By Lysander Tiu and Chaz Vanhaltren
Hundreds of kilometers from the country’s mainstream film industry, a young filmmaker from Mindanao proved that compelling stories can emerge far from Manila.
Silliman University fourth-year political science student Rey Anthony Villaverde drew from his childhood experiences to create “Silkscreen,” now among the Top 10 finalists in the 22nd Cinemalaya Philippine Independent Film Festival.
The film festival is an annual Manila-based competition that promotes independent Filipino filmmakers through cinematic works, production grants, and awards.
Villaverde served as Silkscreen’s director, executive producer, screenplay writer, and editor.
He said being part of the independent film festival shows that regional filmmakers can stand alongside anyone “as long as they create with honesty and a genuine love for films.”
“More filmmakers from different parts of the country are finally being recognized, and more stories rooted in our own communities are reaching national audiences,” Villaverde said.
The filmmaker also said that young people should tell stories that only they can tell because “local experiences deserve to be seen and heard.”
At the heart of Silkscreen is Roy, a t-shirt silkscreen printer who works to keep his family’s father.
The story is based on Villaverde’s real-life family printing business ArtYard Advertising in Dipolog City, which has operated for more than 25 years.
once-thriving business alive, while confronting the change brought by time alongside his aging Villaverde said he wrote Silkscreen in February 2025 for a screenwriting workshop by Dumaguete-based multimedia company Beetzee, where it won Best Screenplay.
The workshop became his first encounter with award-winning filmmaker Zig Dulay, whom he initially hoped to learn from as one of its speakers.
That opportunity later evolved into a mentorship after Silkscreen qualified among the Top 8 Narrative Projects of the Montañosa Film Festival, where Dulay was assigned as the film’s mentor, creative director, and script consultant.
“Each project was paired with an experienced filmmaker for guidance throughout production. […] Dulay and I met regularly through Zoom to discuss how we could strengthen the story and make every scene more purposeful,” he said.
A homegrown production
The production brought together more than 50 cast and crew, including assistant director Mariel Barbaso, and her father Nonoy Barbaso who played as the film’s aging father, lead actor Justine Lopez, and set dresser John Paulo Empleo.
Meanwhile, Barbaso said the production partnered with Beetzee through an equipment exchange by transporting cameras and technical gear from Dumaguete to Dipolog.
“We recruited a production designer to create the visual look of the film according to the director’s vision. We also selected our director of photography and searched for additional sponsors,” she said.
Villaverde also said that the production taught him that “filmmaking is never the work of one person” but built through trust and dedication.
He previously made his debut with a short titled “Tingog” in 2022, followed by the comedy short film “Ambot Wa Ko Kabalo Unsay I-Title Ani” in 2024.
