This paper examines how regional filmmaking in Western Visayas, Philippines -- particularly through Ilonggo cinema -- functions as a cultural counter-narrative to the Manila-centric Philippine film industry. Framed through postcolonial theory, vernacular cinema studies, and autoethnography, this study argues that regional cinema is not peripheral but central to reimagining national identity and authorship in Philippine media. Drawing on my experience as a filmmaker and creative producer with ERK Film Production, I explore how language, location, and lived experience shape the political and aesthetic dimensions of our films. Using key works such as Lugta ke Tamama (2018), SOLO (2021), and Bulawan nga Usa (2023), the paper analyzes how regional cinema asserts voice through the use of native languages (Hiligaynon, Kinaray-a), decentralized production practices, and community-centered storytelling. The discussion engages theoretical frameworks from Gayatri Spivak, Homi Bhabha, and Nick Deocampo to highlight how regional filmmakers negotiate visibility, reclaim authorship, and resist cultural homogenization. Moreover, the paper investigates how grassroots film festivals -- such as the Bantayan Film Festival in Guimbal -- embody cinema as communal ritual and platform for civic engagement. Ultimately, this paper contends that regional cinema is both a form of artistic labor and an epistemological intervention. By foregrounding the “language of the region,” it not only amplifies local stories but contributes to global conversations on cultural sovereignty, identity, and creative resistance. Regional cinema, far from being a localized endeavor, emerges as a powerful site where the personal becomes political -- and where the regional becomes universal.

Authors:
Kevin Piamonte, University of the Philippines Visayas, Philippines

About the Presenter(s)
Kevin Pison Piamonte is a filmmaker and professor at UP Visayas. His films explore regional identity and have screened internationally, including Busan and the FAMAS-winning short film SOLO.

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