Cinemata gathers filmmakers, curators, et al to advance Philippine cinema

This year marks an important milestone for Cinemata as we host our first-ever community convening, bringing together filmmakers, curators, educators, technologists, researchers, advocates, and cultural workers from across the Asia-Pacific.

Held alongside the Digital Rights Asia-Pacific Assembly (DRAPAC26) in Manila on June 10 to 11, 2026, the gathering served as a space for dialogue, exchange, and collective planning around the future of public-interest storytelling, community-driven curation, digital rights, and independent film circulation in the region.

The convening also featured conversations on community governance, platform sustainability, digital infrastructure and the public launch of Cinemata 3.0, the newest iteration of the platform developed through collaborations across multiple countries. Participants from the Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Myanmar, Bangladesh, India, and Australia contributed to discussions and working groups exploring how film, technology, education, and advocacy can intersect to strengthen cultural and civic participation across Asia-Pacific. (Eunice Helera)