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CinePanalo, APFI advocate for student filmmakers

Article (news)

Josh Mercado

<div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1764935888799unnamed.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/>Puregold CinePanalo festival director Chris Cahilig, APFI general manager Russel Frederick Oledan, and Puregold senior marketing manager and festival chair Ivy Hayagan-Piedad formalize partnership between Puregold CinePanalo and Asia Pacific Film Institute</div>In a newly established collaboration, the Puregold CinePanalo Film Festival and the Asia Pacific Film Institute (APFI) have pledged to offer full scholarships and tuition discounts for the winners and participants in the festival’s Student Shorts Category. These advantages are in addition to the festival’s creative grant of P200,000 provided for each student short.This year, Puregold CinePanalo and the APFI will collaborate to provide student participants with not just financing to create the films of their dreams, but also resources to help them reach their academic goals.The APFI will grant three full scholarships to the winners of the major Student Shorts categories, which include Best Film, Jury Prize, and Best Director. It will also give a full scholarship for specified subjects selected by the organization, such as Advanced Cinematography, Production Design, Scriptwriting, Acting, Editing, and Sound Design.The APFI will also offer a 10% tuition discount on certain subjects to all students, crew, and cast members of each competing film, whether in the Student Shorts or Full-Length categories. In addition, the APFI will host professional talks during the festival to assist student filmmakers in translating their artistic goals into long-term professional possibilities in the cinema and media industries.According to APFI, CinePanalo&#x27;s advocacy for young filmmakers&#x27; goals is completely consistent with its mission as an independent, self-sustaining, industry-focused film school.“The participants of Puregold CinePanalo have already proven themselves as talented storytellers with the potential to succeed,” said Russel Frederick Oledan, general manager of APFI. “Asia Pacific Film Institute is thus honored to support their journey by providing the mentorship, training, and platform to refine their craft.” Oledan further stated that the relationship underscores APFI&#x27;s mission of developing young storytellers to mold the next generation of Philippine film, saying, “It is a dream we share with the folks at Puregold.”Ivy Hayagan-Piedad, Puregold senior marketing manager, believes the shared passion of Puregold and APFI will bring the CinePanalo to heights it has never seen before.“CinePanalo just keeps growing. We’re seeing even more institutions rally behind the cause. Partners like the Asia Pacific Film Institute remind us that uplifting Philippine cinema is a shared mission, one that starts by investing in the next generation of storytellers,” Hayagan-Piedad shared.Now in its third year, CinePanalo has cemented its place as one of the country&#x27;s most recognized film festivals. This is due in great part to the festival&#x27;s ongoing support for emerging filmmakers. Since its launch, the festival has given them hundreds of thousands, a generous offer that also extends to student filmmakers.The festival will take place at Gateway Cineplex 18 and various Ayala Cinemas. The festival will feature seven full-length films and 20 student shorts. A number of Puregold CinePanalo alumni films have been screened and awarded at local and international film festivals.

In a newly established collaboration, the Puregold CinePanalo Film Festival and the Asia Pacific Film Institute (APFI) have pledged to offer full scholarships and tuition discounts for the winners and participants in the festival’s Student Shorts Category.

In a newly established collaboration, the Puregold CinePanalo Film Festival and the Asia Pacific Film Institute (APFI) have pledged to offer full scholarships and tuition discounts for the winners and participants in the festival’s Student Shorts Category.

Why CinePanalo, APFI advocate for student filmmakers

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Why CinePanalo, APFI advocate for student filmmakers

Josh Mercado

Published December 05, 2025 08:03 PM PHT

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CinePanalo

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