Pokwang (right) and Ruby Ruiz share the Best Actress award for their performances in ‘2 Valid IDs’ and ‘Status: Rejected’, respectively
Pokwang, Ruby Ruiz share Best Actress plum at Cinemalaya 2026
By Angelica Villanueva and Jasper Valdez
Pokwang and Ruby Ruiz shared the Best Actress award at the 22nd Cinemalaya Philippine Independent Film Festival for 2 Valid IDs and Status: Rejected, respectively.
Pokwang returned to Cinemalaya after 10 years in 2 Valid IDs, playing Sylvia, a poor farmer unable to claim a remittance because she lacks the required identification documents. The film also won the Audience Choice Award for Full-Length Feature and the Special Jury Prize.
“After 10 years, yung una ko sa Cinemalaya, ito na ako. Nagpapasalamat ako sa Cinemalaya, sa co-actors ko. Sa lahat ng nanood, alam ko mahirap ang buhay ngayon pero sinupportahan niyo. Bangon, industriya! Kaya natin ’to! Kaya ng Pilipino,” Pokwang said in her acceptance speech.
“Sa lahat ng may pinagdadaanan, huwag kayo mawalan ng pag-asa. Laban lang,” she added.
Ruiz, on the other hand, portrays Virginia “Biring” Divinagracia, a 69-year-old woman whose hopes of reuniting with her son in the United States are threatened after her fourth visa rejection.
Status: Rejected, directed by Vahn Leinard C. Pascual, also won the NETPAC Award for Best Film in the Full-Length Category.
Mag-iina, directed by Giancarlo Abrahan, emerged as the festival’s biggest winner, taking Best Full-Length Feature along with Best Director for Abrahan, Best Screenplay for Guelan Varela-Luarca, Best Production Design for Katrish Aristoki, and Best Original Musical Scoring for David Yuhico. Lucas Andalio also shared Best Supporting Actor honors with K.D. Omalin of Hand of God.
Martin del Rosario won Best Actor for Tayo Lang ang Nakakaalam, which also received Best Cinematography for Adam Dumaguin and Best Sound Design for Elian Idioma. Del Rosario, Yayo Aguila, Miguel Odron, and Epy Quizon won Best Ensemble Performance.
Bituin Escalante won Best Supporting Actress and John Rogers received Best Editing for A.ni.mál.
In the Short Film Category, Rey Anthony Villaverde’s Silkscreen won Best Short Film. Gabriela Serrano received Best Director for Elenita Elena Elaine, while Lysa Catolico and Jazmine Gin R. Pateña won Best Screenplay for RUNO!
Lot-lot Hermosura’s The River Flows in Different Places won the NETPAC Award for Short Film, while Hoy, Hoy, Ingat! (Hey, Hey, Take Care!) by Norvin de los Santos received the Audience Choice Award for Short Film.
The Special Jury Prize went to 2 Valid IDs and Mae Chan Li’s Para-paraan (Finding a Way Through).
Cinemalaya festival director Chris Millado reported P18.5 million in preliminary ticket sales, up 47 percent from P12.6 million last year. Attendance also rose to about 25,000 from 17,000.
Despite the growth, Millado said the festival remains dependent on external funding.
“Pagkatapos ng 22 taon, survival mode pa rin ang Cinemalaya,” he said, citing community contributions, longer corporate partnerships, and grants as possible funding sources.
Cinemalaya president Laurice Guillen reminded filmmakers that awards should not define their work.
“No award can make that more true. And the absence of an award can make it no less true,” Guillen said.
She also announced that Cinemalaya 2027 is open for entries until Sept. 17, 2026.