Filipino Directors
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- Producer
- Director
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Founder and representative of FUSEE, a content creation group, Manalang is an active member of the Philippine film and television industry. His company's first Japan-France-Philippines co-production project is the 75th Cannes Film Festival 2022, Un Certain Regard, Camera D'Or Special Mention awardee Plan 75 by Chie Hayakawa. Fusee's second film, Ma-an Asuncion-Dagñalan's festival box-office hit Blue Room, won multiple awards at the prestigious Cinemalaya18 Film Festival 2022 including Jury Prize Award and Best Director.
Performed as Managing Director of International Production and Co-production for scripted and series content at ABS-CBN Corporation. He served in the Philippine government as Executive Director of the Film Development Council of the Philippines (FDCP) for 3 years. Has been a Philippine representative in major film markets and festivals e.g., Marché du Film, MIPCOM, Annecy Festival and Market, Shanghai International Film Festival, Asia TV Forum, to name a few. He sat as a Board Member and Secretariat of the Directors' Guild of the Philippines (DGPI) from 2018 - 2022.
Wilfredo Cruz Manalang was born in Manila, Philippines. He finished his college education in Hawaii with a degree in Information Systems/Computer Science and landed a job at Microsoft Corporation in Redmond, WA. After several years engaging as a software engineer and executive, he pursued his passion for film and storytelling by attending film programs at the New York Film Academy and University of Washington.
Using Will Fredo as his signature for his directorial pursuits, he made his first film in the Philippines, "Compound" (2006), a psychological thriller starring John Arcilla. With the critical acclaim and independent success of the film in the Philippines, he followed his work with "At A Touch of A Butterfly" (Sa Pagdapo ng Mariposa, 2008), a movie in collaboration with independent rock bands for its connected soundtrack and a concert tour. The reimagined director's cut was released under a new title "The Caregiver" (2012).
Supporting Filipino women artists and directors, Fredo produced "Garden of Eve" (Ganap Na Babae, 2010) with women writers and directors Rica Arevalo, Ellen Ramos, and Sarah Roxas. The film opened the highly prestigious Cinemalaya Independent Film Festival at the Cultural Center of the Philippines. The film won Mient's Pick: Excellence in Cinematography Award and nominated for Best World Showcase in Soho International Film Festival 2011.
Fredo followed his work with the Flamenco dance-drama, "In Nomine Matris" (2012) which premiered as one of the first new wave films at the Metro Manila Film Festival winning Best Actress for its lead Liza Diño. The movie also won the Gender Sensitivity Award and was one of the most viewed new wave films. During the award season, the respectable Gawan Urian (Critic's Choice) cited acting nominations for its lead and supporting actress Clara Ramona. The musical score and colorful cinematography launched this film into various festivals including an invitation from Seville, one of the Flamenco capitals of Spain.
The movie presented opportunities for Will Fredo that led him to Philippine Television. Through ABS-CBN Corporation, he started with the primetime hit "Legal Wife" (2014) through the mentorship of directors Rory Quintos and Dado Lumibao. But his big break in television was the highly acclaimed and International Emmy nominee "Bridges of Love" (2015) with his directing partner Richard Somes. The tandem continued their work with "The Story of Us" (2016), a primetime series shot in the Philippines and New York, USA. Other notable television works, Fredo was a guest director for the highly successful "The Promise" (Pangako Sayo, 2016) and "La Luna Sangre" (2018).
While doing television, Fredo also directed "Filemon Mamon" (2015), a movie about an overweight kid who wants to be the hero in a musical play. The movie, written and based on the children's book of the same title by Christine Belen, has repeatedly shown and toured nationwide with the endorsement of the Philippine Department of Education. Fredo was one of the Executive Producers as well of the retelling of the life of the Filipino saint "Pedro Calungsod" (2013), the movie was an official entry in competition for the Metro Manila Film Festival.
He ventured in documentary films with the QCinema International Film Festival - DocQ grant awardee "Traslacion: Ang Paglakad Sa Altar ng Alanganin" (2015). The film won Best Documentary at the Soho International Film Festival that year in New York City and received the highly respectable Gawad Urian (Critic's Choice) nomination.
