Celebrating 10 years of fearless storytelling with EnlighTEN: The IdeaFirst Film Festival

Celebrating 10 years of fearless storytelling with EnlighTEN: The IdeaFirst Film Festival

In celebration of its 10 years of bringing extraordinary stories to light, The IdeaFirst Company is proud to present EnlighTEN: The IdeaFirst Film Festival. The IdeaFirst Company has produced 35 feature films to date, and the festival will showcase selected movies from its catalog, with each film having a talkback session afterward. There will also be a 2-day writing masterclass as well as the Directors and Writers Roundtable.

For its opening film, Director Jun Robles Lana offers the Philippine premiere of ‘Your Mother’s Son,’ which had its World Premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival, European Premiere at the Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival, and Asian Premiere at the Taipei Golden Horse Film Festival. The movie stars Kokoy de Santos, Sue Prado, Miggy Jimenez, and Elora Españo, with the screenplay written by Director Lana and Elmer Gatchalian. 

Film Lineup

The film festival consists of 14 films, including ‘Your Mother’s Son.’ Selected works by directors Prime Cruz, Perci M. Intalan, Ivan Andrew Payawal, and Sigrid Andrea Bernardo will be featured in EnlighTEN: The IdeaFirst Film Festival.

ABOUT US BUT NOT ABOUT US by Jun Robles Lana
Critics’ Pick Best Film Award Winner – Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival 2022

ANG MANANANGGAL SA UNIT 23B by Prime Cruz
Best Director Award Winner – QCinema International Film Festival 2016

ANINO SA LIKOD NG BUWAN by Jun Robles Lana
Best Picture Award Nominee – Gawad Urian Awards 2016

BIG NIGHT! by Jun Robles Lana
Best Picture Award Winner – Metro Manila Film Festival 2021

DEMENTIA by Perci M. Intalan
Best Production Design Award Nominee – Gawad Urian Awards 2015

DIE BEAUTIFUL by Jun Robles Lana
Best Picture Award Winner – FAP Awards 2017

DISTANCE by Perci M. Intalan
Indie Movie of the Year Award Nominee – 35th Star Awards for Movies

GAMEBOYS: THE MOVIE by Ivan Andrew Payawal
Best Ensemble Performance Award Nominee – Pinoy Rebyu Awards 2022

I AMERICA by Ivan Andrew Payawal
Best Film Award Nominee – Cinemalaya Independent Film Festival 2016

MAHAL KITA BEKSMAN by Perci M. Intalan
Best Picture Award Nominee – FAP Awards 2023

MR. AND MRS. CRUZ by Sigrid Andrea Bernardo
Best Film Award Nominee – Osaka Asian Film Festival 2018 

SLEEPLESS by Prime Cruz
NETPAC Award Winner – QCinema International Film Festival 2015

UNTRUE by Sigrid Andrea Bernardo
Movie of the Year Award Winner – 37th Star Awards for Movies

Screening Schedules

Frequently Asked Questions

Catch EnlighTEN: The IdeaFirst Film Festival this April 12-14, 2024.

How much does a ticket cost?
Individual film screenings cost 199 pesos, but those with talkback sessions or “Behind the Idea” will cost 249 pesos. Tickets for ‘Your Mother’s Son’ cost 390 pesos, and passes are also available at 5000 pesos (Festival Pass) and 4000 pesos (Masterclass Pass). You may purchase tickets onsite at Gateway Cineplex 18 or online via their website.

Will there be online screenings?
The 3-day film festival will only have physical screenings at Gateway Cineplex 18.

What other programs can we expect from The IdeaFirst Company?

Aside from the film festival, The IdeaFirst Company also announced upcoming projects such as Imagine IF Entertainment which will focus on non-narrative projects (like Barangay Singko Panalo) and IdeaFirst Live! which will focus on live entertainment (like the return to the stage of Anino sa Likod ng Buwan).

Details about EnlighTEN, The IdeaFirst Company’s 10th-anniversary film festival celebration will be available at theideafirstcompany.com/#enlighten, and updates are posted on its official Facebook page.

SINEGANG.ph is an official media partner of this year’s EnlighTEN: The IdeaFirst Film Festival.

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