Agapito is set to make history at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival on May 13. Directed by Arvin Belarmino and Kyla Danelle Romero, the film sees Romero as the first Filipina director to have her work presented in the Short Films – In Competition section, where 11 films were selected from over 4,000 submissions.
Agapito will be one of just two short films representing Philippine cinema at Cannes. The other, Ali — the first Bangladeshi short film to head to Cannes — was also written by Belarmino and Romero.
Agapito follows the story of Mira (Nour Hooshmand), a young bowling pin setter at a rundown alley, where she manually sets the pins despite the risks. Desperate for the job to support her older brother Junior (André Miguel), who lives with cerebral palsy and developmental delays, Mira’s dedication is tested by the challenges of her daily life.
Despite facing ongoing financial challenges, particularly as the Cannes announcement came as an unexpected surprise, several cast and crew members took the opportunity to sit down with Rolling Stone Philippines and reflect on their project heading to Cannes. In this brief interview, Agapito’s directors, lead actress Nour Hooshmand, producer Kristine De Leon, and 901 Studios founders Leo Liban, Carlos Ortiz, and Jon Galvez share their thoughts on the film’s creation and what it means to bring Filipino storytelling to the global stage.
This interview has been edited for brevity.
Where did the idea for Agapito come from?
Kyla Danelle Romero: Last year, we heard a news story about a duckpin alley, who still operated like in the olden days where humans were behind the backdraft, setting the pins manually instead of machines. What really struck a chord in me after I saw that place was the fact that it looked so familiar to me. My late father, Danny, was a sports anchor turned sports coach, and his pure energy and passion led him to establish a multi-sports facility in Imus, Cavite. This was the facility where I grew up and spent most of my childhood. Every day after school, I’d go “home” straight to this facility and play with everything: badminton rackets, ping pong balls, billiard balls. I became equally passionate about sports because of my dad, and I know that if I weren’t a filmmaker today, I’d probably be like him — the boss and head coach of a sports facility.
Arvin Belarmino: I was inspired by my brother, Agapito, who has special needs. That is why we named the film after him. The film is dedicated to all our loved ones who we long to spend quality time with in the midst of our busy lives. Creating those special situations and memorable moments for those who are special to us. And on how our loved ones can ground us and keep us from taking things for granted.
Could you share more about Mira, the protagonist of Agapito?
Kyla Danelle Romero: Mira’s the supervisor of Agapito Bowling Center. She is the strong woman who leads and defends her group of pin setters, while lovingly caring for her brother Junior, a character inspired by Belarmino’s brother, Agapito himself. She’s the embodiment of the strong women in Arvin’s life — and the woman that I, at one point, wanted to be.
How does it feel now that Agapito is going to Cannes?
Kristine De Leon: I’m still taking it all in…it feels surreal and incredibly humbling at the same time. I feel truly blessed, and this experience has only deepened my gratitude for the amazing people I get to work with. It’s also renewed my appreciation for the richness of Asian cinema and the unique creative spark that comes from cross-cultural collaboration.
Leo Liban: Cannes is something you hear about from the very beginning of your filmmaking journey, one of those ‘impossible’ dreams you quietly carry with you. But with this group of people, it didn’t just feel possible; it felt inevitable.
Carlos Ortiz: I’m excited thinking about how this opportunity can open more doors for 901 Studios and the stories we’ll be able to tell. More than anything, I’m incredibly grateful to our directors, Arvin and Kyla, and to everyone who believed in the film from day one.
What do you hope audiences at Cannes take away from Agapito?
Nour Hooshmand: At its core, Agapito is a story about family, Filipino community, and the unique bond between brother and sister. We all have our own unique way of interacting with our siblings, and that love shows in the film. Plus, it’s a direct homage to the director’s own brother, a homage that needs to see the world stage.
Jon Galvez: Producing and making Agapito has been an enriching and humbling experience because everyone in the cast and crew was invested in the story and was very collaborative. This film is a product of love, passion, and care from all of us, and we hope to produce more films like Agapito and support visionary filmmakers such as Arvin and Kyla.
