From PH to Portugal: “Tigkiliwi” brings Filipino aswang story to global audience

A chilling yet poignant tale, “Tigkiliwi” follows young siblings Lala and Marlin, orphaned and left to navigate the world alone, as they find unexpected refuge with an elderly woman rumored to be an aswang, a shape-shifting creature in Philippine folklore. The film stars Ruby Ruiz, Gabby Padilla, Julian Paul Larroder, and Sunshine Teodoro.

CinePanalo’s International Footprint

The film previously won the Jury Prize at the 2025 Puregold CinePanalo Film Festival, becoming the second CinePanalo-backed feature to reach Porto, following the success of “Pushcart Tales.”

A commitment to Filipino stories

Puregold Senior Marketing Manager Ivy Hayagan-Piedad expressed enthusiasm: “Tigkiliwi’s acceptance to Fantasporto has once again proven that Filipino narratives resonate on a global scale. We aim to pave the way for stories of our culture to receive the recognition they deserve.”

The Official Competitive Director’s Week, where “Tigkiliwi” will compete, is dedicated to feature films. Fantasporto also offers the Official Fantastic Cinema Section for short films and the Oriental Express Section for features by Asian filmmakers, providing a robust platform for emerging international talent.

Puregold CinePanalo, launched in 2024 to highlight stories of hope and triumph—or mga kuwentong panalo—continues to nurture emerging filmmakers and provide a platform for Filipino creativity. Following its Jury Prize win, “Tigkiliwi” now embarks on its international journey, joining a growing roster of CinePanalo titles gaining global recognition.

These include Sigrid Bernardo’s “Pushcart Tales” (2024), the Philippines’ official entry to Thailand’s Pattaya Film Festival 2025; JP Habac’s “Olsen’s Day” (2025), showcased at the Minsk International Film Festival and Asian Film Festival Barcelona; and TM Malones’ “Salum” (2025), which earned a Special Mention for lead actress Christine Mary Demaisip at the Festival International du Film Transsaharien de Zagora and was selected for festivals in Dhaka and Barcelona. Other notable CinePanalo features include Jill Singson Urdaneta’s “Co-Love” (2025), Mes de Guzman’s “Sepak Takraw” (2025), and Catsi Catalan’s “Fleeting” (2025), all of which were showcased at the Asian Film Festival Barcelona, with “Sepak Takraw” also screened at Dhaka.

Short films under the CinePanalo banner have similarly made an international impact. Kent Michael Cadungog’s “Text FIND DAD and Send to 2366” (2024) earned official selections in Germany, Pakistan, and Seattle. Other shorts, such as Mark Joseph Sanchez’s “Our One and Only Bab(oy)” (2025), Sean Verdejo’s “Dela Cruz, Juan P.” (2025), Clyde Gamale’s “Champ Green” (2025), Jenievive Adame’s “Smokey Journey” (2024), Kenneth Flores’ “1… 2… Strike!!!” (2025), and Jose Andy Sales’ “G!” (2025), were showcased at festivals in China, India, Egypt, and across Asia.

Together, these achievements underscore Puregold CinePanalo’s sustained commitment to nurturing Filipino filmmakers and amplifying beautifully made Filipino stories on the global stage—proving that tales from the Philippines can resonate with audiences anywhere in the world.

 

 

I’m excited to find out if people will laugh or cry, or respond to it the same way the Filipino audience did.

Tara Illenberger

 

 

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