Making waves: how Daluyong Studios is conquering the 2026 winter film festivals internationally

While Sundance and Clermont-Ferrand have closed their curtains, the 76th Berlin International Film Festival is currently in full swing (running February 12–22, 2026). Among the major highlights is the international premiere of Ryan Machado’s Raging (Rumaragasa).

Starring and co-produced by Elijah Canlas, the film is currently screening in the Berlinale’s prestigious Panorama section. Set on Sibuyan Island in the 1990s, the film tackles heavy themes of trauma, isolation, and environmental exploitation. Furthermore, Raging was officially selected for the 2026 Teddy Selection, an honour that highlights the year’s best LGBTQ+ cinema (featuring a curated list of 45 films: 27 features, 9 documentaries, and 9 shorts).

The film arrived in Berlin already carrying strong momentum; prior to its European debut, Raging won Best Cinematography (Theo Lozada) and Best Sound Design (Lamberto Casas, Jr) at the 2025 Cinemalaya Philippine Independent Film Festival.

While we were just discussing short films, it is worth making a quick distinction about Filipiñana: while Rafael Manuel’s original 2020 project of the same name was an acclaimed short, the version that just debuted at the 2026 Sundance Film Festival is actually his highly anticipated feature-length adaptation, internationally co-produced by the Philippines, Singapore, the United Kingdom, France and the Netherlands. In the World Cinema Dramatic Competition, the 100-minute film won the Special Jury Award for Creative Vision. Set over a sweltering day at an exclusive Manila golf and country club, the hypnotic satire follows Isabel, a newly hired “tee girl” who begins to observe the unsettling power dynamics and hidden truths lurking beneath the resort’s immaculate surface. Praised for its meticulously composed, painterly cinematography and its slow-burn tension, the feature’s Sundance premiere firmly cements Manuel as a striking, ambitious voice in global cinema.

Read more: Filipina filmmaker Isabel Sandoval directs Andrew Garfield’s first television series

While having films simultaneously featured at Sundance, Rotterdam, Clermont-Ferrand, and the Berlinale may seem like a masterfully orchestrated strategy, Daluyong Studios’ producer Alemberg Ang clarifies that it was not planned. “I must say, though, that I’ve planted the seeds for many years, and I’m just happy that the universe is allowing all these seeds to grow and blossom,” he noted, adding that he did not expect all the projects to be accepted into these top festivals at the same time. 

The season kicked off with the world premiere of US-based filmmaker Schierbeek’s short Radiant Frost at Sundance, where it vied for the Short Film Grand Jury Prize. While Daluyong is often associated with distinctly Filipino narratives, Ang supported the project because of his strong relationship with the filmmaker. Schierbeek is the producer and wife of Don Josephus Raphael Eblahan, whose works Ang has produced since 2022, including an Oscar campaign attempt last year for Vox Humana. For Ang, the priority is the creator: “If the filmmaker and their voice resonate with me, then I’m all in in supporting them”.

Read more: Don Josephus Raphael Eblahan takes pride in his Igorot roots with his short film entry for Sundance

One of the most highly anticipated premieres of the season was Moonglow, written and directed by US-based Filipino filmmaker Isabel Sandoval. It made its world premiere at the Big Screen Competition of the 55th International Film Festival Rotterdam (IFFR), held from January 29 to February 8. The film is set in 1970s Manila and follows a female police detective investigating a crime she orchestrated alongside her former lover.

Ang considers Moonglow to be “probably the biggest film” he has ever worked on. The project is Sandoval’s homecoming film after building a significant career in the US , where she has worked with stars like Andrew Garfield and Sam Worthington, and has Cate Blanchett producing one of her next films.

Recreating the specific texture and contradictions of 1970s Manila presented logistical challenges, much like Ang’s previous work on Ang Larawan (2017). However, the era was brought to life thanks to a top-notch production management team adept at sourcing period-appropriate cars and houses, as well as production and costume design teams who “have won awards left and right”. Sandoval praised Ang’s producing style, noting that he “protects a filmmaker’s vision while grounding it in real, practical intelligence,” allowing her to take aesthetic risks safely. Ang attributes this smooth collaboration to respecting the directors’ talent and stepping in only when budget issues arise.

Daluyong Studios places a significant emphasis on building long-term relationships with directors and investing in the short film format. At the International Short Film Festival Clermont-Ferrand (ISFFC)—recognised as the world’s top short film festival—Daluyong is fielding three titles.

While some view shorts merely as stepping stones to features, Ang values them as a space that allows “the director to play with the medium” and push their ambitions. This long-term investment is evident in his ongoing collaboration with Whammy Alcazaren. Beyond premiering Alcazaren’s Water Sports at Clermont-Ferrand, Ang is personally pitching the director’s follow-up project, Noodles, Our Love Was Instant and Forever, at IFFR’s CineMart.

“I always say producing a film is like a marriage,” Ang explained. “You work together for many years to create something wonderful (or not). And in all of this, you must share the same vision, same values, same priorities.”

Read more: Sundance Film Festival's First Filipino Short Film Entry: Sonny Calvento's "Excuse Me, Miss, Miss, Miss"

A defining characteristic of Daluyong’s 2026 slate is its commitment to regional storytelling. From the Cordillera highlands in Headhunter’s Daughter to the regional roots of Machado’s Raging (representing Romblon), authenticity remains paramount. Ang believes the key to preserving this authenticity on the international stage is to allow the creators to tell their stories in their own voices.

Raging, a film about a young man’s quest for justice, is making the leap from the 2025 Cinemalaya to the Berlinale’s Panorama section. Ang had confidence in the film’s international potential early on, recognising that Machado’s distinct voice and unique vision are celebrated by festivals like the Berlinale. Lead star Canlas expressed his pride on Instagram, calling it “One of the toughest yet most rewarding journeys”.

To sustain this calibre of independent cinema in 2026, international co-productions have become vital, especially as fewer films are made locally. Ang points out that providing funding to enable homegrown talents to work on international co-productions highlights Filipino film workers and broadens their experience, which they can then share back home.

Furthermore, Ang hopes that this international selection will spark local interest and eventually bridge the disconnect between international prestige and local box office success. He hopes that exposing youth to different kinds of filmmaking will educate and broaden their horizons, fostering a greater appreciation for Pinoy arthouse cinema.

Read more: Full list: the winners of Cinemalaya 2025

The monumental winter season is just the beginning for Daluyong Studios for the rest of 2026. The studio has a few more films in post-production, is gearing up to film Don Eblahan’s first feature later this year, and is already planning local releases for their current festival titles.

Ultimately, Ang hopes the global audience takes away a profound understanding of the country’s diversity. “It’s high time that our films reflect the diversity of our 7000+ islands,” he stated. “Let no one particular language or culture or region dictate what Philippine cinema is. By embracing this diversity, then we can truly say, we have a national cinema that the world will gladly celebrate.”

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