Alternatibo, remains a testament to the enduring power of alternative cinema as a space for voices that push, question, and reimagine. Across narrative, experimental, documentary, and animation short films, this year’s lineup brings together works that move away from familiar formulas and instead sit with stories that are often overlooked, uneasy, or hard to pin down. These films are grounded in lived experience, shaped by personal, political, and social realities, and made with an intent to question how stories are usually told. For 37 years, the Gawad Alternatibo continues to champion alternative filmmaking as a form of resistance.

The 5th Oroquieta Film Festival made an impactful comeback after a three-year hiatus, providing the big screen to stories from Misamis Occidental and nearby regions. The Lumayagan and Habagatan shorts became the highlight of the festival, projecting films about pressing social issues, the rich culture of Misamis Occidental, Mindanao, and Visayas, and the power of transformative media education, and the dreams of the young filmmakers.

The 15th run of the Binisaya Film Festival continues to pride itself as a cultural hotspot for both Bisaya and global cinema. With a roster of films that are at once surreal, sociopolitically aware, and deeply tender, the festival highlights a talented community of filmmakers and a Bisaya movement that is truly alive.

‘Cinemalaya 21 Shorts’ bring out new and wild imaginations of our country.

‘Raging’ never really settled for finding justice for Eli, as the justice he was searching for would wreck the community that couldn’t handle it. Machado calls for a safe space where such events can be prevented.

Programmed by Eunice Helera, KinoFest Special 2025 Stories Across Continents aims to explore the climate crisis as an intersectional concept.

Ivan Andrew Payawal’s ‘Pwede G, Pwede B’ deconstructs the late sexual awakening of a man coming from a machismo upbringing.

The Margaha Film Festival returns for its 6th run, bringing in new stories and interpretations of old myths from Sagaynon filmmakers — stories that reflect what culturally resonates in Sagay City, Negros Occidental.

Lemual Lorca’s ‘Water Lemon’ examines a town that is drowning in its personal everyday concerns, yet the environmental crisis still looms. This reflects how immediate challenges of daily survival overshadow the long-term inevitabilities.

The Pelikultura Calabarzon Film Festival challenges the Manila-centric Tagalog representations by allowing radical Southern Tagalog cinema to flourish in the national discourse.

2024's Pandayang Lino Brocka delves into this year's theme, "Lupang Sinira," shedding light on the struggles of marginalized communities. From workers to fisherfolk, the finalists — spanning narratives, documentaries, experimental, and animated shorts highlight various sectors' socioeconomic challenges and injustices.