Asian Film Festival Barcelona 2025 Kicks Off With A Strong Streak Of Philippine Films

BARCELONA, Spain—The Asian Film Festival Barcelona (AFFBCN) returns for its 13th edition from October 29 to November 9, 2025, once again transforming the Catalan capital into a meeting point for the best of Asian cinema. Organized by Casa Asia and directed by Menene Gras Balaguer, the festival has become one of Europe’s leading platforms for Asian film, showcasing over a hundred titles from across the continent.

This year’s festival opened with Climbing for Life, a 2025 Japanese biographical film directed by Junji Sakamoto, based on the life of legendary mountaineer Junko Tabei. Starring Sayuri Yoshinaga, the film recounts Tabei’s historic 1975 ascent of Mount Everest — making her the first woman ever to reach the summit — and follows her later years as a pioneering figure in mountaineering. The inspiring story inaugurated the festival at CaixaForum, setting a tone of courage, determination, and perseverance that resonates throughout the event.

Philippine Participation

This year, the Philippines comes strong with a powerful lineup that continues to elevate Philippine cinema on the global stage, with the following entries:

• Fleeting (dir. Catsi Catalan) — NETPAC Section

• An Errand (dir. Dominic Bekaert) — Discoveries Section

• Sepak Takraw (dir. Mes De Guzman) — Special Section

• Sunshine (dir. Antoinette Jadaone) — Official Section

• Diamonds in the Sun (dir. Janus Victoria) — Official Section

• Some Nights I Feel Like Walking (dir. Petersen Vargas) — Panorama Section

• Where the Night Stands (dir. Dominic Bekaert) — Special Section

• Phantosmia (dir. Lav Diaz) — Official Section

• Olsen’s Day (dir. JP Habac) — Special Section

• The Gospel of the Beast (dir. Sheron R. Dayoc) — Discoveries Section

• Unconditional (dir. Adolfo Alix Jr.) — NETPAC Section

• Co-Love (dir. Jill Singsong Urdaneta) — Discoveries Section

• Love and Videotapes (dir. Ryan Machado) — Official Panorama Section

• Salum (dir. TM Malones) — Special Section

• Fatherland (dir. Joel Lamangan) — Official Panorama Section

In 2023, Carlo Obispo’s The Baseball Player won the Best Film Award in the NETPAC Section for its deeply human portrayal of a young Moro boy who finds strength and purpose through sport amid the struggles of conflict and faith. Previous editions have also highlighted the works of internationally recognized Filipino filmmakers.

Adding further prestige to the festival’s Filipino delegation are several distinguished members of the jury:

• Nick Deocampo, serving as Jury President of the Official Section, a multi-awarded filmmaker, historian, and educator in Philippine cinema.

• Antoinette Jadaone, whose Sunshine competes in the Official Section, bringing her distinct voice as one of the country’s most acclaimed contemporary directors.

• Briccio Santos, former Chair of the Film Development Council of the Philippines (FDCP), known for his long-standing advocacy for regional and independent filmmaking.

• Ted Granados, Project Director of the Southeast Asia Film Development Foundation Inc. (Film ASEAN) and former Executive Director of the FDCP, bringing decades of experience in film production, programming, and international festival collaborations.

In addition, Sandra Sotelo Aboy, freelance journalist and Barcelona-based producer and writer, serves as Jury President of the NETPAC Section. Sotelo was one of the producers of Kontra Korona, a documentary by Juan EU Konek shown at AFFBCN 2023. Sotelo actively promotes Philippine cinema to reach wider audiences and gain international recognition.

Commitment to Diversity

During the opening, Festival Director Menene Gras Balaguer emphasized the event’s commitment to diversity and cultural dialogue, stating:

“We are talking about cinemas in many languages that belong to many cultures, but what unites them is that each film carries a clearly recognizable identity. You can easily distinguish when a film is Japanese, Korean, or Chinese — and this year, we are proud to have so many from the Philippines.”

She also noted that, during the San Sebastián Film Festival earlier this year, a cooperation agreement was signed with the Philippines to promote its cinema in other European and Latin American countries, where Filipino filmmakers will have the opportunity to expand their networks and explore co-production possibilities with other European and Latin American partners — a promising step for wider international exposure.

Now in its 13th year, the Asian Film Festival Barcelona continues to champion diversity, dialogue, and discovery, celebrating stories that connect cultures and bridge perspectives between Asia and Europe.

For Filipinos in Barcelona who want to attend the screenings and show their support for Filipino films, the festival will run until November 9, 2025.