All he had ever wanted since he was a child was to see himself on television. So, in 2018, Jade Makawili left his hometown in Cebu to try his luck in Manila. For eight months, almost every day, he auditioned for reality shows, talent searches, and commercials. But no dice. Always shortlisted, never cast.
“Hindi pinalad. Nahihiya akong umuwi noon kasi luhaan,” he tells Lifestyle Inquirer.
And then came “Pinikas (Halved),” an independent VisMin film that had Makawili working with a director from Southern Leyte, producers from General Santos, a leading lady from Cebu, and a community with whom he shared a language and cultural sensibilities.
Now, as he finally holds the trophy for Best Actor at Sinag Maynila 2026—where the film won six other awards—he can’t help but marvel at the irony of it all. He chased his dream in the capital, only to realize that it had been waiting in his home region all along.
“I’m so grateful. Itong ‘Pinikas’ ang nagdala sa ‘kin dito,” he says.
Slice of life romantic drama
In a way, Makawili’s journey reflects that of the movie itself. While he headed to Manila in search of acting opportunities, the filmmakers initially sought—and failed—to secure funding from national grant-giving bodies. In the end, “Pinikas” was made without studio backing or Manila-based festival grants. It came together through “Southern collaboration”—a network of VisMin artists and supporters who believed in the project.
In Pintuyan, Southern Leyte, where director Cris Fuego hails from and where the movie was filmed, the local government mobilized community support. Locals helped behind the scenes as drivers, pumpboat operators, carpenters, and assistants; others appeared on camera as bit players or extras.
“Everyone involved—the cast, crew, people on the ground—it’s a rarara for us,” says Ash Li of ØHouse Co., one of the film’s producers, together with Sunny Toys Entertainment. “We want to be seen and recognized on a national level. We want to show the world that we have a wealth of talent in the Visayas and Mindanao.”
“Pinikas” has been doing just that. Nearly six years after it was shot in 2019, the slice-of-life romantic drama, directed by Fuego, premiered in 2025 at the Binisaya International Film Festival in Cebu City and the Oroquieta Film Festival in Misamis Occidental.
It later made the rounds of festivals abroad: picking up recognition in Italy, China, and Spain before competing at—and dominating—the 8th Sinag Maynila earlier this year. Aside from Makawili’s Best Actor win, the film also took home Best Feature Film, Best Director for Fuego, Best Actress for Angela Villarin, Best Screenplay, Best Editing, and Best Musical Score.
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Gaining visibility
But more than the accolades, Li says the greatest reward has been seeing the film screened nationwide and appreciated by viewers from different backgrounds. At first, she wondered: “Will they understand?” The audience’s enthusiastic reception put those doubts to rest.
Set in 2006 on a fishing island, “Pinikas” follows Maya (Villarin), a young woman struggling to support her family while dreaming of a better future. When she falls for a fisherman named Nilo (Makawili), she’s forced to choose between love and survival. Told in Bisaya, Tagalog, and English, the film touches on themes that resonate with the Bisaya community, such as community and breadwinners who shoulder their families’ hardships.
“Viewers would come up to us and say they enjoyed our movie. People who watched it felt what we wanted them to feel and got the message we wanted to convey. That’s a big thing for us,” Li says.
“People who watched it felt what we wanted them to feel and got the message we wanted to convey. That’s a big thing for us”
Such responses, Li adds, were made even more heartening by the fact that they were not directed only at “Pinikas,” but also at other VisMin and regional entries in the Sinag Maynila slate that picked up awards, including “Ang Gadya Sang Suba” by Daniel de la Cruz, “Mag Unsa Na Lang Ta Ani” by Keith Nemenzo, and “‘Di Lalim, ‘Di Lalum” by Nicole Reyes.
Regional films don’t always get much attention, but these developments, Li says, suggest that regional stories are steadily gaining visibility. “I was shocked seeing so many regional filmmakers, students, and winners. Nakikita na tayo.”
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With or without outside validation
But while the success of “Pinikas” is a testament to talent, resourcefulness, and determination, Li hopes that regional filmmakers won’t always have to rely on those qualities just to get their stories told. She hopes to see continued support from national film bodies and more space for films from outside Manila to be showcased at festivals.
She also welcomes talent searches and development programs such as Solar Studios and Sinag Maynila’s Script Lab Call 2027, which provide emerging filmmakers from across the country with opportunities to pitch and develop bold and original concepts
“That way, they will see that there are other producers who want to get in,” Li says. “We have our own unique stories and cultures, which help give a fuller picture of what it means to be Filipino. Nandito rin kami.”
“We have our own unique stories and cultures, which help give a fuller picture of what it means to be Filipino. Nandito rin kami”
In any case, Li believes that what “Pinikas” has achieved has sparked optimism among VisMin filmmakers—young and old, emerging and established alike. “Pwede pala tayong marinig at makilala through film,” she says. “Kaya pala.”
And that spirit will endure, Makawili believes, with or without outside validation.
“Nasa Maynila ang big opportunity, pero hindi namin tinitingnan na wala tayo dahil wala tayo doon,” he says. “Gawa lang kami nang gawa.
