PELÍCULA>PELIKULA 2026 Celebrates 25 Years With Free Spanish-Language Films in Manila
Last Updated on October 3, 2026 by Over Here Toronto
PELÍCULA>PELIKULA, the Manila Spanish Film Festival, returns for its 25th edition from October 4 to 11, 2026, with 23 films from Spain, Latin America, and the Philippines.
All screenings are free. The festival starts with a four-film marathon at Instituto Cervantes in Intramuros on October 4. The main program then moves to Power Plant Cinema 2 in Makati from October 5 to 11.
Films cover drama, comedy, documentaries, animation, classics, and short films. Each title will screen in its original language with English subtitles.
Instituto Cervantes de Manila organizes the festival with the Embassy of Spain in the Philippines, AECID Cultura, and several film, cultural, and academic partners.
Moviegoers can check updates through the official Instituto Cervantes de Manila website.
PELÍCULA>PELIKULA Marks Its 25th Edition
Instituto Cervantes created the Manila Spanish Film Festival in 2002.
Since then, PELÍCULA>PELIKULA has brought films from Spain and other Spanish-speaking countries to Philippine cinemas each year.
The 2026 edition marks its 25th run.
This year’s program has 23 titles. Some come from Spain, while others represent Argentina, Brazil, Costa Rica, Peru, Chile, Mexico, and the Philippines.
Francisco Javier López Tapia, director of Instituto Cervantes de Manila, said the festival has stayed active by continuing to connect with new audiences.
“I would say that it’s freshness, youthfulness and diversity, and this connection between Spain and the Philippines.”
The festival’s anniversary poster also looks at its past and future. Spanish artist García de Marina supplied the original photograph used in the design.
The image shows a mannequin wearing two masks. One faces back, while the other looks forward.
Free Screenings Start in Intramuros on October 4
The festival begins on Sunday, October 4, with La Previa at Instituto Cervantes’ Casa Azul branch in Intramuros.
Four films will screen throughout the day:
- 10 a.m. — Giants of La Mancha
- 12:30 p.m. — L’Olivia i el terratrèmol invisible
- 2 p.m. — Mensaje en una botella
- 4:30 p.m. — Mariposas negras
Giants of La Mancha follows an 11-year-old boy who believes he is a descendant of Don Quixote.
L’Olivia i el terratrèmol invisible and Mariposas negras are animated films, while Mensaje en una botella is an Argentine comedy about a woman who finds a way to send messages into the past.
All four October 4 screenings are free.
Main Film Program Moves to Power Plant Cinema
From October 5 to 11, screenings will take place at Power Plant Cinema 2 in Rockwell Center, Makati.
The main lineup includes films such as:
- Rondallas
- La cena
- El cautivo
- El desencanto
- The Room Next Door
- Maspalomas
- Los domingos
- Tengo sueños eléctricos
- Vino la noche
- Laponia
- Cyclone
- Sirāt
- We the Hispanos
- Los tigres
- Mensaje en una botella
- Mariposas negras
- L’Olivia i el terratrèmol invisible
Several titles will screen more than once during the week.
One of the major films on the program is Pedro Almodóvar’s The Room Next Door. The English-language drama stars Julianne Moore and Tilda Swinton.
The lineup also includes Jaime Chávarri’s 1976 documentary El desencanto, giving viewers a chance to see an older Spanish film beside newer releases.
Moviegoers should check the daily program before going since screening times change each day.
The Film Development Council of the Philippines also lists PELÍCULA>PELIKULA among its current October film events. Visitors can check the FDCP website for more film-related programs.
Seven Goya Titles Join the Program
The 25th edition also includes a Premios Goya on Tour section.
Seven titles linked to Spain’s Goya Awards form part of this program.
The section gives Manila audiences access to recent Spanish films that have received attention from the Spanish Academy of Cinematographic Arts and Sciences.
It also adds another link between the Manila festival and Spain’s current film industry.
The wider lineup still includes films outside Spain. Latin American cinema remains a major part of the festival.
Argentina is represented by titles including Giants of La Mancha and Mensaje en una botella. Brazil brings Cyclone, Costa Rica has Tengo sueños eléctricos, and Peru is represented by Vino la noche.
Filipino Short Films Join the October 11 Program
Philippine films are also part of this year’s schedule.
The Encuentros en el cine: En corto short-film program takes place on October 11 at 5 p.m.
Five films from the Philippines, Chile, Spain, and Mexico will screen together:
- Agapito — Philippines
- Elenita, Elena, Elaine — Philippines
- Voz de trompeta — Chile
- Gilbert — Spain
- ¡Abre las piernas! — Mexico
Arvin Belarmino and Kyla Danelle Romero directed Agapito. Gabriela Serrano directed Elenita, Elena, Elaine.
The section reflects the festival’s long-running aim of creating links between Philippine cinema and filmmakers from Spanish-speaking countries.
Ronnie Lazaro Receives a 25th Anniversary Honor
PELÍCULA>PELIKULA has also created a special award for its silver anniversary.
Filipino actor Ronnie Lazaro will receive the Galardón XXV Aniversario, or 25th Anniversary Award.
The festival created the honor to recognize a film professional who has helped build ties between the Philippines and Spanish-speaking communities through cinema.
Lazaro has worked across Philippine film, television, and international projects for decades.
Instituto Cervantes chose him as the first recipient of the anniversary award.
Festival director López Tapia said the team wanted to recognize Lazaro’s long support for Spanish cinema and cinema made in the Spanish language.
Moviegoers Can Vote for Their Favorite Film
The Audience Choice Award also returns this year.
After screenings, viewers can vote for the film they liked most.
The festival started the award in 2004. It has since become a regular part of PELÍCULA>PELIKULA.
Once organizers count the votes, the winning film will screen again during the closing program.
This gives the audience a direct role in deciding which title gets another showing.
The Festival Also Includes Music, Talks, and Art Activities
PELÍCULA>PELIKULA goes beyond cinema screenings.
The wider anniversary program includes music, talks, and art sessions.
A Musika ng Pelikula concert by Merienda Jazz opened part of the cultural program at Ayala Museum on October 2. The show featured music linked to Spanish cinema.
On October 6, Filipino film historian Nick Deocampo will give a talk on Spanish influences in Philippine cinema at Power Plant Cinema 2.
Mexican artist Juan Pablo Chipe will also lead film-based art workshops using materials such as modeling clay and collage.
Some activities have limited slots, so visitors should check Instituto Cervantes’ latest announcements before attending.
What to Know Before Going
Here are the main details for PELÍCULA>PELIKULA 2026:
- Festival: PELÍCULA>PELIKULA – Manila Spanish Film Festival
- Edition: 25th
- Dates: October 4 to 11, 2026
- October 4 venue: Instituto Cervantes, Casa Azul, Intramuros
- October 5–11 venue: Power Plant Cinema 2, Rockwell Center, Makati
- Films: 23
- Admission: Free
- Languages: Original languages with English subtitles
- Organizer: Instituto Cervantes de Manila
- Main program: Films from Spain, Latin America, and the Philippines
Seats may be limited even though admission is free.
People hoping to catch a certain title should check its screening time and arrive early. The festival runs for only eight days, with the main Power Plant Cinema program starting October 5.
For the latest screening notices and program changes, check the Instituto Cervantes de Manila website or its official social pages.
With free screenings running through October 11, moviegoers have a full week to catch Spanish, Latin American, and Filipino films on the big screen. Pick your films, check the daily schedule, and plan ahead for screenings that may draw larger crowds.
