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Manila International Film Festival Brings PH Cinema to Hollywood

The second iteration of the festival will feature entries from the 2024 Metro Manila Film Festival, with the program adjusted to accommodate the L.A. wildfires

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Manila International Film Festival
Photos from Manila International Film Festival

The Manila International Film Festival (MIFF), dedicated to “connecting the Philippine entertainment industry with Hollywood and the global stage,” has set its second edition for March 4 to 7.

MIFF’s schedule of screenings features entries from the 2024 MMFF, including the comedy-drama And the Breadwinner Is…, prison drama Green Bones, supernatural horror Espantaho, romance fantasy Hold Me Close, and revenge thriller Uninvited, among many others. Making its world debut is the musical film Song of the Fireflies, starring powerhouse performers such as Filipino singers Morissette and Krystal Brimner, actor Noel Comia Jr., and singer-actress Rachel Alejandro.

Manila International Film Festival
Photo from Manila International Film Festival

Other films to be featured at the festival include a 25th-anniversary screening of the Filipino-American comedy The Debut, Fil-Am director Jonathan Eusebio’s action comedy Love Hurts starring Oscar-winning actor Key Huy Quan, and the box office record-breaking romantic drama Hello, Love, Again

This year, in honor of those affected by the Los Angeles wildfires, MIFF has scaled back its plans and announced that a portion of the proceeds from all events will be donated to Los Angeles fire relief efforts. 

The festival’s screenings will be held at the TCL Chinese Theater in Hollywood, followed by a simple closing ceremony, “A Tribute to Our First Responders,” at The Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills. The ceremony will honor the people who battled the wildfires. Admission to all screenings will be free for first responders and their immediate families.

Since its launch in 2024, the MIFF has served as the international counterpart to the Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF), showcasing Filipino films abroad and expanding their reach beyond local audiences. Its purpose is to create a space where Philippine cinema can engage with the global film industry, building connections and broadening its impact.

More information on tickets and the festival’s full schedule can be found here.

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