Law Fajardo’s ‘Silenced Nights’ selected to compete at 2026 Toronto Int’l Film Festival

Law Fajardo’s gritty thriller earns a historic TIFF slot, tackling extrajudicial killings and putting Philippine cinema on the global stage.

A major milestone awaits Philippine cinema as Lawrence “Law” Fajardo’s upcoming sociopolitical thriller “Silenced Nights” has been officially selected to the Platform section of the 2026 Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF), making it the first Filipino film to compete in the festival’s prestigious competition.

Producer Joji Villanueva Alonso announced the news on social media, describing the selection as a historic achievement for the production.

“The cat is now out of the bag!” Alonso wrote. “‘Silenced Nights’ will have its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF). It is the first Filipino film to be part of the 11-year-old Platform Programme—the only juried competition of the festival.”

The film will compete against 11 other international titles for the Platform Prize, which carries a CAD$20,000 cash award. For non-English language entries, the recognition also serves as an Oscar-qualifying award for Best International Feature Film.

Written by Troy Espiritu and directed by Fajardo, “Silenced Nights” follows an ordinary laborer who becomes the lone witness to the extrajudicial killing of a teenage boy by police officers. The story draws inspiration from the 2017 killing of Kian delos Santos, one of the most controversial incidents during the Philippine government’s war on drugs.

Shot entirely on location in Happyland, Tondo, the film adopts a gritty cinema vérité style to depict fear, silence, and the pursuit of justice. Its official tagline reads: “Where fear prevails, justice is silenced.”

The film stars Nico Antonio in the lead role alongside Lotlot de Leon, Ina Feleo, Tanya Gomez, Joel Saracho, and Dylan Ray Talon. Cinematography is by Albert Banzon, with a screenplay by Troy Espiritu.

A co-production between Quantum Films, France’s House on Fire, and Taiwan’s House on Fire International, Silenced Nights also received support from the Film Development Council of the Philippines (FDCP).

The MTRCB has given the film an R-16 rating for its depiction of violence, drug use, strong language, and mature sociopolitical themes.

Following its world premiere at TIFF, “Silenced Nights” is scheduled to open in Philippine cinemas on September 16, 2026.

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