In 2016, Fredo took a break from television by serving the Philippine government as Executive Director of the Film Development Council of the Philippines (FDCP). For 3 years, he was a Philippine representative in major film markets and festivals in Marché du Film (Cannes), Marché International des Programmes de Communication (MIPCOM), Annecy Festival and Market, Shanghai International Film Festival, Asia TV Forum, to name a few. He led, supported, and promoted various programs for the film industry.
After his stint in government, Fredo went back to television to direct episodes for the long time ABS-CBN television drama series "Ipaglaban Mo" and "Maalaala Mo Kaya". His work has won acting awards and nominations for its lead actors in 2019.
Before forming Fusee in 2022, he performed as Managing Director of International Production and Co-production for scripted series content at ABS-CBN Corporation. His notable work in this executive position was the first season of Dean Devlin's "Almost Paradise" (2020), the first Hollywood series shot entirely in the Philippines. He was also tapped as a casting director for the entire USA series.- Writer
- Additional Crew
- Actor
Sigfreid Barros-Sanchez was born on 7 June 1976 in the Philippines. He was a writer and actor, known for Tsardyer (2010), Ang gitaristang hindi marunong magskala (2014) and Huling biyahe (2012). He died on 4 January 2022 in Quezon City, Philippines.- Director
- Writer
- Actor
Emerson Reyes is known for Walang Katapusang Kwarto (2011), MNL 143 (2012) and Dormitoryo: Mga walang katapusang kwarto (2017).- Actor
- Cinematographer
- Camera and Electrical Department
Jet Leyco is known for Ex Press (2011), Leave It for Tomorrow, for Night Has Fallen (2013) and For My Alien Friend (2019).- Director
- Producer
- Production Designer
Brillante Mendoza is a Philippine director and producer. He is the first Filipino to receive the Best Director award at Cannes for his film Kinatay in 2009. He is also the only Filipino to receive France's "Chevalier dans l'Ordre des Arts et Lettres" (Knight of the Order of Arts and Letters) in 2014.
He was born on October 30, 1960, in San Fernando, Pampanga, Philippines. He studied Advertising Arts at the University of Santo Tomas.
He worked in advertising, and became a production designer. He was in his forties when he directed his first film, Masahista, which won the 2005 Locarno International Film Festival's Golden Leopard (video competition). His films have received awards and nominations in major competitions in Venice, Berlin, Cannes, San Sebastian, Cairo and others.
His film Mindanao in 2019 received the Henry Barakat Best Artistic Contribution and Best Actress awards. In 2018 his film Alpha: The Right to Kill took home the Special Jury Prize in the San Sebastian International Film Festival. In 2016 Ma Rosa was nominated for Cannes' Palm d'Or, and won Best Actress for Jaclyn Jose, the first Filipina to bag it.
His film Taklub, which tackles climate change, was nominated for the Un Certain Regard, and won the Ecumenical Jury Prize in the 2015 Cannes Film Festival. Captive, which stars Isabelle Huppert, competed for the Golden Bear at the 2012 Berlin International Film Festival. Thy Womb, which was selected for the main competition in 2012 Venice Film Festival also took home the La Navicella, P. Nazareno Taddei and Bisato d'Oro awards; it also won the Best Director award at the Asia Pacific Screen Awards. Lola, in 2009, was the Best Feature Film in Dubai International Film Festival, and was nominated for Venice's Golden Lion. In 2007 Tirador won Singapore International Film Festival's Best Director and Best Asian Feature Award; it also received the Caligari Film Award in Berlin. In 2007 Serbis was the first Philippine film to be nominated for Cannes' Palm d'Or. The same year his film Foster Child was screened at the Directors Fortnight in Cannes, which also bagged the NETPAC Jury award in Brisbane. Manoro in 2006 took home the Cinema for Peace award at the Torino Film Festival.
