The 2026 edition of the Cinemalaya Philippine Independent Film Festival has crowned its top films and performances, with Mag-Iina emerging as the night’s biggest winner after taking home Best Picture (Full Length Film) and several other major awards. Directed by Giancarlo Abrahan, Mag-Iina also earned Abrahan the award for Best Director (Full Length Film), while Guelan Luarca won Best Screenplay for the film. The movie also received the Best Supporting Actor award for Lucas Andalio, who tied with KD Omalin of Hand of God.
For the short-film competition, Silkscreen was named Best Picture (Short Film), while Gabriela Serrano won Best Director (Short Film) for Elenita, Elena, Elaine.
One of the biggest moments of the awards night was the tie for Best Actress, with veteran performers Ruby Ruiz and Marietta Subong, popularly known as Pokwang, sharing the honor. Ruiz was recognized for her performance in Status: Rejected, while Pokwang won for 2 Valid IDs. The double win highlights two powerful performances from actresses who brought distinct emotional depth and intensity to their respective films.
Martin Del Rosario took home Best Actor for his performance in Tayo Lang ang Nakakaalam. The film also earned the Best Ensemble Performance award, recognizing the combined performances of Martin Del Rosario, Yayo Aguila, Miguel Odron, and Epy Quizon.
The Best Supporting Actress award went to Bituin Escalante for A.Ni.Mal. Meanwhile, the Best Supporting Actor category also resulted in a tie. KD Omalin was recognized for Hand of God, while Lucas Andalio received the honor for Mag-Iina.
The Special Jury Prize was awarded to two films: 2 Valid IDs, representing the full-length competition, and Para-Paraan in the short-film category. The NETPAC Award was likewise given to two films: Status: Rejected for the full-length competition and The River Flows in Different Places for the short-film competition. The awards reflect the breadth of this year’s Cinemalaya lineup, recognizing not only individual performances and filmmaking achievements but also films that stood out for their artistic and cinematic qualities.
Cinemalaya 2026 Full List of Winners
Here is the complete list of major winners:
- Best Picture – Full Length Film: Mag-Iina
- Best Picture – Short Film: Silkscreen
- Best Director – Full Length Film: Giancarlo Abrahan, Mag-Iina
- Best Director – Short Film: Gabriela Serrano, Elenita, Elena, Elaine
- Best Actress: Ruby Ruiz, Status: Rejected; Marietta Subong (Pokwang), 2 Valid IDs — Tie
- Best Actor: Martin Del Rosario, Tayo Lang ang Nakakaalam
- Best Supporting Actress: Bituin Escalante, A.Ni.Mal
- Best Supporting Actor: KD Omalin, Hand of God; Lucas Andalio, Mag-Iina — Tie
- Best Ensemble Performance: Cast of Tayo Lang ang Nakakaalam — Martin Del Rosario, Yayo Aguila, Miguel Odron, and Epy Quizon
- Best Screenplay – Full Length Film: Guelan Luarca, Mag-Iina
- Special Jury Prize – Full Length Film: 2 Valid IDs
- Special Jury Prize – Short Film: Para-Paraan
- NETPAC Award – Full Length Film: Status: Rejected
- NETPAC Award – Short Film: The River Flows in Different Places
With Mag-Iina taking home the top prize and multiple major honors, the film emerged as one of the defining titles of Cinemalaya 2026, while the ties for Best Actress and Best Supporting Actor added memorable moments to this year’s celebration of Philippine independent cinema.
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