Director Pedring Lopez says gatekeeping is holding PH cinema back

“The biggest thing holding our industry back isn’t talent. It’s gatekeeping,” Lopez wrote.

He also questioned the notion that being an independent filmmaker automatically makes someone the protector of “real cinema,” saying a film’s value should not be measured by its budget, festival credentials, or the circle its creators belong to.

According to Lopez, the industry’s habit of deciding who qualifies as a “real filmmaker” only creates unnecessary divisions that discourage growth.

He argued that such a mindset does little to attract investors, open international markets, or create sustainable jobs for actors, writers, editors, visual effects artists, production crews, and other workers who rely on the film industry for a living.

Instead, Lopez said the industry should focus on collaboration, welcoming new voices, and creating more opportunities rather than protecting what he called “little kingdoms.”

“An industry grows when we think bigger, collaborate more, welcome new voices, and create opportunities, not when we keep building smaller circles,” he wrote.

The filmmaker concluded his post by saying that genuine confidence does not require gatekeeping and that Philippine cinema needs “more builders,” not more exclusive groups.

Lopez is one of the country’s internationally recognized genre filmmakers. Through BlackOps Studios Asia, he has built a reputation for producing action and horror films aimed at global audiences, including the Netflix-distributed “Maria.” He is currently directing “Lotus,” an international production starring Academy Award winner Cuba Gooding Jr. and British singer-actress Qymira.

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