10/27/2025
Crisostomo Ibarra Awards Honor Filipino Filmmaking Excellence at Las Vegas Filipino Short Film Festival
Las Vegas, NV — October 26, 2025
The 3rd Annual Las Vegas Filipino Short Film Festival culminated in a dazzling celebration Sunday evening at FilAm Central in Las Vegas’ Filipino Town, spotlighting the best in Filipino storytelling through the prestigious Crisostomo Ibarra Awards. Named after the iconic hero of José Rizal’s Noli Me Tangere, the awards honor transformative narratives and artistic excellence in Filipino cinema.
Hosted by Elevare, the festival drew over 60 entries from across the diaspora, showcasing a vibrant mix of genres and voices. Held from October 24–26, the weekend featured screenings at Galaxy Theatres and culminated in the awards gala at FilAm Central, a cultural hub for the Filipino-American community.
Top Honors and Winners
The night’s biggest winner was Ahon, directed by Trixie Pacis, which took home Best Director and Best Short Film. Bulosan earned Best Screenwriting, while Dagiti Nalaga Nga Istoria impressed with wins in Best Cinematography and a nomination sweep across categories.
Here’s the full list of nominees and winners:
Best Screenwriting
• Milly & Milo
• Bulosan — 🏆 Winner
• Goldfish
Best Cinematography
• Milly & Milo
• Reception
• Dagiti Nalaga Nga Istoria — 🏆 Winner
Best Editing
• In Circles — 🏆 Winner
• Dagiti Nalaga Nga Istoria
• Desync
Best Musical Score
• Bulosan
• Awit ng Puso — 🏆 Winner
• Dagiti Nalaga Nga Istoria
Best Director
• Reception (San-San Onglatco)
• Ahon (Trixie Pacis) — 🏆 Winner
• The Manalos (Mike Taplacido)
Best Female Performer
• Pushover (Sarah Obal) — 🏆 Winner
• Goldfish (Hanah Cadaoas)
• Awit ng Puso (Aaliyah Magcasi)
Best Male Performer
• Milly & Milo (Bart McCarthy)
• Pasensya (Ralph Torrefranca)
• Awit Natin (Bryan Vallecer) — 🏆 Winner
Best Short Film
• We’re Just Sleepwalking
• Awit Natin
• Milly & Milo
• Ahon — 🏆 Winner
Special Awards
Best of Nevada: Recognizing excellence in filmmaking from Nevada-based creators.
• Breakdance LLC — 🏆 Winner
• Undying Love
• Pushover
Bahaghari Award: Celebrating LGBTQ+ narratives and inclusive storytelling.
• Milly and Milo — 🏆 Winner
• Stay
• In Circles
Festival organizers emphasized the importance of elevating underrepresented voices and fostering creative exchange. “This is more than a film festival—it’s a movement,” said one organizer. “We’re building bridges between generations, genres, and geographies.”
For more on the festival, visit lvshortfilm.com
📷 Photo by Dodgie Carillo