2025 Official Selection

I, The Song

FEATURE FILMS

(special screenings)

Raging against broken systems, reclaiming lost songs and identity, confronting fear and faith, embracing the absurd through a punk-rock ode to the unyielding passion of creation, and breaking cinema’s limits with pure wazak energy! These 5 full-length films spiral through the cycles of resistance, memory, and return in Ngilngig Retrograde.

OPENING FILM
Moneyslapper by Bor Ocampo
Philippines | 2h 9m | surreal, social satire | 2024

The Gesuidouz by Kenichi Ugana
Japan | 1h 33m | comedy, drama | 2024

Makamisa: Phantasm of Revenge by Khavn
Philippines | 1h 13m | experimental, historical satire | 2024

CLOSING FILM
I, The Song by Dechen Roder
Bhutan | 1h 53m | drama, mystery | 2024

Tickets
The Poison Cat

THIRD EYE

(in competition)

The Ngilngig Third Eye brings together films that dare dream beyond sense and the senses. These films are selected to compete for the highest recognition from the festival.

Asian Shorts

  1. A Cleaning Service by Nguyễn Duy Anh VIETNAM
  2. Black Cotton (Hei Mian Hua) by Tianyang Hou CHINA
  3. Durian Durian (榴莲，榴莲) by Nelson Yeo SINGAPORE
  4. Followers by Kevin Rahardjo INDONESIA
  5. How An Apocalypse Ends (Cách một đại dịch kết thúc) by Đặng Thùy Trang VIETNAM
  6. In the Name of Love I Will Punish You by Exsell Rabbani INDONESIA
  7. Just Watched (그냥 봤을 뿐인데) by Woncheol Seo REPUBLIC OF KOREA
  8. Radikals by Arvin Belarmino PHILIPPINES
  9. SUINTRAH by Ayesha Alma Almera INDONESIA
  10. The Dead Body Looking For Fisherman (Mancing Mayit) by Christian Banisrael INDONESIA
  11. The Poison Cat (Duyao Mao) by Tian Guan CHINA
  12. The Repetition for Love (사랑을 위한 되풀이) by Kim Kyungrok REPUBLIC OF KOREA
  13. WAShhh by Mickey Lai MALAYSIA/IRELAND
  14. Water Sports by Whammy Alcazaren PHILIPPINES

Philippine Shorts

  1. Again (Liwat) by Raymund Encanto Salao ILOILO
  2. Calling 84843 by Raia Miranda PASIG
  3. Caraingin by Edgar Allan P. Reyes MANILA
  4. Fool (Mga Ulol) by Vince Ivan Vesiete GENERAL SANTOS
  5. Gills (Hasang) by Daniel De La Cruz ILOILO
  6. Hello, Daisy by Franky Arrocena DAVAO
  7. Inang Wak-wak (Holy Mother Wak-wak) by Drenzel Calopez GENERAL SANTOS
  8. In the Hour of Judgment (Sa Oras ng Paghuhukom) by Sean Romero QUEZON CITY
  9. Opil Goes to Heaven (Padung Langit si Inday Opil) by chickenligaya BATANGAS / QUEZON CITY
  10. Shoredust (Abogbaybay) by P. R. Monencillo Patindol BAYBAY, LEYTE
  11. Sir and the Kid (Si Sir kag ang Gamay nga Bata) by Seb Valdez SAGAY
  12. up here, disappear by Arnex Nicolas QUEZON CITY
  13. Walk With Jesus by Redh Honoridez DAVAO / CEBU
  14. What Did the Sky Tell You, Celso? (Kinakausap ni Celso ang Diyos) by Gilb Baldoza QUEZON CITY
  15. We’re Just Sleepwalking (Ligawang Malay) by Redsh Alba QUEZON CITY
The Flow of Resilience

VISIONS

(non-competition)

The Ngilngig Visions section is a curation of films that unblinkingly explore the realm of the ngilngig and the fantastic. These films are selected for their ability to expand the meaning of ngilngig.

Asian Shorts

  1. A Safe Dose by Faye Shu CHINA
  2. Collection title : turtle ع#ٮوان م (حموعه : تش/ٮکلا)) by Ehsan Majouni IRAN
  3. Final Feast (마지막 피로:연) by Park EZe REPUBLIC OF KOREA
  4. Friend (Doost) by Rana Safiyari IRAN
  5. Grocery List by Taqwa Ali Naser BAHRAIN / QATAR / SAUDI ARABIA
  6. Sleepiness (សុបិនល្អ) by Song Hemkiry CAMBODIA
  7. Telogi by Abdul Zainidi BRUNEI
  8. The Flow of Resilience (Boi Thaka) by Pranami Koch INDIA
  9. The Miracle of Life by Sabrine Khoury PALESTINE

Philippine Shorts

  1. Beat (Tibok) by Evzen Freders A Conejero DAVAO
  2. GROUP VI by Romeo Gabriel A. Orbase CALAMBA
  3. I Have Faith (Nagatuo Ako) by Mark Joseph Gicana Perez ILOILO
  4. In Your Head (Guniguni) by Samantha Santelices PARAÑAQUE
  5. Merfolk (Kataw) by Alyssa Ashley Manugas CEBU
  6. Moonlighters by Coby Mercado PASIG
  7. Red by Aries C. Ferrer SOLANO, NUEVA VIZCAYA
  8. The Body by Justine OBANDO, BULACAN
  9. The Return of Max Crocodile (Ang Pagbabalik ni Max Buwaya) by John Luke Miraflor MALABON
The Furthest Tree of the Eternal Sun

SPECIAL SCREENINGS

Short Circuit

Short Circuit is a program dedicated for new films from Davao and for films celebrating their homecoming after a series of screenings from the festivals in the Philippines and abroad.

  1. A Crab from a Conch Shell (2024) by Jermaine Tulbo
  2. Beneath the Firefly Veil (Sa Ilalum sa Balabal sa Alitaptap) (2024) by Juvy Ann Clarito
  3. The Furthest Tree of the Eternal Sun (2025) by Kuda & Yahshiyya

Kuman Pictures Challenge: Malaysian Horror Shorts

Each year since 2020, the production company Kuman Pictures has a challenge for Malaysians to make a horror or thriller short film, within a deadline of only a month. It was first done to pass the time during lockdown years, but it has continued until now, attracting over 100 entries nationwide. We present the 6 winning shorts of each year, with Kuman Pictures producer Amir Muhammad on hand to talk about the context of horror in Malaysian cinema.

  1. Virus Mairus (2020, 8 min, dir: Gogularaajan Rajendran)
  2. Alam (2021, 3 min, dir: Taufiq Kamal)
  3. Actions Have Consequences (Tiap Perlakuan Ada Batasnya) (2022, 4 min, dirs:Shaz Dyn + Azraei Azlan)
  4. Sathamindri (2023, 10 min, dir: Sidhaarthan)
  5. Sooner or Later (Kalau Bukan Sekarang, Nanti) (2024. 8 min, dir: Yusuf Zulfakhar)
  6. Subversif (2025, 6 min, dir: Alli Hasrom)