Celebrating a Decade of Asian Genre Cinema: Ngilngig Asian Fantastic Film Festival Marks 10th Edition with "Metamorphosis"
The 10th Ngilngig’s official festival poster unveiling its 2026 theme “Metamorphosis.”
SINEGANG.ph published this press release by Ngilngig. No staff writer participated in writing this article.
Running from October 24 to 28, 2026, in Davao City, this year's festival adopts the theme “Metamorphosis” and celebrates a decade of showcasing Asian horror, folklore, myths, and fantastic cinema. Festival events will be held across key cultural venues in the city, including the FDCP Cinematheque Centre Davao, The Green House Cinema, and The Commons at Matina Town Square, Davao City.
The festival’s press conference last October 11 was led by festival director, Bagane Fiola. Photo by AJ Manalang.
Named after ngilngig, a Bisaya term capturing the fantastic, eerie, and macabre—NgAFFF is organized by Pasalidahay, Inc., a collective dedicated to regional cinema and cross-cultural exchange. Marking its tenth year, the festival explores how stories and shifting identities can transform our understanding of ourselves and the "Other".
Pre-Festival Learning and Development
Leading up to the main festival, the Ngilngig Film Camp will run from October 19 to 22. This four-day platform serves emerging filmmakers under the mentorship of prominent genre creators Sherad Anthony Sanchez, Joshua Caesar "Wowa" Medroso, and Dodo Dayao, helping participants refine their craft and expand the boundaries of Philippine fantastic cinema.
A Global Showcase of Short and Feature Films
The official selection features 50 new short films spanning the Philippines—including entries from Ilocos, Quezon City, Marikina, Batangas, Cavite, Leyte, Sagay, Cebu, Butuan, and Davao—alongside international works from Cambodia, Nepal, South Korea, Malaysia, Indonesia, Myanmar, and Vietnam.
The festival will have the feature I Grew an Inch When My Father Died, directed by P.R. Monencillo Patindol, as the opening film.
The feature film program opens with the Asian premiere of I Grew an Inch When My Father Died by Leyte filmmaker P.R. Monencillo Patindol, after its premiere at the 55th International Film Festival Rotterdam (IFFR) earlier this year, and closes with the Mindanao premiere of Mag-iina (The Mothering) by Giancarlo Abrahan, which bagged awards at the recent Cinemalaya 2026, including Best Film.
One of Ngilngig’s international features includes Kenichi Ugana’s The Curse ザ・カース.
Other highlights include Kazakhstan’s feature debut Stinker (Sasyq) by Yerden Telemissov and the Philippine premieres of Vietnam’s Antithesis of Gemini (Quỷ Tha Ma Bắt: Thai Chiêu Tài) by Trần Nhân Kiên and the Japan-Taiwan production The Curse (ザ・カース) by Kenichi Ugana.
Workshops, Industry Talks, and Community Spaces
Beyond screenings, NgAFFF 2026 fosters dialogue through specialized industry events. Acclaimed cinematographer Neil Daza, LPS, will lead a cinematography workshop on October 25–26, alongside the film industry panel titled "Tambayayong: Imagineering a Sustainable Film Ecosystem". Additionally, the popular Work-in-Progress (WIP) Night on October 27 will offer independent creators a collaborative space to pitch ongoing projects and forge new partnerships.
NgAFFF’s film screenings and festival activities will take place from October 24–28, 2026, at Cinematheque Centre Davao in Davao City, Philippines.
The five-day festival will conclude on October 28 with a closing reception and awards ceremony honoring the standout films and talents of the 2026 milestone edition.
For tickets, schedules, and complete festival details, visit www.ngilngig.com/ngafff2026 or follow official updates on Facebook (facebook.com/ngilngigdavao) and Instagram (@ngilngig). Inquiries can be sent directly to ngilngigfantastic@gmail.com