Mendoza's Amo is the first Philippine crime drama series shown on Netflix. His upcoming films are Resbak, and the Philippine-Japanese co-produced sports biopic Gensan Punch (2020). He produced successful festival films like Kintsugi (2020), Verdict (2019) Pailalim (2016), and Imbisibol (2015); he is also a producer of The Brokers, to be released soon.- Writer
- Director
- Editor
Lav Diaz was born on 30 December 1958 in Datu Paglas, Maguindanao, Mindanao, Philippines. He is a writer and director, known for The Woman Who Left (2016), Season of the Devil (2018) and From What Is Before (2014).- Director
- Actor
- Writer
Roxlee was born on 16 August 1950 in Naga City, Camarines Sur, Philippines. He is a director and actor, known for Green Rocking Chair (2006), Manila Scream (2016) and Juan Baybayin (2007).- Writer
- Additional Crew
- Director
- Additional Crew
- Writer
- Director
Ralston Jover was born on 17 November 1965 in Manila, Philippines. Ralston is a writer and director, known for Hamog (2015), Bakal Boys (2009) and Latay (2019).- Director
- Producer
- Additional Crew
- Director
- Writer
- Producer
Alvin Yapan is known for The Dance of Two Left Feet (2011), Ang panggagahasa kay Fe (2009) and The Hut by the Bamboo Grove (2015).- Director
- Writer
- Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
- Writer
- Additional Crew
- Director
- Director
- Writer
- Producer
Erik Matti was born on 21 December 1970 in Bacolod, Western Visayas, Philippines. He is a director and writer, known for On the Job (2013), BuyBust (2018) and On the Job 2: The Missing 8 (2021).- Additional Crew
- Director
- Producer
Roderick "Derick" Cabrido is an award-winning Filipino documentary producer and film maker. He was awarded with the Bronze World Medal at the 2009 New York Television Festival, for the documentary "Pinays for Export", Silver Screen Award at the 2010 New York International Independent Film and Video Festival for the documentary "Tasaday", he also won the 2012 Silver World Medal Award at the New York Festivals for his documentary "Yaman sa Basura" which is also a finalist for the 2011 UNICEF Asia-Pacific Child Rights Awards.
He was born and raised in Tondo, Manila one of the most densely populated areas of land in the world and one of the poorest and most underdeveloped communities in the Philippines. He is an award-winning film and documentary producer of such films at Cuchera (2011) and Nuwebe (2013). In 2014 he directed his debut feature film Children's Show. It won Grand Prize Award at Gwangju International Film Festival; Best Editing, Best Sound Design, Canon Best Cinematography and Best Supporting Actor at 2014 Cinemalaya Independent Film Festival. "Children's Show" also won the Special Jury Prize for the Orient Express Category at Fantasporto International Film Festival; It also grabbed Special Jury Award, Best Screenplay for the Fantastic Cinema Festival, Arkansas, Texas and also the Emerging Director Award from the same festival. It was also nominated for "Regard'Or from the concluded Fribourg International Film Festival in Switzerland. Cabrido also won the Best Story Award at the 15th Gawad Tanglaw Awards, Outstanding Achievement-Development Communication Category of the 9th Hildegarde Awards and Emerging Filmmaker Award at Film Society of Little Rock, Arkansas, Texas.
He is also the producer and cinematographer of the film, "Antipo" which premiered at the 2010 Cannes Film Festival Short Film Corner and produced the film "Cuchera", a finalist at the 2011 Cinemalaya Independent Film Festival which premiered at the 2011 Toronto International Film Festival under Discovery Section. Main Competition, 2011 Stockholm International Film Festival, Official Selection, 2011 Belgrade International Film Festival and Official Selection, 2011 Cleveland Film Festival.He also produced Nuwebe (Termitaria), a finalist at the 2013 Cinemalaya Independent Film Festival which won awards from the Queens World Film Festival and Harlem International Film Festival in New York City, Lume International Film Festival in Brazil, Festival Internacional de Cine Puebla in Mexico and Best Director at the 2015 ASEAN International Film Festival and Awards in Sarawak, Malaysia.- Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
- Additional Crew
- Actor
- Director
- Producer
- Writer
Louie Ignacio is known for School Service (2018), Huling ulan sa tag-araw (2021) and AbeNida (2023).- Director
- Writer
- Script and Continuity Department
Carlo Catu is known for Kung paano hinihintay ang dapithapon (2018), Ari: My Life with a King (2015) and Laut (2016).- Editorial Department
- Editor
- Producer
Sicat was heavily involved with painting and photography before falling in love with cinema.
