29 October 2025 – In celebration of National Indigenous Peoples Month, the Philippine Consulate General in Calgary and its Sentro Rizal – Calgary streamed the Filipino Shorts Program of the Bakunawa Film Festival XI, bringing Filipino creativity to Alberta through a series of community screenings and watch parties.
Named after the mythical sea serpent of Filipino folklore, the Bakunawa – believed to swallow the moon and bring darkness before light returns – the festival celebrates film as a force for imagination, reflection, and renewal.
The Filipino Shorts Program of Bakunawa Fest XI, specially curated by the Sentro Rizal Film Club of the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (SRFC-NCCA), featured six remarkable short films: Old World by Ronald Cartagena, Indigo by Ace Balbarez, samtang naghulat ko nga maakoa ka…by Linus Masandag, Ligawang Malay by Redsh Alba, Caraingin by Edgar Allan Reyes, and The Night is Alive by Vincent Ibut.
“The Bakunawa Film Festival reminds us that Filipino creativity is boundless,” said Consul General Emma Sarne. “Through the lens of our young and talented filmmakers, we rediscover who we are as a people. These films not only entertain; they connect us to our roots and to each other.”
Screenings were held at the Consulate’s Jose Rizal Hall during the RA9225 Oath-taking ceremonies aimed to have our kababayan reconnect with their Filipino roots through film and heritage. At the same time, the DOST Scholars of the University of Alberta (UAlberta) held their own watch party on 29 October 2025, which was open to the entire University of Alberta community and gathered both students and professionals to experience the diverse narratives and artistic voices of Filipino filmmakers. The screenings are part of the Filipino Film Caravan 2025 offering, one of the flagship cultural projects of the Consulate. END
PR No. 14-2025
