MMFF Student Short Film Competition calls on young filmmakers nationwide

The Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF) is once again opening its doors to student filmmakers through the MMFF Student Shorts Competition. The MMFF, in partnership with the Film Development Council of the Philippines (FDCP) and the Film Academy of the Philippines (FAP), has relaunched the competition. 

According to the MMFF, this year's competition carries the theme "Paskong Pinoy / Pasko Sa Atin," encouraging high school and college students to create original stories that celebrate the Filipino Christmas experience.

The competition serves as a platform for young Filipino filmmakers to showcase their talent and creativity while expressing their unique perspectives through films inspired by their own experiences, culture, and imagination.

Interested applicants may submit their entries through the official application form until August 31, 2026.

The festival announced that 16 semifinalists will each receive a ₱20,000 Script Development Grant and participate in a Story Development Workshop. 

Eight finalists will each receive a ₱50,000 Production Grant, participate in a Short Filmmaking Workshop, and have their completed films screened nationwide alongside the official MMFF 2026 entries. 

The winning film will be recognized as the MMFF Best Student Short Film at the MMFF Awards Night and will receive a ₱100,000 cash prize.

The competition is open to student filmmakers who are Filipino residents, between 15 and 23 years old, and currently enrolled in a Philippine school, college, or university. 

Each school may endorse up to three entries. Applicants must have no participation in any major local or international film festivals, except those organized by schools.

The competition is open to all film genres. Entries must have a maximum running time of five minutes, including credits, and should be in Filipino or any Philippine language or dialect with English subtitles. 

All music used in the film must be original, royalty-free, or properly licensed. Submitted films must also be free of offensive or inappropriate content and eligible for either a G or PG rating.

Applicants are required to submit a synopsis and storyline, a sequence treatment, a director's statement or intention note explaining why they are joining the competition, a financial plan, a resume, and a filmography, if available. 

They must also provide a Certificate of Enrollment, a school endorsement letter, parental consent, and a notarized Affidavit of Undertaking.

Meanwhile, the first batch of official entries for the 2026 MMFF have already been announced. The entries are: 

• “2nd Miracle in Cell No. 7,” starring Aga Muhlach and Xia Vigor; 

• “Amir,” starring Dennis Trillo, Will Ashley, Glaiza de Castro, and Argus Aspiras; 

• “Haunted Carnival,” starring Julia Barretto, James Reid, Fyang Smith, John Arcilla, and Maricel Soriano; 

• “The Greatest Showdown,” starring Vic Sotto and Vice Ganda.

The MMFF is an annual film festival that runs from December 25 through the first weekend of January, featuring Filipino-produced films approved by the selection committee. All cinemas in the country screen only MMFF entries during the festival.