Fil-Aus director wins at Melbourne International Film Festival for corruption drama ‘First Light’
Ruby Ruiz in First Light
Filipino-Australian filmmaker James J. Robinson won best director for his debut feature First Light at the 2025 Melbourne International Film Festival.
Robinson was awarded the Blackmagic Design Best Australian Director Award for making a “noteworthy milestone in cross-cultural cinema” and received a cash prize along with an URSA Cine 12K camera kit.
Bright Horizons, where the film competed, is juried by Scottish filmmaker Charlotte Wells, who served as jury president, together with Australian performer Tamala, American filmmaker Alex Ross Perry, Greek filmmaker Athina Rachel Tsangari, IMDb founder Col Needham, Vietnamese-American writer Nam Le, and Australian musician Caitlin Yeo.
In First Light, a nun discovers a criminal conspiracy by a construction family, who covers it up with the help of the church.
Film still from First Light
Filipino actress Ruby Ruiz stars as Sister Yolanda and leads the all-Filipino cast, which includes Maricel Soriano, Kare Adea, Soliman Cruz, and Kidlat Tahimik.
An Australian-Philippine co-production between Majella Productions and Clou Media Productions, the film is set and shot on location in northern Luzon.
First Light is currently preparing for its international and Philippine premieres.
The Melbourne International Film Festival was held from Aug. 7 to 24 in Melbourne, Australia.
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