The future of Philippine cinema shone brightly as the 8th Sine Kabataan Short Film Festival recently concluded its awards night at the Shangri-La Plaza Red Carpet Cinemas in Mandaluyong City.

Organized by the Film Development Council of the Philippines as part of the Philippine Film Industry Month celebration, the festival championed the diverse voices and bold storytelling of young filmmakers aged 18 to 23 from across the country.

Emerging as the night’s biggest winner was the intimate family drama “When It Rained Malunggay Leaves,” which took home the Best Short Film, in addition to winning Best Screenplay for writer-director Cedrick Valenzuela and Best Editing for Vince Maliksi.

The film follows a young woman (Gabby Padilla) who returns home for All Saints’ Day (Undas), forcing her to confront years of unspoken generational trauma and familial distance with her mother (Tanya Gomez).

Valenzuela, whose script evolved into a story of healing, used the malunggay as a nourishing symbol.

The night’s other big winner was the incisive Cebuano short film, “Sunog sa Sugbo” (Fire in Cebu), which secured the Special Jury Prize, Best Direction for Jon Owen Lepiten, and Best Cinematography for Kirk Bryant Nuñez.

The story centers on a teenage breadwinner (Elj Seth Tababa) who, after his own home is consumed by fire, is forced into the impossible choice of setting another slum ablaze for money and survival.

Michael Angelo Pogoy’s heartwarming film “Coding si Papa” was awarded the Special Mention. It tells the story of a nine-year-old boy (Zed Xyrus Martin) trying to earn money so his tricycle-driver father (Ariel Perino) can take a day off to watch him perform a poem written just for him.

Completing the Sine Kabataan finalists are “4 Better or 4 Worse” by RonJay Mendiola, “Blooming!” by Ronnie Ramos from Pangasinan, “City’s Laundry & Taxes” by Diana Galang from Laguna, “Due Date na ni Judith” by Kieth Earl Rebaño from Aklan, “Elephant Paths” by Joshua de Vera from Bulacan, “Sa Tumoy sa Walay Kahumanan” [After the (G)rain is Gone] by Von Jorge Actub from Davao de Oro, and the lone animated film “Signal Pending” by Lourchielle Hael from University of Makati.

The ten finalist films were selected from over 200 concept submissions and received a production grant of 200,000 pesos each.

The Sine Kabataan Film Festival is part of the FDCP’s commitment to empowering emerging filmmakers from across the regions and providing a platform to showcase their fresh perspectives on uniquely youth-centered issues.

FDCP Chair and CEO Jose Javier “Direk Joey” Reyes graced the event along with FDCP Education Head Rica Arevalo, Digital Dreams producer Danzen Santos-Katanyag, screenwriter and director Jules Katanyag, Full Post Asia President and CEO John Wong, and award-winning filmmaker Carlo Catu.

Broadcaster and TV personality Gretchen Ho hosted the awards night.