Explore Past Editions of
Bakunawa Fest
For the past thirteen years, Bakunawa Fest has helped in bridging local communities and fantastic cinema from here in the Philippines to diverse genre works from around the globe. Please take time to explore our past editions, the films and its programs and all the other initiatives we've introduced to make life a little more fantastic for the public.
Many of our programmed films have featured stories that give voices to minorities and we've always believed that what is unknown is not necessarily dark and evil. Many filmmakers use the platform and the genre to tell stories about loving the environment, respecting humans who are different from us, and love for animals and creatures that do us no harm. The immortals are watching over us and nature and its creatures have always been kindest to our humans for forging an unseen collaboration that fosters respect, creativity and conservation.
Enjoy browsing what our communities have shared in the past editions! Don't forget to get inspired by what you see and start getting creative so you can join our future editions.
Staged amidst global COVID-19 lockdowns, this edition stands as a testament to creative resilience - stepping up as one of the first festivals worldwide to stream a full program online. Though largely overlooked by mainstream press at the time, Bakunawa embraced the uncertainty of the pandemic to provide a free, vital sanctuary for bold, unorthodox storytelling, proving that cinema remains an unstoppable force even in the darkest times.
A record-breaking edition of online showcases, in-person screenings, multimedia exhibitions, and a historic Philippine Primetime cable TV premiere for our curated programs. This landmark edition celebrates the triumphs of collaboration with Asian partners and talented Asian filmmakers, from its opening films from Indonesia, Japan and Brazil to its closing indigenous film from Vietnam.
Marking a historic milestone for independent cinema, our record-breaking tenth edition (X) expanded across multiple venues with hybrid showcases, curated film programs, and an innovative live fusion of film and poetry at every screening. The festival made history by welcoming eight international filmmakers from Indonesia, Japan, Spain, India, and Vietnam who traveled on their own to the Philippines, immersing themselves in artistic exchanges, Filipino food, and warm camaraderie with local Pinoy filmmakers.
Achieving another mileston, Bakunawa Fest became the first film festival to screen at the stunning Centro de Turismo / Museo de Intramuros in Manila with its first fruitful collaboration with NCCA ICAO and Sentro Rizal seeing the value of international inter-connections through film and multimedia. Expanding its national reach, this edition fostered meaningful cultural collaborations and dynamic multi-city screenings across Manila, Iloilo, Bacolod, Alaminos, and Quezon City, uniting audiences and filmmakers through a celebration of local and international genre cinema.
Inspired by the golden era of Pinoy Komiks from the 1970s through the 1990s, this edition reimagines the festival’s mythic dragon through dynamic graphic-novel character art and illustrations that honor iconic genre titles like Holiday, Kilabot, Terror, and Shocker. Reflecting defiance and renewal, the festival makes a triumphant homecoming to Bacolod City - where Bakunawa Fest originally began - while continuing its regional footprint across four cities with a landmark premiere as the first festival hosted at the TAOHAY NCCA Cultural Center and Regional Hub in Iloilo City.