Rights, Camera, Action: ALT-R HEROES 2025 Film Festival zooms in on LGBT and human rights
Contributed by Sandy Cagurangan
On June 29, 2025, at Sine Pop in Cubao, a special gathering took place to mark the launch of The ALT-R HEROES 2025 Film Festival. This event signaled the start of ALT-R HEROES 2025, introducing a festival experience unlike any seen before. Guided by the powerful message of “From LGBT rights to Human Rights,” it aimed to encourage viewers to see cinema as more than entertainment—viewing it as a form of advocacy, healing, and education.
”Ang pagsuporta sa LGBT Rights ay hindi conditional kasi hindi pwedeng conditional ang human rights,” said Direk Jay Altarejos, a filmmaker and the festival’s director.
Presented by GagaOOLala and organized by 2076 Kolektib, the festival features 13 notable short films that explore themes such as grief, identity, love, loss, and navigating a world that often challenges those who are different.
Out of the 71 entries this year, here are the 13 shortlisted films:
Sama Bella by Pia Duran
Al-Owlah by Khert Gabayeron
Puti by Geremy Rivera
Tumbang Preso by Edsel Gasmen
Malisbong by Justine Polanco
Mik-Ap by Justeene Sayson
Ode to Lavender by Rey Anthony Villarde
Quarantine Feelings by Bradley Jason Pantajo
Katalonan by Ciro Quiapos
Phulera Poshak Porena by Aasif Hamid
Ang Halikan sa Water Fountain by Clyde Gamale
Prom Queer by Dylan Cerio
Last Night Na Ni Bading by Joshua Doce
Altarejos emphasized that these are more than just films, they capture real experiences. He said, “It is a radical act to remember in a time when fear, denial as well as forgetting of history are frequent. Cinema provides us with an option to do so.”
The selected films cover a broad range of emotional experiences. For instance, comedy is represented in Joshua Andrey Doce’s Last Night Na Ni Bading, which approaches remorse, while Rey Anthony Villaverde’s Ode to Lavender revisits the theme of death. The entries are deeply personal and resonate on many levels. Dlan Margarette Fiona Cerio’s Prom Queer depicts a queer teen’s struggles at prom; Khert Gabayeron’s Al-Owlah shares a Muslim teenager’s narrative; and Justine Polanco’s Malisbong 50 explores generational grief—each offering an intimate window into different lives and perspectives.
Other notable films include Pia Duran’s Sama Bella, which sheds light on the experiences of LGBTQIA+ people within a Filipino tribe, and Clyde Cuizon Gamale’s Ang Halikan sa Water Fountain, a gentle yet profound ode to friendship and self-discovery. Edsel P. Gasmen’s Tumbang Press(o) presents a metaphorical commentary on societal harshness, while Aasif U Hamid’s Phulera Poshak Porena (Defy) and Cyrus Paulo Quiapos’s Katalonan delve into identity, resistance, and cultural heritage. Bradley Jason Pantajo’s Quarantined Feelings captures the solitary pain of isolation, and Justiny Sayson’s MIK-AP along with Geremy Evangelista Rivera’s PUTI showcase raw, unfiltered expressions of individuality. Each film provides a voice that demands acknowledgment.
Judging these films is Johann Sudhoff, with a diverse panel of storytellers and cultural practitioners. The panel also includes educator and art critic Lisa Ito-Tapang, filmmaker Siege Ledesma, performer Bunny Cadag, Inquirer entertainment writer and seasoned journalist Marinel Cruz, and Cannes-selected director Kyla Romero—all bringing their insight and depth to the process.
The key figures behind the festival include filmmaker and activist Altarejos, filmmaker-activist Manuel Garcellano, and film professor Marco Bertillo Mata. Their shared goal was to select stories that challenge and promote reflection, uniting their choices by the theme of provocation and remembrance.
This initiative transcends a single event and represents a movement. ALT-R HEROES 2025 is expanding beyond its initial screening, it will travel to regional locations such as Iriga City in Camarines Sur and Dumaguete in Negros Oriental. Workshops, discussions, and screenings will extend throughout the country, supporting community engagement.
Photo courtesy of Jay Altarejos
For writers and storytellers seeking a platform, this festival offers an inviting space aligned with their passions. Support from community partners like Shotlist Coffee, Beetzee Productions, and sponsors such as Sine Pop, Ticao Altamar Boutique Resort, and Elli Scent Lab amplifies the reach and message of the festival—affirming the importance of voices from regions often unheard.
ALT-R HEROES 2025 goes beyong being a film festival for it is a strong call for awareness, a collective effort, and an ongoing source of inspiration to strive for a future that is more inclusive and compassionate.
