First Light, a religious thriller starring Ruby Ruiz and Maricel Soriano, will screen in select cinemas nationwide on June 24.
Set against the backdrop of Metro Manila and the countryside of Rizal, First Light follows Ruiz’s Sister Yolanda, an elderly nun who has dedicated her life to serving the church. When a construction worker’s mysterious death shakes the townspeople, the good sister finds herself coming face-to-face with questions of faith, power, and the lingering presence of the country’s former colonizers.
The film’s trailer, released in anticipation of its Philippine debut, reveals little about the storyline’s details. It features the quiet, enclosed lives of Yolanda and her fellow sisters, along with flashes of what threats lie ahead for the convent. “Ano ba ‘yung maliit na sakripisyo para sa maraming makikinabang na mga tao?” Soriano’s Linda Dela Cruz, a local aristocrat, implores Sister Yolanda.
A directorial debut from Filipino-Australian filmmaker and photographer James J. Robinson, First Light does not shy away from diving deep into the Philippines’ complicated history, one that has been colored by the faiths and beliefs of the colonial powers that once controlled it.
“What I personally hoped from making the film,” Robinson told Rolling Stone Philippines, “was to… separate Catholicism from the institution and politics, to find a way to be compassionate for the core teachings while still being hypercritical of the people that co-opt religion for personal gain. I think the more that audiences question where the heart of a religion ends and the politics around it begins is extremely important to be doing in 2026.”
Frequently Asked Questions
First Light is a religious thriller following Sister Yolanda, an elderly nun in Rizal, whose faith is tested after a construction worker’s mysterious death raises questions of power and colonial history.
First Light stars Ruby Ruiz as Sister Yolanda and Maricel Soriano as local aristocrat Linda Dela Cruz, in the directorial debut of Filipino-Australian filmmaker James J. Robinson.
First Light is set to screen in select Philippine cinemas nationwide starting June 24.
Director James J. Robinson said the film aims to separate Catholicism’s core teachings from the institution and politics, prompting audiences to question where religion ends and its exploitation for personal gain begins.
First Light is set against the backdrop of Metro Manila and the countryside of Rizal, following Sister Yolanda’s convent and the surrounding community.
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