Catch The Northern Mindanao Short Film Festival, Opening Program, And Special Film Feature
CINEMAGIS 16: Northern Mindanao Short Film Festival returns on 23 – 26 September 2026 at the Little Theater, Xavier University as part of the Philippine Film Industry Month and Philippine Creative Industries Month.
With this year’s theme, “Frames of Truth, Stories of Accountability,” CINEMAGIS celebrates the diverse voices, stories, and realities of Mindanao through film.
CINEMAGIS 16 Opening Program features “Kappa-tiran” | 23 SEPTEMBER 2026 | 3:30 PM–6:30 PM
Presented by Mamay Productions, and directed by Neal “Buboy” Tan, “Kappa-tiran,” is a thriller directed by Neal “Buboy” Tan which explores the dark and secretive world of fraternities, sororities, and the dangerous traditions surrounding hazing.
CINEMAGIS celebrates the Northern Mindanao filmmaking frontiers as it develops and sustains the community of filmmakers, audiences, critics, and patrons. In the previous tranches of Cinemagis, a wide range of film content and representations were harvested. A strong sense of bravery and boldness in film meaning-making was successfully curated. The films reflected the aspirations, experiences, images, lore, narratives, and voices of the people of Northern Mindanao.
Two years ago, in 2024,we saw the rebirth of Cinemagis and began the count anew as the 14th installment of the festival. We called it REGENESIS.
Last year, CINEMAGIS 15 – Northern Mindanao Short Film Festival presented new folds of filmmaking engagements as it tests its impact not only through audience development but also through the filmmakers' regard on their communities' reverberations as language and text for film where realities are captured such as, folklore, gender, physical-emotional-mental health, environment and climate change, preservation of life and human dignity, values and family solidarity, and the sustainable development goals.
This year, CINEMAGIS wishes to promote frames of truth and stories of accountability.
CINEMAGIS continues to recognize and strengthen our filmmakers' skills, enabling them to produce a significant body of work that will lead to national recognition and contribute to the growth of the Mindanao Film Industry.
This year’s programs are LANTAW PROGRAM (Short Film Competition Category); CINEMAGIS EXTRA – A Short Documentary Category; CINE MGA INDAY, MGA ONDO; VIVA MINDANAO; EVOCATIVE CINEMA; image + NATION; CINEMAGIS RAW; and SPECIAL FILM FEATURES.
CINEMAGIS: Northern Mindanao Short Film Festival was established in 2009 to recognize the region's filmmaking potential. It is recognized as one of the film festivals in the region by the National Committee on Cinema, as it has been branded and popularized as Cinema Rehiyon – a recognition of the rich filmmaking surge that represents the region's talented filmmakers.
CINEMAGIS exists along with CINEMA REHIYON. CINEMAGIS hosted Cinema Rehiyon in 2014 in Cagayan de Oro, and it was hailed as one of the most memorable installments of the festival.
In 2020, it was rebranded as the Northern Mindanao Film Festival. It had its gap year in 2022 and 2023 (following the pandemic), and it is now undergoing its renaissance in 2024. Now, in 2025, Cinemagis will celebrate its 15th anniversary.
From harvesting and harnessing the filmmaking potential of Northern Mindanao, CINEMAGIS evolves into something larger in scope, reach, and significance in the filmmaking sector, ensuring its impact on the community and its role in sustaining the conversation about regional cinema, as well as its transcendence toward a more solid national and international cinema.
CINEMAGIS pushes filmmaking frontiers as it strives to develop and sustain its community of filmmakers, audiences, critics, and patrons. In Cinemagis 10, a wide range of film content and representations were harvested. A strong sense of braver and bolder meaning-making in films was successfully curated, reflecting the landscape of Northern Mindanao, yet they were proudly identified with their roots.
This year, CINEMAGIS 15 features full-length films; short films on culture and folklore, gender, physical-emotional-mental health, environment and climate change, preservation of life and human dignity, values and family solidarity, and social realities; the competitive program; memorable short documentary films; Viva Mindanao - a showcase of Mindanaon films; gender films; a lecture on Film Appreciation focused on Regional Cinema; and a workshop on documentary filmmaking and directing.
Our target audiences include the Xavier University community, faculty, and students from other higher education institutions with Art Appreciation, Communication, and Understanding the Self general education courses, the Special Program for the Arts of the Department of Education, as well as the Cagayan de Oro film cineastes and enthusiasts.
Admission to the film screening is free.
Additionally, CINEMAGIS introduces a new fold of filmmaking engagements, testing its impact not only through audience development but also through filmmakers' regard for the reverberations in their communities, using language and text as a medium for film, where realities are captured with honesty. Films that yield new understanding and new insights into existence or non-existence will hint at what the 'true self' is in expressing ethos and what a community could have.
CINEMAGIS anchors on doing more for filmmaking's social artistry and relevance.
With the concepts and rationale discussed, CINEMAGIS encourages filmmakers to address and reflect on Mindanao experiences, voices, aspirations, and issues. Filmmakers are also encouraged to draw inspiration from local lore or pressing realities that capture the essence of MAGIS — a take on doing more, going the extra mile, or showing greater care for others, doing better things for the greater glory of God through self-renewal.
Every year, CINEMAGIS suggests the following themes:
Peace, Cultural Solidarity, Human Rights, Gender and Development, Harmony with the Environment, Cultural Understanding and Awareness, Life's funny and subtle contradictions.
CINEMAGIS aims to recognize and strengthen our filmmakers' skills, enabling them to produce a significant body of work that will lead to national recognition and contribute to the growth of the Mindanao and Philippine Film Industries.
CINEMAGIS films are submitted to CINEMA REHIYON and other film festivals for festival curation and programming.
CINEMAGIS I – 2009 CINEMAGIS VI – 2014 CINEMAGIS XI - 2019
CINEMAGIS II – 2010 CINEMAGIS VII – 2015 CINEMAGIS XII - 2020
CINEMAGIS III – 2011 CINEMAGIS VIII – 2016 CINEMAGIS XIII - 2021
CINEMAGIS IV – 2012 CINEMAGIS IX – 2017 CINEMAGIS XIV 2024
CINEMAGIS V – 2013 CINEMAGIS X – 2018 CINEMAGIS XV – 2025
CINEMAGIS XVI - 2026
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