Talabukon Film Festival debut makes waves for Romblon regional cinema
Talabukon Film Festival debut makes waves for Romblon regional cinema
Main Poster of Talakbukon Film Festival
LOOC, ROMBLON — Romblon is now debuting its first local festival, the Talabukon Film Festival, a three-day celebration of regional cinema inspired by the island’s mythical guardian Talabukon. The film festival, which runs from April 24 to 26, will be held in Looc, Romblon, and is currently headed by festival director Ryan Machado.
The film festival aims to cultivate a vibrant film culture in the province and amplify the Romblon regional cinema scene by fostering film appreciation and building a thriving community for filmmakers and audiences. The festival program includes film screenings, workshops, talks, and a short film competition.
Talabukon Film Festival Lineup and Schedule
The Talabukon Film Festival features a selection of regional films from Visayas and Mindanao, including both feature-length and short films:
Feature-Length Films:
Bulawan Nga Usa (2023) by Kenneth de la Cruz
Love Child (2024) by Jonathan Jurilla
John Denver Trending (2019) by Arden Rod Condez
Ang Duyan Ng Magiting (2023) by Dustin Celestino
Huling Palabas (2023) by Ryan Machad
Short Films:
Carabao Noises (2023) by Kyla dela Peña
Bisan Abo, Wala Bilin (2024) by Kyd Torato
Rumbles of the Earth (2024) by Carl Joseph Lara
Si Astri Maka Si Tambulah (2017) by Xeph Suarez
I Get So Sad Sometimes (2021) by Trishtan Perez
All film screenings are free to the public and will be followed by talkback sessions with filmmakers.
Free Workshops
The Talakbukon Film Festival also offers free, public workshops and talks designed to support aspiring filmmakers and film enthusiasts in the community:
Directing Workshop with Kyla Dela Peña – April 24 | Looc National High School
FDCP Talk – April 25 | Romblon State University Quadrangle
Cinematography Workshop with Robert Pareja – April 25 | Romblon State University Quadrangle
Scriptwriting Workshop with Dustin Celestino – April 25 | Romblon State University Quadrangle
Acting Workshop with Jerom Canlas – April 26 | Conference Hall, Looc Municipal Building
Short Film Competition
Official Finalists of the Talabukon Film Festival Short Film Competition
The Talakbukon Film Festival also debuts a Short Film Competition, spotlighting five emerging filmmakers from Romblon. The official finalists are:
Calatong by Prince Reiu Garcia
It Comes In Waves by Curtis Foncares
Hutik by Nicole Borja
Palara by John Lister Mondia
Callback by John Victor Dela Torre
These short films will premiere as part of the Cinema by the Bay program on April 24 at the Looc Baywalk, with an awarding ceremony scheduled for April 26 at the Looc Public Stage.
The Talabukon Film Festival marks an exciting step forward for Romblon’s regional cinema landscape by bringing cinema closer to the Romblon community. By bringing together regional filmmakers and empowering local voices, it promises to make new waves for an inclusive film movement in the province.
SINEGANG.ph is an official media partner of The Talabukon Film Festival.
