Puregold Cinepanalo Film Festival Winners Bared: Interview with Character Actor Rani Caldoza

Some of the winners in the recent Puregold Cinepanalo Film Festival this 2026 Awards Night

After seeing several movies and shorts during the Puregold Cinepanalo Film Festival this 2026, I was looking forward to see if my personal favorites would get the accolades that they deserve come awards night. True enough, both Mono No Aware, JK Labajo, and Shorts Limlim took the major prizes that evening.  

Full Length Category

Mono No Aware won Best Picture, Picked by International Jury, Best Director BC Amparado Best Supporting Actress Momoko Kobayashi and Best Actor Juan Karlos Labajo. 

Xyriel Manabat won Best Actress for their film Stuck On You. The awarding for that category was epic since they did a pageant like act during the announcement. It was versus Sassa Gurl.

Zanjoe Marudo won Best Supporting Actor for his role of the father in the movie Apol of My Ai. While Zion Cruz took Best Child Performer for the role of the kid in the same movie. He looked like a real life cherub, no joke!

Student Short Films

In the Student Shorts, I watched Set A and felt an inkling to the short film called Limlim because of its unexpected twists and turns. It also talked about a very heavy subject which they wanted to put out into conversation. They also won Best Director tied with the one from Kung Hain, Bisan Diin. 

Dark horse Alumahan got the Jury Award and Brand Intrusion. They also got Best Film Poster for the movie. Starfish was called several times as they got Best in Visual Effects, and Best Supporting Actress. I still need to see that. Technical Awards went to When Heaven Inched Towards Earth (Film Promotion), Multwoh for Brand Intrusion, and Alumahan for the same category.

We also got to talk to one of the stars of Kung Hain Bisan Diin and Bum Tak Sara Ti Nuangen, a personal friend, very visible character actor Rani Caldoza who's been in several films in past Cinepanalo entries, commercials and shows. This year, it was doubly hard for the chap since he is doing regional languages as part of the two short films, we asked if that proved a hindrance to do the role since he's not much of a native speaker. He says "Being a part of a film is always a new learning for me. Whether feature-length or a short film, I treat them like vessels that will teach me something. Each film is an opportunity to grow, to learn more about myself. Making them would mean I'd subject myself in a whirlwind of emotions. "Bumtak Sara Ti Nuangen” and “Kun Hain, Bisan Diin” resonated with me because of my roots as a Caldoza. I have family that are Ilocano and Waray. Doing this taught me a lot more than it just being work."

He adds "The Caldoza’s are hailed from Batac, Ilocos Norte and Hindang, Leyte. Solid Ilocano and Waray! I haven't met much of my relatives in Ilocos, this goes the same with my Waray clan. I have not met my Grandparents either from Leyte, but I'd like to change that. It brings me so much pride to me to be a part of these projects. Family milestones remind me how the simple things can turn into memorable experiences. While I still consider myself a newcomer in the film industry, I am trying to learn to recognize every moment as something worthy of being filmed. I am yet to learn, but I cannot wait to tell stories of life, love, and family. There is more to come from Rani Caldoza."  

I am so proud of you buddy! I've been seeing him almost everywhere and I'm glad that in a way, we get to work in the same industry and didn't even know it LOL. This is what the Puregold Cinepanalo Film Festival is doing, bringing more opportunities for people in entertainment, behind the camera and recognizing them too. They also have been able to put forward very nice Filipino films and short films and have it available for folks to watch in cinemas, expose them to an entirely different audience every year! Here's hoping for more international accolades for the films this year, because I'm sure, they'll go places!

TV5 Cops 2 Nominations at Asian Television Awards

Luck and hard work has come upon TV5 lately. The Manila based TV station just got the nod from the Asian Television Awards with their 2 shows namely "A Secret in Prague" starring Enrique Gil and Andrea Brillantes and entertainment show "VIBE+".

This is the first time they have ever gotten nominations from this international institution, and they're glad about how they managed to showcase world class Filipino talent. "A Secret in Prague" is located in the heart of Europe, particularly Czech Republic where most of the scenes were shot. It's a change of usual venues for series that are being shown in the Philippines and other regions. Meanwhile, VIBE+ has been showcasing not just current music performances, but even the classics, those that have surpassed the test of time, even a full pledge concert at times to honor OPM artists, and their music!

This is just the start for the Kapatid Network, and they're planning to put out more content with their homegrown artists. Stay tuned on TV5!

