Cover Karen Salutan-Krukover is on a mission to make Filipino films accessible and inclusive to all (Photo: Karen Salutan-Krukover)
Karen Salutan-Krukover is on a mission to make Filipino films accessible and inclusive to all (Photo: Karen Salutan-Krukover)
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Through block screenings and community partnerships, hybrid streaming platform EdukSine is on a mission to democratise film access and amplify the voices of independent storytellers in the Philippines
Karen Salutan-Krukover never imagined she would cry at a film screening; not from the film itself, but from the sight of her audience. In a small elementary school in a remote town in Batangas, a province in the Philippines located south of Manila, people who had never stepped into a cinema before watched a film about a woman fighting to keep her farmland.
“[Seeing the audience], I cried,” she recalls. “These are the people who do not have the money or time to watch a film in a cinema house.” At the time, she was organising the screening as part of her community outreach efforts while pursuing her master’s degree in Mass Media Studies, majoring in Film, at the University of the Philippines Film Institute.
On top of her education and natural interest in filmmaking, that moment led her to build EdukSine, the first and only streaming platform that makes Filipino films, particularly independently made ones, accessible to underserved communities.
Read more: What is EdukSine, the Filipino independent films-focused streaming platform?
Cinema for the people
Above Karen Salutan-Krukover and the EdukSine team hold block screenings for communities in rural areas across the Philippines (Photo: Karen Salutan-Krukover)
Karen Salutan-Krukover and the EdukSine team hold block screenings for communities in rural areas across the Philippines (Photo: Karen Salutan-Krukover)
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Salutan-Krukover was frustrated by how Filipino indie films were more appreciated abroad than at home. “Filmmakers go abroad, and only foreigners appreciate our culture,” she laments. “Meanwhile, those in remote communities—like the indigenous people in the northern province of Kalinga—rarely get to see their own stories reflected on screen.”
She had spent years attending film festivals, watching the same pattern unfold. “Observe the people at the cinema,” she says. “It’s always attendees from the same demographic: those who can afford tickets anytime they want.”
EdukSine aims to change this. Beyond its affordable PHP100 online ticket price, its initiative, Cinemasa—a combination of ‘cinema’ and ‘masa’ (the masses)— brings film screenings to rural areas. “We want films to be inclusive to the indigenous people, to the masses,” she stresses.
The founder envisioned a platform that would break down barriers and bring stories to those who needed them most. “The Philippines is an archipelago. People in the provinces don’t have much understanding of other regions. But through film, we can build a connection.”
Inclusivity and opportunities
Above Salutan-Krukover and the EdukSine team hold block screenings, bringing Filipino-made films to rural communities (Photo: Karen Salutan-Krukover)
Salutan-Krukover and the EdukSine team hold block screenings, bringing Filipino-made films to rural communities (Photo: Karen Salutan-Krukover)
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While Salutan-Krukover ensures that EdukSine remains affordable and accessible, above all, she makes sure that it is inclusive. “We launched Inclusive EdukSine films with Filipino Sign Language (FSL),” she shares.
The special event marked the first time FSL was integrated into local independent films, setting new standards for inclusivity. “We invited the deaf community to watch and they really enjoyed it.”
Read more: In taking action on climate change, people with disabilities should be included
Despite high costs, she remains committed to expanding FSL to more films. “For every film, we spend around PHP15,000 to PHP20,000,” she admits, “We’re beyond happy we were able to pull it off.”
For indie filmmakers, EdukSine provides exposure and financial opportunities beyond film festivals. “Many filmmakers don’t know what to do next after festivals,” she says. “We want their films to be appreciated by the local masses, so we give them opportunities outside of Manila.”
On top of bringing their work to a wider audience, independent filmmakers also get 50 to 70 per cent of earnings from block screenings.
Battling betrayals
One of her biggest betrayals came shortly after the launch of EdukSine in August 2022 and it came from the people she thought were her allies. After securing a government grant, she revealed that her co-founders turned against her. “They betrayed me,” she says. “I found out they were building their own startup using the same grant behind my back.”
She attested that one former co-founder, the only one with access to their bank account, transferred funds to her personal account and even forged her signature. Legal action was an option, but she chose to move on for peace of mind. “I entrusted it all to the Lord,” she says.
Read more: Is your co-founder written in the stars? The zodiac signs that make—or break—a great partnership
Her personal life also took a toll. While managing EdukSine, she endured personal loss: she lost her parents within a year of each other. She missed her mother’s final moments, and while grieving, was hospitalised in New York for depression.
Through it all, she wants people to understand that founders are not immune to mental health struggles. The pressure of building a company, coupled with personal challenges, can take a heavy toll. “It was incredibly difficult,” she admits. “But I realised that life is still worth living.”
Strength in stories
Even at her lowest, film remained her refuge. “In the hospital, the movies I watched every day saved me from despair.”
It is that same love for film which fuels her drive to grow EdukSine. She dreams of expanding the platform, not just in the Philippines but to Filipino communities abroad.
Salutan-Krukover launched EdukSine in the United States in December 2024, with a film screening of Brillante Mendoza‘s film Thy Womb, starring National Artist for Film and Broadcast Arts Nora Aunor. It is set to launch its inaugural Online Filipino Film Festival, running from March to May 2025. This groundbreaking event will showcase the richness of Filipino cinema, featuring 10 award-winning independent films alongside a curated selection of short films—all available for free streaming across the US and Canada.
“I wanted to reach Filipinos, especially those who were born here in America,” she explains. “They don’t have a deep understanding of Filipino culture. So they’re looking for their identity as a Filipino."
To Salutan-Krukover, cinema is more than entertainment. “Film is the most powerful tool to learn about our identity, our culture, our roots as Filipinos,” she stresses. “I do this to break stereotypes, bring us closer and make us proud to be Filipino.”
Quick take
Five rapid-fire questions with Salutan-Krukover on the people and movies that have inspired her.
What’s a film that changed your life?
Karen Salutan-Krukover (KS): The film Fireproof changed my life in ways I never expected.
Describe EdukSine in three words.
KS: Transformative. Empowering. Revolutionary.
Who is your dream filmmaker to collaborate with?
KS: It would be the legendary Master Director Elwood Pérez. I would love to work with him on Pinay American Style Part 2, a film that I could deeply relate to as an immigrant navigating life and chasing dreams in New York.
What’s your go-to comfort movie?
KS: Coco from Disney will always have a special place in my heart. No matter how many times I watch it, I find myself crying because of its beautiful message about family, love and remembrance.
What’s the best advice you’ve ever received?
KS: The best advice I’ve ever received is to stay humble and never stop learning.
Syrah is Tatler Philippines’ Power & Purpose editor, where she spotlights extraordinary journeys shaping the Philippines and Asia. She covers business, innovation, impact, and culture—chasing the people, ideas and forces shaping how we live and think today.
