2026 MANILA INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL UNVEILS FIRST WAVE OF LINEUP LED BY DREAMWORKS ANIMATION’S FORGOTTEN ISLAND

August 5, 2026

2026 MANILA INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL UNVEILS FIRST WAVE OF LINEUP LED BY DREAMWORKS ANIMATION’S FORGOTTEN ISLAND

Third Annual Festival Runs Sept. 3-6 with Screenings at TCL Chinese Theatre and Closing Night Awards Gala at The Beverly Hilton

Tickets On Sale Now

LOS ANGELES, CA (Aug. 5, 2026) — The Manila International Film Festival (MIFF), the premier Los Angeles-based film festival celebrating Philippine and diaspora cinema on the global stage, today announced the first 14 titles in its 2026 lineup, led by a special advance screening of DreamWorks Animation’s Forgotten Island, written and directed by Joel Crawford and Januel P. Mercado.

The first wave includes the world premieres of Chuck Gutierrez and Baby Ruth Villarama’s Eddie Romero Remastered: A Century of Filipino Cinema and Neal “Buboy” Tan’s Kappa-Tiran. The lineup also features the Hollywood premiere of Jerrold Tarog’s Quezon, starring Jericho Rosales; the Los Angeles premieres of Raymond Red’s Manila’s Finest and Benito Bautista’s The Road to Sydney; a special screening of Carl Joseph Papa’s award-winning animated documentary 58th; and a two-film retrospective celebrating MIFF Icon Award recipient Lea Salonga. Salonga, a Tony Award winner, also voices the character of The Dreaded Manananggal in DreamWorks Animation’s Forgotten Island, which arrives in theaters Sept. 25. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Ut elit tellus, luctus nec ullamcorper mattis, pulvinar dapibus leo.

The third annual Manila International Film Festival will take place Sept. 3-6, 2026, with film screenings, filmmaker Q&As and industry panels at the TCL Chinese Theatre in Hollywood, followed by the Closing Night Awards Gala at The Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills. Tickets are on sale now at ManilaInternationalFilmFest.com.Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Ut elit tellus, luctus nec ullamcorper mattis, pulvinar dapibus leo.

“The first wave of this year’s lineup reflects the breadth of Filipino filmmaking today, from a major studio film inspired by Philippine folklore to independent features and documentaries exploring our history, identity and communities,” said Lisa Lew, Executive Producer of the MIFF. “In our third year, MIFF continues to create a meaningful platform in Hollywood for filmmakers from the Philippines and across the diaspora to share their work with new audiences.”

“What makes MIFF special is that audiences do not just see the films, they interact with them through meeting the filmmakers and casts, hearing the stories behind the work and taking part in a larger celebration of our creative community,” added Winston Emano, Producer of the MIFF. “We look forward to welcoming filmmakers and guests from Manila and from around the world this September.”

SPECIAL SCREENINGS

Forgotten Island | writers/directors Joel Crawford and Januel P. Mercado | USA

MIFF will presentForgotten Island three weeks ahead of its Sept. 25 theatrical release. From the filmmaking team behind Puss in Boots: The Last Wish, the DreamWorks Animation original follows lifelong best friends Jo, voiced by H.E.R., and Raissa, voiced by Liza Soberano, who stumble upon a portal that transports them to the island of Nakalimutan and the magical and mythological creatures they grew up hearing about from their Filipino families. But when Jo and Raissa discover that their memories of their entire friendship are the price for returning home, they will race to find a way to leave the island before they forget each other forever.

Salonga voices The Dreaded Manananggal, the most feared creature on the island. The voice cast also includes Dave Franco, Jenny Slate, Manny Jacinto, Dolly de Leon, Jo Koy and Ronny Chieng. Forgotten Island is distributed by Universal Pictures.

58th | dir. Carl Joseph Papa | Philippines

An animated documentary about the 2009 Maguindanao massacre, told through the family of Reynaldo “Bebot” Momay, the photojournalist whose remains were never recovered and whose death the courts left unacknowledged. From the director of Iti Mapukpukaw (The Missing), the film premiered at the International Film Festival Rotterdam and competed at Annecy earlier this year.

*Winner, Facing The Edge Award, 2026 New Zealand Doc Edge Festival

WORLD PREMIERES

Eddie Romero Remastered: A Century of Filipino Cinema | dirs. Chuck Gutierrez and Baby Ruth Villarama | Philippines

From the filmmaking team behind Sunday Beauty Queen and Food Delivery, the documentary presents a portrait of National Artist and major Quentin Tarantino influence, Eddie Romero, whose career ranged from English-language genre pictures filmed in the Philippines to the landmark Ganito Kami Noon, Paano Kayo Ngayon?.

