Película>Pelikula, the Manila Spanish Film Festival, returns this October for its 25th edition, bringing a wide selection of Spanish, Latin American and Filipino cinema to audiences in Metro Manila.
Running from October 4 to 11, the silver anniversary edition features 23 films spanning drama, comedy, animation, documentaries, thrillers and classic cinema. Screenings will be held at Instituto Cervantes in Intramuros and Power Plant Cinema 2 in Makati, with the festival continuing its tradition of offering free film screenings.
The festival’s 25th-anniversary poster reflects its focus on both its history and future. Created from a photograph by Spanish artist García de Marina, it features a mannequin wearing two masks, symbolising a look back at the festival’s 25-year journey while also facing what comes next.
Since its establishment in 2002, Película>Pelikula has developed into a major annual platform for Spanish-language cinema in the Philippines. Organisers say its continued appeal comes from its ability to connect audiences with different cultures and perspectives through the shared experience of watching films together.
The anniversary edition will also introduce the Galardón XXV Aniversario, a new award recognising a film professional who has contributed significantly to strengthening cultural and cinematic ties between the Philippines and the Spanish-speaking world.
The inaugural honour will be presented to Filipino actor Ronnie Lazaro, who has been associated with the festival across its editions and has helped promote Spanish and international cinema among Filipino audiences.
The programme brings together established filmmakers and emerging voices. Among the featured films are several recent productions that have received recognition at major international festivals and award ceremonies, giving Filipino audiences an opportunity to see acclaimed titles from across the Spanish-speaking world.
One of the highlights is Los domingos, a Spanish drama about a teenage girl considering entering a cloistered convent, a decision that creates deep divisions within her family. The film won the Golden Shell at the San Sebastián International Film Festival and several Goya Awards.
El cautivo offers a historical adventure centred on a young Miguel de Cervantes during his five years of captivity in Algiers. Directed by Alejandro Amenábar, the film explores Cervantes’ relationship with his captor while revisiting a formative period in the life of the future author of Don Quixote.
Another major title is Sirāt, a desert road movie following a father searching for his missing daughter across southern Morocco. The film won the Jury Prize at Cannes and later received multiple Goya Awards, while also earning Academy Award nominations for Best International Feature Film and Best Sound.
For viewers interested in animation, Giants of La Mancha follows an 11-year-old boy who discovers that he is the rightful heir of Don Quixote. Meanwhile, Olivia y el terremoto invisible uses stop-motion animation to tell the story of a young girl and her family as they deal with the emotional consequences of eviction.
The programme also includes films tackling contemporary social issues. Mariposas negras is an animated documentary about climate displacement, following three women from different parts of the world whose lives are disrupted by global warming and forced migration.
The festival will also revisit landmark works from Spanish cinema. The restored version of El desencanto, a 1976 documentary about the family of Francoist poet Leopoldo Panero, offers an intimate examination of family relationships and social structures during Spain’s transition toward democracy.
Another restored title, Los domingos, sits alongside newer productions in a programme designed to show the breadth of Spanish cinema across different generations and filmmaking styles.
The festival’s international scope extends beyond Spain. Tengo sueños eléctricos, a Costa Rica-Belgium-France co-production, follows a 16-year-old girl dealing with a volatile family relationship. Cyclone, from Brazil, is set in São Paulo in 1919 and centres on a young playwright confronting social restrictions as she pursues an artistic future.
We the Hispanos takes an even broader view, exploring more than 500 years of Hispanic history in the United States through art, music and social development. The documentary examines a perspective that has often received less attention in mainstream accounts of American history.
Filipino filmmakers will also have a presence through the festival’s short-film programme, Encuentros en el cine: En corto. The selection features five shorts from the Philippines, Spain, Mexico and Chile, including the Filipino films Agapito and Elenita, Elena, Elaine.
Beyond screenings, the 25th anniversary programme includes cultural events designed to deepen the connection between cinema, history and the arts. The festival officially launches on October 2 with Musika ng Pelikula, a concert by Merienda Jazz featuring memorable music from Spanish cinema.
Film historian Nick Deocampo will also deliver a lecture on Spanish influences on Philippine cinema, while Mexican artist Juan Pablo Chipe will conduct free workshops inspired by film through clay and collage.
The organisers say the selection process involves discussions with Latin American diplomatic missions and consideration of films that have appeared at festivals or received awards. At the same time, the programme takes Filipino audience preferences into account, particularly the local interest in comedy and melodrama.
All 23 films will be shown in their original languages with English subtitles. Audiences will also be able to vote for their favourite film for the Audience Choice Award, with the winning film set to receive another screening during the closing ceremony.
After 25 years, Película>Pelikula continues to position cinema as more than entertainment. Its anniversary edition brings together stories from different countries, generations and filmmaking traditions while creating another opportunity for Filipino audiences to experience Spanish-language cinema on the big screen.
With 23 films, international award winners, Filipino shorts, restored classics, cultural workshops and anniversary events, the 2026 edition turns a quarter-century milestone into a celebration of cinema and the continuing cultural connections between the Philippines and the Spanish-speaking world.
