Vivamax King headlines gritty homecoming story as Cannes-featured actress joins rising ensemble cast in 2026 student film entry.
The cast of Puregold CinePanalo student short film “Starfish” has been unveiled, with actors from independent cinema, festival favorites, and familiar screen faces joining the production.
Leading the film is VR Relosa as Boyet, a former sex worker and macho dancer who returns to his home province after losing his job in Manila. Branded the “Vivamax King” by film critic and screenwriter Joey Reyes, Relosa first gained public attention as a participant in “StarStruck Kids” in 2004. He also starred in “Hoy! Hoy! Ingat,” directed by Norvin Delos Santos, which received the Critics Prize among the Lokal Grantees at the 2025 QCinema International Film Festival.
Nour Hooshmand joins the cast as Pia, Boyet’s younger sister, a timid and idealistic young woman who believes her brother has found a better life in Manila. The festival favorite is best known for her performance in “Agapito,” which premiered at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival and subsequently screened at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF). She has also appeared in “Filipiñana,” “Blue Room,” “Cinemartyrs,” and “Shake, Rattle & Roll: Bawal Tumawid.”
The cast also features theater actor and singer Floyd Tena as Domeng, the father of Boyet and Pia. Tena is known for his work in projects such as “Roja,” “Senior High,” “Gomburza,” “Isang Himala,” “Padamlagan,” and “Warla.” Tena plays a strict, commanding and traditional father whose loyal to the town mayor
Taking on one of the film’s key supporting roles is Jake Ulan as Jimboy. The actor has appeared in “How to Play” and Regal Studio Presents episode “My Poor Nepo Baby.”
Also joining the ensemble is Dads Valencia, who plays the town mayor. Valencia previously appeared in “What Remains Warm” and “Ascension from the Office Cubicle.”
Directed by John Clite Apolinar (Polytechnic University of the Philippines), “Starfish” is one of the 20 student short films selected for the 2026 Puregold CinePanalo Film Festival. The annual festival, launched by Puregold to support Filipino filmmakers and original storytelling, serves as a platform for emerging voices from across the country. Through “Starfish,” Apolinar joins this year’s lineup of student filmmakers bringing fresh perspectives and distinctly Filipino stories to the big screen.
