NABIFILMEX 12: Where Threads Meet
NABIFILMEX 12: Where Threads Meet
The 12th Nabunturan Independent Film Exhibition in Nabunturan, Davao de Oro
Nabunturan, Davao de Oro — Beneath the veil of night, the 12th Nabunturan Independent Film Exhibition (NABIFILMEX) drew to a close with an Awards Night that honored the grassroots cinema and the community that breathes life into it.
A Festival in the Open
From September 17 to 20, Davao de Oro morphed into a living cinema. The Municipal Plaza became an open-air theater, where residents of all ages gathered shoulder to shoulder on monobloc chairs, benches, and even mats laid on the ground. Children and elders leaned in close to catch dialogue, and students lingered after screenings to share their thoughts with the filmmakers.
From 200 nationwide submissions, 57 films were selected, weaving a program that included 15 Open Category entries, 21 student films from Davao de Oro, and 15 documentaries in special exhibitions. Beyond the screenings, NABIFILMEX hosted forums, talkbacks, and workshops with award-winning filmmaker Zig Dulay, drawing young storytellers eager to learn the craft.
The Spirit of Openness
This year’s theme, “Weaving Stories from the Grassroots,” was rooted in Festival Director Richard Arellano’s own work as a local volunteer weaver. “Films are threads, wefts, or warps, and as a weaver, I see NABIFILMEX as a textile — stories intertwined to create a platform for creativity,” he said.
That weaving spirit also spoke to the festival’s ethos of openness — to dialogue, to grassroots stories, and to different ways of experiencing cinema. As festival juror Butch Ibañez of the NCCA’s Committee on Cinema put it: “It takes a community to weave stories from the roots.”
Abogbaybay wins the Gimadyawan Award for Best Film at NABIFILMEX 12
Highlights and Winners
This year’s Gimadyawan Award for Best Film went to Abogbaybay by P.R. Monencillo Patindol from Leyte, a film that also won Best Director and Best Editing. The film’s quiet exploration of coastal life resonated strongly despite Nabunturan being far from the sea — proof that authenticity in storytelling finds its audience anywhere.
Another standout was Anino sa Kahilom by Grade 9 students Athena Bagaslao and Copler Zulita from Nabunturan National Comprehensive High School, which won Best Davao de Oro Film. Their achievement underscored NABIFILMEX’s role as a platform for emerging voices.
Other winners include:
Best Music for TJ Martinez & Glumuel Rigo (Elias: Aswang)
Best Sound Design for Marc Jovic Sumbi (Walo-Walo: Walo ka Adlaw nga Kanay, Walo ka Adlaw nga Labugay)
Best Production Design for Giellian Matti (Dela Cruz, Juan P.)
Best Editing for Javier Abola & Aje Alfonso (Abogbaybay)
Best Cinematography for Daniel de la Cruz, Elmer Gatoc, Christian Selerio (Ang Gadya Sang Suba)
Best Screenplay by Mery Grace Rama-Mission (Walo-Walo: Walo ka Adlaw nga Kanay, Walo ka Adlaw nga Labugay)
Jury Citation for Acting Ensemble for Abogbaybay (Dir. P.R. Monencillo Patindol)
Best Actor for Doydoy Megrino (Tangkas)
Best Actress for Juvy Ann Clarito (Tangkas)
Best Director for P.R. Monencillo Patindol (Abogbaybay)
Special Jury Prize for Tamisa (Joey Jay S. Dorado) & Round Table (Princess Melody Payot)
The HeART of the Valley
For municipal mayor Myrocel Clarin Balili, the festival reflects Nabunturan’s belief that art is central to governance and identity. “Good governance is not just about infrastructure and economic development, but also showing priority and support to arts and culture,” she said.
Hence, as the festival lights dimmed and the last film flickered across the night sky, the sense of openness remained: an open community, open streets, and open hearts bound together by cinema.
In its 12th year, NABIFILMEX proved that stories from the margins can command the spotlight — and that a small town in Davao de Oro unfurls itself to be a vital stage for independent Philippine cinema.
The 12th 2025 Nabunturan Independent Film Exhibition took place from September 17 to 20 in Nabunturan, Davao De Oro.
