Kaila Estrada starts filming her first lead role in ‘Birdsong’

Kaila Estrada has begun filming “Birdsong,”  her first lead role in a feature-length film. Ilaya Ilaya Studios announced the start of production over the weekend through a social media post.

“DAY 1. Kaila Estrada steps into the world of Birdsong in her first ever lead role in a feature film,” the production wrote. “Unang araw pa lang, may nakamasid na.”

Fans were quick to congratulate Kaila and express their excitement about her new project.

“Wow! All the best @kailaestrada For sure you can do it!!” one fan commented, while another wrote, “Panunuorin namin to.”

During a recent panel interview, Kaila  was very grateful for the opportunity. She described her first lead role in a feature film as a major milestone in her acting career. 

She admitted that the project would push her beyond her comfort zone and give her the chance to take on something she had never done before.

“I feel like it's such a privilege to even be considered for this because it's a challenge I'm willing to take on. And I feel like I'll really be able to grow from this project,” Kaila said. Kaila is the daughter of Janice de Belen and John Estrada. She is the third among their four children.

Directed by Pam Miras and written by Glenn Barit, “Birdsong” also has  filmmaker Irene Villamor on board as creative producer.

According to Deadline, the film is a found-footage horror story about an ornithologist who travels to a remote mountain to find a mythical bird while seeking answers about her partner's disappearance a decade earlier. The film is said to be based on real events.

“Birdsong” is among the projects in the lineup of Ilaya Ilaya Studios, the new production house founded by filmmaker and producer Antoinette Jadaone. The women-led studio focuses on Filipino stories and women-centric narratives across film, television, and theater.

The film recently received the Kantana Sound Studio Asian Project Award at the Bangkok International Content Market 2026.

In an interview with Deadline, Jadaone discussed the team's decision to work with Miras on the project, which explores a genre traditionally dominated by men.

“It's our first time working with Pam Miras as a director, and it is in a genre that is male-dominated. We really love the way Pam handles experimentation in her films,” Jadaone said.

Aside from Birdsong, Ilaya Ilaya Studios has several other projects in its lineup, including the dark comedy “Boldstar,” starring Angelica Panganiban; the supernatural comedy “Chandra Catacutan and the Curse of the Fuchsia Moon,” starring Eugene Domingo; and an "immersive" stage adaptation of “Sunshine,” led by Maris Racal.