The 7th Margaha Film Festival, themed “LOKOMO7IB: SineMargahaSIETE,” concluded its week-long run from February 19 to 23, drawing nearly 2,000 viewers across various venues in Sagay City.
The closing ceremony, held at the Siete Locomotive Train in the City Public Plaza, saw 27 awards presented to local and national filmmakers.
A total of 24 short films competed this year, divided into 12 Philippine Shorts and 12 Sagaynon Shorts.
Carrying the theme “LOKOMO7IB: SineMargahaSIETE”, this year’s festival embraced the image of movement, of cinema as a train in transit, carrying stories from different shores and returning home with new voices.
PHILIPPINE SHORTS WINNERS
In the Philippine Shorts category, Hasang by Daniel de la Cruz was named Best Philippine Short Film.
The jury described it as comedic yet ultimately political, “a fairy tale turned accessibly real,” transforming what appears to be a romp in the woods into a subtle statement on identity and community.
Vincent Joseph Entuna was awarded Best Director for Sa Pwesto ni Pistong, with jurors noting the filmmaker’s subtle rendering of narrative and the almost magical way characters entered the barbershop setting, shifting politics and history in quiet but powerful ways.
The Special Jury Prize was conferred on Coding si Papa, described by the panel as an aspirational piece for LGBTQ+ communities, a narrative that soars on acceptance and reimagines fatherhood with tenderness and courage.
Sari-Sari received Best Screenplay, recognized for its nuanced commentary on Filipino household stereotypes through a layered theatrical structure.
Special citations were also given to Asa ang mga Salida sa Leyte? for Documentary Film, Cemento for Experimental Film, and Pastil for Animation, acknowledging films that expanded form and inquiry within their respective genres.
SAGAYNON SHORTS WINNERS
In the Sagaynon Shorts category, Manimalay by Pisok Production was named Best Sagaynon Short Film.
The jury cited its pastoral visual language that slowly unfolds into a haunting meditation on poverty, sacrifice, and kinship, asking whether the poor still have choices or merely chances.
Presilio Bajao won Best Director for Hampang sa Balod, praised for summoning authentic performances from young actors and non-actors alike, capturing innocence, mischief, and the fragile edge of youth.
The Jury Prize (Ex Aequo) was awarded to Guloginhawa and Hampang sa Balod, described as two films capturing the “Ages of Man”, one confronting mortality and aging, the other celebrating youth on the verge of risk and transformation.
Among the major craft awards, Kent Raven Ardeña won Best Editing for Hampang sa Balod for maintaining a rhythm between fast-paced adventure and gilded memory. Jessie Soberano received Best Cinematography for Guloginhawa, noted for bold tonal contrasts between light and shadow. Kyla Isabel Cordova and Khyle Anasta were awarded Best Musical Score for Manimalay, recognized for its restrained yet emotionally swelling composition.
Star Morera earned Best Lead Performance for Bangga Budong, delivering what jurors described as a performance of unrelenting emotional energy while Jing Torrecampo received Best Supporting Performance for Manimalay, portraying maternal sacrifice with depth and gravity.
The Audience Choice Awards went to Sa Humba Nimo for Philippine Shorts and Mga Taghunas for Sagaynon Shorts, reflecting the films that resonated most strongly with viewers.
Meanwhile, the Filmmakers’ Choice Award, selected by Sagaynon directors in honor of the visiting Philippine Shorts, was awarded to Hasang.
This year, actress and singer Chai Fonacier receives the Margaha Lifetime Achievement Award for her contribution in founding the film festival by helping beginning filmmakers through workshops and talks, and for being a resident juror of the festival since its first year.
The filmmakers, guests, jurors, and organizers of the 7th Margaha Film Festival during the closing ceremonies at the Locomotive Train at the Sagay City Public Plaza* 
The trio actors of “Hampang sa Balod” Frayo Yubal, Henry Lobaton, and Bivance Arcayos win the Best Acting Ensemble of the 7th Margaha Film Festival.*
A FESTIVAL CARRIED BY MANY
Festival Director Helen Arguelles-Cutillar described the seventh edition as the most magical yet.
“They say the seventh year carries a special kind of weight, and for us, this year was the most magical yet,” she said.
She acknowledged the challenges faced, including unpredictable weather and the loss of two important figures in the filmmaking community, Tay Dante Macam and Keikei Emnace, who were honored in a solemn In Memoriam segment.
“It wasn’t easy,” Arguelles-Cutillar said, referring to hosting filmmakers from across the Philippines while managing an outdoor festival by the sea. “Against the odds, the screen lit up and the magic held.”
She expressed gratitude to Mayor Leo Rafael “Bebo” Cueva for personally providing seed funding for the 12 Sagaynon short films in competition, calling him “a true champion of the arts” who sees culture as central to governance and development.
Cueva emphasized that supporting local cinema is an investment in Sagay’s identity and future, reaffirming the city’s commitment to empowering storytellers.
Arguelles-Cutillar also thanked the jurors — Tito Valiente, Chai Fonacier, Rolando Tolentino, Katrina Tan, Jag Garcia, Arden Rod Condez, and Kenneth Ian Rivera for serving as “our North Star,” guiding conversations and shaping discourse around regional filmmaking.
CINEMA IN MOTION
True to its LokoMo7ib theme, the awarding night itself featured performances of original songs from competing films and a contemporary punk dance interpretation of the festival’s theme song, reinforcing cinema as both movement and community ritual.
The beach screenings fronting the protected Sagay Marine Reserve to student-packed venues and plaza gatherings, demonstrated that regional cinema, like SineMargaha, thrives not in isolation, but in communion.
As the locomotive imagery suggests, the festival does not stop at the awarding stage.
Arguelles-Cutillar said that more screenings will be held in schools and barangays as the organizers are now planning for a bigger film festival next year with continued support from the city government.*
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