DreamWorks Animation’s “Forgotten Island” will lead the third annual festival, scheduled Sept. 3-6 at the TCL Chinese Theatre and The Beverly Hilton
LOS ANGELES — The Manila International Film Festival has announced the first 14 titles in its 2026 lineup, led by a special advance screening of DreamWorks Animation’s “Forgotten Island,” an original feature inspired by Philippine folklore.
The third annual festival will run from Sept. 3 through Sept. 6, with screenings, filmmaker question-and-answer sessions and industry panels at the TCL Chinese Theatre in Hollywood. The festival will conclude with an awards gala at The Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills. Tickets and festival passes are now on sale.
Written and directed by Joel Crawford and Filipino American filmmaker Januel P. Mercado, “Forgotten Island” will be screened three weeks before its scheduled Sept. 25 theatrical release.
The animated film follows lifelong friends Jo, voiced by Grammy and Academy Award winner H.E.R., and Raissa, voiced by Filipino American actress Liza Soberano. The two discover a portal that transports them to Nakalimutan, an island populated by magical and mythological creatures they heard about while growing up in Filipino families.
Their effort to return home becomes more urgent when they learn that escaping the island may cost them their memories of their friendship.
Tony Award-winning actress Lea Salonga voices the Dreaded Manananggal, described as the island’s most feared creature. The voice cast also includes Dave Franco, Jenny Slate, Manny Jacinto, Dolly de Leon, Jo Koy and Ronny Chieng. Universal Pictures will distribute the film.
Salonga will also receive the MIFF Icon Award during the closing-night gala on Sept. 6. The festival will present a two-film retrospective featuring Olivia Lamasan’s 1995 romantic drama “Sana Maulit Muli,” starring Salonga and Aga Muhlach, and Abigail Hing Wen’s hybrid live-action and animated short film “The Vale: Origins.”
The festival announcement noted that Salonga is scheduled to receive a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame later this year in the Live Theatre/Live Performance category. MIFF nominated her for the honor.
The first wave of programming includes the world premieres of “Eddie Romero Remastered: A Century of Filipino Cinema,” directed by Chuck Gutierrez and Baby Ruth Villarama, and Neal “Buboy” Tan’s fraternity thriller “Kappa-Tiran.”
The documentary about Romero examines the life and career of the Philippine National Artist, whose work included English-language genre films and the historical drama “Ganito Kami Noon, Paano Kayo Ngayon?” “Kappa-Tiran,” meanwhile, explores fraternities, sororities and the prohibited practice of hazing. Its cast includes Ejay Falcon, Sheryl Cruz, Aljur Abrenica, Patricia Javier and Bembol Roco.
Also receiving a world premiere is “Pinay,” Keesa Ocampo’s documentary about the Bay Area vocal group credited with helping introduce Asian American contemporary pop music during the 1990s.
The Hollywood premiere lineup includes Jerrold Tarog’s “Quezon,” the third installment in the filmmaker’s historical series following “Heneral Luna” and “Goyo: Ang Batang Heneral.” Jericho Rosales portrays Manuel L. Quezon in the film, which follows his rise to the presidency of the Philippine Commonwealth. Iain Glen, Karylle and Mon Confiado are also part of the cast.
Other Hollywood premieres include Rick Quan’s documentary “Along Comes Larry: The Larry Ramos Story”; Randal Kamradt and Maria Luna Kamradt’s comedy “No Room for Love”; and Patrick Epino’s “Veterano,” starring Jon Jon Briones as an aging Filipino World War II veteran undertaking a final mission in 1981 San Francisco.
The Los Angeles premieres include Raymond Red’s “Manila’s Finest,” a police thriller set during the First Quarter Storm of 1970 and starring Piolo Pascual, Enrique Gil and Cedrick Juan.
Benito Bautista’s documentary “The Road to Sydney” follows Philippine dance master and choreographer Sydney Loyola from Palawan to the San Francisco Bay Area as she confronts professional and personal upheaval before returning to the Philippines.
MIFF will also screen a newly remastered edition of “Bebot: Generation One,” Patricio Ginelsa’s music video for the Black Eyed Peas, in recognition of its 20th anniversary.
Another special presentation is Carl Joseph Papa’s “58th,” an animated documentary about the 2009 Maguindanao massacre told through the family of photojournalist Reynaldo “Bebot” Momay, whose remains were never recovered.
“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,” MIFF Executive Producer Lisa Lew said.
Festival producer Winston Emano said audiences would also have opportunities to meet filmmakers and cast members and hear about the creative work behind the films.
Festival passes provide admission to MIFF film screenings and industry panels at the TCL Chinese Theatre. They do not include the festival press conference or the Closing Night Awards Gala, which requires a separate ticket.
Early-bird tickets for the gala at The Beverly Hilton on Sunday, Sept. 6, are available through Aug. 16. Individual gala tickets are priced at $250 plus fees, and group table packages are also available.
Tickets, festival passes, schedules and additional information are available at ManilaInternationalFilmFest
