CineMatahum 2026 opened to a full house at the UP Visayas Extension Campus in Pandan, Antique, marking the fourth year of the film festival’s screenings, workshops, and filmmaking activities for students in the province.
Spearheaded by the UPV Division of Humanities through the funding window of the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research and Extension, CineMatahum continues to champion film as a powerful tool for learning, creativity, and self-expression.
Participating in this year’s Pandan leg are students from Pandan Bay Institute, Inc., Sebaste High School, Mag-aba National High School, Patria National High School, and Pandan National Vocational High School.
At the heart of the two-day event is the “24-Hour Film Challenge,” where student participants are given exactly 24 hours to conceptualize, shoot, edit, and complete a three-minute short film based on a theme revealed only after their filmmaking workshop.
Before the challenge begins, students are introduced to the fundamentals of filmmaking that range from visual storytelling and sound to the creative decisions involved in translating an idea into a finished film. More than simply teaching technical skills, the activity emphasizes film as pedagogy, encouraging students to think critically, work collaboratively, and tell stories through images and sound.
Once the theme is revealed, the clock starts ticking.
Like a race, the young filmmakers immediately begin developing their concepts, organizing their teams, and bringing their stories to life. Within the framework of the given theme, they are given the creative freedom to explore their own ideas and filmmaking approaches.
Exactly 24 hours later, the teams return to the event venue with their completed films for screening and judging, culminating in the announcement of the winning entries.
Since it started, the “24-Hour Film Challenge” has become one of the most anticipated activities of CineMatahum. Students who participated in previous editions return with renewed determination especially those who narrowly missed a place among the top films and ready to create, compete, and tell an even better story.
More than a competition, the challenge gives young people an opportunity to discover what filmmaking can be: a craft, a collaborative experience, a form of expression, and a powerful way of seeing and understanding the world.
Written and photos by CineMatahum Team
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