Kappa-Tiran | dir. Neal “Buboy” Tan | Philippines

A controversial thriller set within the shadowy, insular and institutionally shielded world of fraternities and sororities and its banned tradition of hazing, Kappa-Tiran features a multi-generational cast including Ejay Falcon, Sheryl Cruz, Aljur Abrenica, Patricia Javier, Bembol Roco and a host of the Philippines’ top young acting talent.

Pinay | dir. Keesa Ocampo | USA

A chronicle of the pioneering Bay Area-based vocal group that ushered in the first wave of Asian American contemporary pop music in the 90s. The film is produced by Christina Luna and directed by Keesa Ocampo, a two-time Emmy Award-winning television writer, director, and producer.

HOLLYWOOD PREMIERES

Along Comes Larry: The Larry Ramos Story | dir. Rick Quan | USA

The award-winning documentary chronicles the life of Kauai-born ukulele prodigy Larry Ramos, the first Asian American to win a Grammy Award and the only non-white member of two of the biggest musical groups of the 1960s, The New Christy Minstrels and The Association.

No Room for Love | dirs. Randal Kamradt and Maria Luna Kamradt | USA

From the filmmakers behind The Monsters Without, a comedy about a Filipino American family of seven sharing one Los Angeles apartment, with each family member chasing a career in entertainment.

Quezon | dir. Jerrold Tarog | Philippines

The third film in director Jerrold Tarog’s widely-popular Bayaniversetrilogy following Heneral Luna and Goyo: Ang Batang Heneral. Jericho Rosales stars as Manuel L. Quezon in a story tracing his rise to the presidency of the Philippine Commonwealth. The cast also includes Iain Glen, Karylle and Mon Confiado.

*Winner of five 2026 Entertainment Editors’ Choice Awards

Veterano | dir. Patrick Epino | USA

Valentino (Jon Jon Briones), an aging Filipino World War II veteran, with nothing left to lose, dusts off his past and his pistol for one last mission in 1981 San Francisco.

*Winner, Outstanding Performance, 2026 Fantasia International Film Festival

LOS ANGELES PREMIERES

Manila’s Finest | dir. Raymond Red | Philippines

A police thriller set against the tumultuous “First Quarter Storm” in 1970 Manila, this award-winning and controversial period piece from Raymond Red, the first Filipino filmmaker to win the Cannes Short Film Palme d’Or, has earned praise for its subject matter, storytelling, performances, and lush, striking cinematography and art direction. Starring Piolo Pascual, Enrique Gil, and Cedrick Juan.

The Road to Sydney | dir. Benito Bautista | USA/Philippines

From the Emmy-winning director of Harana, the documentary follows Philippine dance master and choreographer Sydney Loyola from Palawan to the San Francisco Bay Area as she transitions, loses her job and housing, and returns home to reclaim her art and reconcile with her father.

Bebot: Generation One, The Black Eyed Peas | dir. Patricio Ginelsa | USA

A newly remastered edition of Bebot: Generation One, the Black Eyed Peas music video directed by Patricio Ginelsa (Lumpia with a Vengeance), presented for its 20th anniversary.

LEA SALONGA RETROSPECTIVE

MIFF will honor Salonga with the MIFF Icon Award during the Closing Night Awards Gala on Sunday, Sept. 6 at The Beverly Hilton. In addition to her voice role inForgotten Island, the festival will present two titles from Salonga’s filmography:

Sana Maulit Muli | dir. Olivia Lamasan | Philippines

Lea Salonga andAga Muhlach star in Olivia Lamasan‘s 1995 romantic drama as a Manila couple separated when Agnes leaves for San Francisco on her mother’s petition and Jerry follows her to America.

The Vale: Origins | dir. Abigail Hing Wen | USA

A hybrid live-action and animated short film starring Lea Salonga that marked Abigail Hing Wen’s directorial debut and serves as a prequel to her middle-grade novel, The Vale.

The Tony and Olivier Award winner was also nominated by MIFF for a Hollywood Walk of Fame star and will receive her star later this year in the Live Theatre/Live Performance category, making history as the first Filipina to receive the honor.

MIFF also recently celebrated Tony Award-winning actress and singer Nicole Scherzinger’s selection to the Hollywood Walk of Fame Class of 2027 in the same category. Scherzinger, who was nominated by MIFF, thanked the festival in a special video message and celebrated her Filipino heritage, saying, “Here’s to Pinay power.”

TICKET INFORMATION

Festival passes for MIFF films at the TCL Chinese Theatre are on sale now at ManilaInternationalFilmFest.com. Festival Passes grant access to all MIFF film screenings and industry panels at the TCL Chinese Theatre. Passes do not include the press conference or the Closing Night Awards Gala, which is ticketed separately.

Early bird tickets for the Closing Night Awards Gala at The Beverly Hilton on Sunday, Sept. 6 are available through Aug. 16, with individual tickets priced at $250 plus fees. Group table tickets are also available.

Additional films, programming and special guests will be announced in the coming weeks.