After screening at the 78th Cannes Film Festival, four standout Filipino-produced films are set to continue their global run at the 50th Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF), happening this September 4 to 14, 2025.
Since its founding in 1976, TIFF has evolved into one of the largest and most influential public film festivals—and this time, Filipino films are being thrust into the spotlight.
“Agapito” by Arvin Belarmino & Kyla Danelle Romero
Agapito, directed by Arvin Belarmino & Kyla Danelle Romero, is set in a bygone duckpin alley where pin setters are rehearsing a song-and-dance number for a special visitor. The short film follows Mira (Nour Hooshmand), a teenage girl who works as a manual pin setter in a bowling alley to support her brother Junior (André Miguel), who has cerebral palsy.
Selected from over 4,000 entries for the Cannes Short Film Competition, it was one of only 11 global finalists and will screen in TIFF 50’s Short Cuts Programme 1.
“Ali” by Adnan Al Rajeev
Ali, directed by Adnan Al Rajeev, follows the story of a teenager defying a town’s ban on women singing. The film earned a Special Mention at the Cannes’ Short Film Palme d’Or, marking the first official Cannes award for a Bangladeshi-Filipino production.
Also part of the final 11 global finalists of Cannes, Ali honors the legacy of resilience and giving voice to those whose truths have long been suppressed, as stated by Al Rajeev in an interview. The film is set to be shown at TIFF 50’s Short Cuts Programme 4.
“Renoir” by Chie Hayakawa
A joint production by France, Indonesia, Japan, Qatar, Singapore and the Philippines, Renoir is directed by Chie Hayakawa and will be part of TIFF’s Contemporary World Cinema section after premiering in Cannes to compete for the Palme d’Or.
Set in 1987 Tokyo, the film follows 11-year-old Fuki’s (Yui Suzuki) retreat into telepathic fantasies amid adolescence and family struggles. The heart-wrenching film is set to screen in TIFF 50’s Centerpiece section.
“Magellan” by Lav Diaz
Making a splash in TIFF’s Special Presentations segment is the North American premiere of Lav Diaz’s Magellan, a co-production by France, Portugal, Spain, Taiwan and the Philippines. The film stars Gael García Bernal as the explorer Ferdinand Magellan, reimagining his life and expeditions through a decolonial lens.
The Film Development Council of the Philippines (FDCP) hails these inclusions as proof that Filipino cinema is not just participating in film festivals, but actively shaping the global conversation around modern cinema. From Cannes’ red carpet to Toronto’s world stage, these films prove that Filipino cinema is deserving of the spotlight.
What local films would you like to see joining the international film festival circuit? Let us know in the comments!