Igpaaha Malaybalay Short Film Competition

Igpaaha Malaybalay Short Film Competition Ipakita ang istorya sa Malaybalay

The 5th IGPAAHA: Malaybalay Short Documentary Film Competition has officially come to a close—and with grateful hearts, ...
28/03/2026

The 5th IGPAAHA: Malaybalay Short Documentary Film Competition has officially come to a close—and with grateful hearts, we celebrate a truly successful season. 🎬✨

True to its meaning, IGPAAHA or IPAKITA, this platform has once again become a space where stories are seen, voices are heard, and identities are proudly shared.

We proudly present the official winners of this year’s competition! From meaningful narratives to powerful storytelling, your films have beautifully captured the spirit, culture, and soul of Malaybalay.

To all participants—winners or not—daghang salamat. Your courage sa pagpaaha sa inyong mga storya is what makes this movement meaningful and alive.

Our deepest appreciation goes to the unwavering support of our City Mayor, to the entire IGPAAHA Team from the City Accounting Office headed by City Accountant Mr. Carlito R. Juarez, to Mr. Jeter Olano as one of our Event Directors, and to our dedicated panel of judges and consultants—thank you for your time, expertise, and commitment in making this event possible.

As we close this chapter, we are excited to share that the IGPAAHA Team will be working towards accreditation with the Film Development Council of the Philippines, with the vision of bringing IGPAAHA to a bigger screen and wider audience.

26/03/2026

Presenting the 5th Igpaaha Documentary Film Festival Omnibus Trailer.

This year’s festival centers on “Sugilanon sa pag tikang palayo sa yutang natawhan” or stories of leaving home, of distance, of change, and the realities that come with stepping into the unknown.

These documentaries capture the challenges, sacrifices, and resilience behind every journey away from the familiar, reflecting the evolving story of the new Malaybalay.

25/03/2026

Alay (Professional)
Directed by Ednel Fritz P. Madridondo
Professional Category

Synopsis:
Ambie is a member of the Higaunon tribe from Upper Pulangi in Bukidnon who made the difficult decision to leave the place where he grew up in search of better opportunities for his family. In his community, life depended on farming and daily labor, where work and food were not always certain. Wanting to give his family a more stable life, he decided to move to the city of Malaybalay.
In the city, Ambie faced many challenges. He had limited schooling and often doubted whether he was capable of keeping up with life in a place that felt unfamiliar and fast. His family lived in a small rented room, and there were moments when he felt that he did not belong. Yet despite the hardships, he continued to move forward, learning how to adapt to a different way of living.
Through Ambie’s journey, the film reflects the experiences of many who step away from their homeland to build a new life. It is a story of sacrifice, uncertainty, and the quiet strength needed to keep going while holding on to one’s roots in a changing Malaybalay.

25/03/2026

Through The Editor's Eyes
Directed by Meljon A. Placencia
Professional Category

Synopsis:
Through the editor’s eyes is a documentary about the parallels of the usage of using advanced tools in the job of an editor and of the rapid modernization of a city. it highlights the conflict between necessity and of adaptation in a rapidly changing environment. it is a story of what should remain and what should be adapted.

25/03/2026

Liko (Step-back) (Trailer)
Directed by ALDRIN L. CORK
Professional Category

Synopsis
IT IS A STORY OF A LUMAD OF MALAYBALAY CITY WHO DEPARTED HIS HOME LAND WENT TO MANILA IN 1992 AND RETURN TO MALAYBALAY IN 1994. HIS STORY IS ABOUT STRUGGLE WHILE HE IS AWAY FROM HIS BIRTHPLACE. FINALLY HE FOUND HIS FUTURE IN HIS HOMELAND.

25/03/2026

Jojo (Trailer
Directed by Daryl Placencia
Professional Category

Synopsis
JOJO is a story of one mans journey for success, recognition and personal achievement. initially, a journey urged by personal desire but was later on confronted by a greater calling, that which is to nurture the next generation of star players. a calling that transformed the man into the person that he is today. A man that is not driven by personal desire but of legacy - a legacy that lives on in the minds and hearts of the next generation.

25/03/2026

Ang Yutang Natawhan (Trailer)
Directed by Nigel Sean Mat-ao
Professional Category

A young girl in Malaybalay grows up hearing stories of her ancestors who traveled through forests and mountains on horseback.�While others follow modern lifestyles, she feels drawn to the mountains, the horses, and the land of her ancestors.
She realizes the horse is more than a hobby—it is a living connection to her culture and lineage. the cowgirl embraces her Lumad roots and ancestral way of life.

25/03/2026

Pagbiya (Trailer)
Directed by Sophia Princess S. Rubillos
Student Category

Synopsis:
Marilyn Dabas is a mother from Kilap-agan, Can-ayan, Malaybalay City who made the difficult decision to work abroad in Saudi Arabia — not out of ambition, but out of love. When Typhoon Pablo devastated their crops in 2012 and debts began to pile up, she realized that in Malaybalay, even hard work and education could not guarantee a future without the right connections. So she left, carrying a lie to her children and a prayer in her heart. In Saudi Arabia, she lived confined within four walls — stripped of freedom, community, and faith. Yet the very things she lost made her see Malaybalay more clearly: its warmth, its openness, its life. She returned, faced a family crisis, and still chose to go back again — all for one dream: that her children would someday finish school and never have to leave the way she did.

25/03/2026

NAUWA; Home Away From Home (Trailer)
Directed by ELJEAN JOY E. CARTIN
Student Category

Synopsis:
Set in Malaybalay, Home Away From Home follows indigenous students who leave their ancestral barangays to pursue education in a school that nurtures both academic growth and cultural identity. Far from their families, they face the challenges of physical and emotional distance, yet find strength in unity as seven tribes come together in one community. Through their voices, the documentary highlights sacrifice, resilience, and the determination to preserve tradition while embracing opportunity—proving that even away from home, they continue to carry their roots within them.

25/03/2026

Memento Mori (Trailer)
Directed by Samantha Louraine Toston
Student Category

Synopsis:
Remembering that you must die, is a fuel to one's desire to live.

Luther is a musician from Don Carlos. His early years are molded by harsh remarks and a controlling, problematic home. He yearns for a place of respite, to breathe, create, and make his own decisions, a freedom from the chains that confine him to his homeland.

He takes courage and steps into Malaybalay, a city that is rising so quickly that his dreams are struggling to keep up with its rapid growth.

For Luther, Malaybalay is both hope and Pandora's box; People are always in constant motion, chasing something ahead, and Luther must move, move, and move to keep pace. Challenges lay on his path, and Luther must cope with sorrow, constant disappointment, and realize the sacrifices and losses he must face in order to achieve his dream.

25/03/2026

IGSOON (Trailer)
Directed by Gamilea Lanza
Student Category

Synopsis:
It is a story of siblings who departed cotabato and move to malaybalay and became their Home.shirlyn was left in banisilan for several months. When Kimberly ( sister) got a job in malaybalay she brought Shirlyn to malaybalay and stay together.Their sad story became their hope to start a better life.

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