Innovation, Tradition, Diversity and The People of GUIZHOU

Never in my wildest dreams did I think I'd end up traveling to China. To tell you honestly, the differences could have all made this not happen, but I was smitten with the thought of meeting their people. This, and a journey to an unfamiliar place that most folks wouldn't define as a tourist destination. Going there with a mission to discover its charm, see the kindness of its people away from the preconceived notions and see its potential, or for what it is when we get there.

We flew via China Southern Airlines from Manila and set forth to Guangzhou then Guiyang Longdongbao International Airport (took over 8 hours + with layovers) which is located in their capital city called Guiyang. 

 

Looked over the window since it was a daytime flight and saw how various structures that looked like factories, condominium units, villages weren't just plain concrete, but filled with intricate Chinese designs, sensibly placed solar panels and a network of river ways transporting goods, people and a behemoth quantity of industrial products they'd be known to carry. Who was I to think they'd be just farmlands, forests and mountain ranges when recent economic onlookers specifically identify them as booming digital data hubs. Guizhou houses data centers from the biggest corporations in the world, as they are blessed with weather conditions apt for cooling them au naturelle, and little to no additional infrastructure they can't handle. Guizhou is filled to the brim with engineering marvels, one of which is the BALINGHE BRIDGE. This was our first destination. (Warning: Picture Heavy Post Ahead!)

Set to Change Lives of Filipino Kids: MUSIKWELA

Learned that a new show is being launched, it's called MUSIKWELA. This is an early childhood education and entertainment show where they utilize music, performance, puppetry, animation, and do lots of research so it could be easily understood by its target audience, the Filipino kid.

This all stemmed from experiencing it first hand. Ms. Ellen Estrada was fetching her daughter from school and noticed how her classmates weren't that optimistic in using "Po and Opo" in their conversations. This was something alarming because even if she taught her daughter GMRC, her classmates didn't have access to that too. Having a theater and music background, she was inspired to create the "Po and Opo" and "Ang Bagong Alpabetong Filipino" songs. Unknowingly, it was watched millions of times (3.4 and 4.7 Million) mostly by Filipinos. It became a norm for parents and teachers to use it as a medium for education. They realized how music made the experience of learning more enjoyable and uber fun!

They also joined a government initiated child documentary competition in 2023 (via the DokyuBata Festival of the National Council for Children's Television, an attached agency of the Department of Education). They did a documentary called "Ang Bayani at ang Kanyang Sandok" which teaches nationalism and love for one's country. This started the ball rolling for MUSIKWELA.

Image from their website musikwela.com

 

She harnessed the talent of her daughter Yumi Sansano to lead the show including a throng of folks called MUSIKSCOUTS (Ate Yumi, Potpot, Biboy, and Lala who were a pretty bunch!). She's no ordinary kid because she won awards in WCOPA as champ for Opera in the Juniors Division. She also did Artsy Craftsy in PTV4 a couple years back and have gotten audiences left and right, including the President of the Philippines.

We watched them perform during this event and I could liken them to Sesame Street, Sineskwela, Batibot among others. Knowing there's a huge educational crisis in the Philippines, I felt so happy that kids would have a place to learn how to respect the elderly, how to protect nature, hone their talents, what to do in case of emergencies, and care for Mother Nature in their first few episodes. Ms. Ellen also shared how they are planning to do more in the coming months, plus delve into other subjects (like reading, writing or math). I personally know some kids finish school without learning how to, and I'm hopeful this could address that (even if it doesn't entirely solve it!). Check out the event on video here:

You cannot discount the fact that it has done remarkably well for the 90's kids on why we're street and a little smart, we learned from shows like these albeit unconsciously. This is something that I'd like to happen in this generation too, and perhaps the next ones included. I wept for the shows that went off the air in the past because it has disenfranchised a lot of kids who could have learned from it. They need our help and hopefully, they get the resources to continue this. Currently, thanks to the people who are helping them and sponsors (Victoria Sports Cinema, Ceelin Gummies, Ceelin Immunped, Appebon, Allerkid, White Rabbit Philippines, Wildfire Inc., Shop N Play, Kontrata.PH) that they get to do this with passion. Imagine how many kids would learn from what they do, if millions more would consume their content on FB, their website and YouTube (so go and sub!). We'd have educated kids going out of our homes and schools, wouldn't that be a sight to behold?! 

The first episode will come out on November 11 6PM GMT and will talk about GRANDPARENT's DAY. They will release future episodes on a bi monthly period, so sub to make sure your kids could watch it! I'd like to take this bit and congratulate Ms. Ellen on her efforts, and hope you won't get tired of your passions. Here's hoping a lot of people could help you even more with your future projects!