First working in documentary television as an editor, he branched out to feature length documentaries and narrative feature films, with a total of ten features under his belt as a Director, Writer, and/or Producer including award winners "Rigodon", "Ka Oryang", "The Guerrilla is a Poet", and "Woman of the Ruins".
He served as story consultant for the first Filipino computer generated animated feature film "RPG:Metanoia" which led to its being picked up for production by Star Cinema and is the development head for the Tagalog language anime series "Barangay 143" co-produced by Japan's TV Asahi.
Other noteworthy projects include his music videos for frequent collaborator actress-singer Alessandra de Rossi.
Sicat's art projects include a video installation in the Lopez Museum in 2010 as well as art exhibits in the Smithsonian Institute and screenings at San Francisco's Yerba Buena Center for the Arts and New York's Museum of Modern Art.- Visual Effects
- Director
- Producer
Keith Deligero previously worked for a national TV network in Manila. He quit his job to go back home and focus on personal independent film productions. He self-produces and self-distributes his films under shoestring budgets and always has been an advocate of the punk rock DIY ethic. He makes commercials, music videos and acts on the side. He is the mind behind the BINISAYA Movement which annually programs the BINISAYA film festival.- Director
- Additional Crew
- Producer
Sari Lluch Dalena is a Filipina independent filmmaker from Manila. She has screened her works internationally in Asia and the U.S. She is currently pursuing her Master's degree in Film at the New York University under a Fulbright-Hayes scholarship. She was honored as one of the Cultural Center of the Philippine's 13 Artists Awards in 2000 and received Grand Jury Prize for Best Experimental Film in 2001. She recently received the Grand Prize Starr Foundation Award from the World Studio Foundation and the Asian Cultural Council Fellowship for 2002-2003.
Other works include Attack Champion (2000), Bullet Days (2001), Kamikaze (2002), From Asia with Love (2002) and Memories of a Forgotten War (2001), co-directed with Camilla Benolirao Griggers.- Director
- Additional Crew
- Cinematographer
Kiri Dalena is known for The Guerilla Is a Poet (2013), From the Dark Depths (2017) and Ka Oryang (2011).- Writer
- Additional Crew
- Editorial Department
- Writer
- Script and Continuity Department
- Additional Crew
Eljay Deldoc is known for Inday Will Always Love You (2018), Pag-ibig lang ang meron tayo (2018) and Stay-In Love (2020).- Gino Santos is known for The Law and the Crime (2009) and Naughty Reunion (2011).
- Producer
- Additional Crew
- Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Jimenez is an award-winning writer and filmmaker who has worked in film, television and print media.
Her filmography includes the comedy hit BIG TIME, directed by Mario Cornejo, where she worked as producer and writer. In 2010, she directed her first full length feature, a documentary titled, "Kano: An American and His Harem" which won in the prestigious International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam 2010, and also the Best Documentary Award in Cinemanila and GawadUrian. Jimenez is the presiding chairperson of IFC (Philippine Independent Filmmakers Multi-purpose Cooperative), one of the largest representations of independent filmmakers in the country.
Her real name is Maria Coreen T. Jimenez.- Script and Continuity Department
- Additional Crew
- Director
Mario Cornejo is known for Big Time (2005), Apocalypse Child (2015) and Leonor Will Never Die (2022).- Additional Crew
- Director
- Writer
Pepe Diokno was born on 13 August 1987 in Manila, Philippines. He is a director and writer, known for Engkwentro (2009), GomBurZa (2023) and Above the Clouds (2014).- Director
- Writer
- Producer
Khavn was born on 23 December 1973 in the Philippines. He is a director and writer, known for Mondomanila, or: How I Fixed My Hair After a Rather Long Journey (2012), Balangiga: Howling Wilderness (2017) and EDSA XXX: Nothing Ever Changes in the Ever-Changing Republic of Ek-Ek-Ek (2014).- Producer
- Additional Crew
- Editorial Department
Seymour Sanchez is known for Handumanan (2009), Lababo (2008) and In bangka ha ut sin duwa sapah (2012).