First Lady Highlights Power of Cinema to Unite Region at ASEAN Film Summit
NEWS | First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos welcomed filmmakers, cultural leaders, and industry professionals from across Southeast Asia and beyond as the 2026 ASEAN Film & Television Summit officially commenced on Thursday, Aug. 13.
Courtesy: Liza Marcos
Speaking at the opening of the two-day event held at Seda Manila Bay, the First Lady delivered an inspiring message that emphasized the unique capacity of cinema to transcend geographic boundaries, bridge diverse cultures, and foster deeper human connections.
"May we continue to use the magic of film to bring our ASEAN family even closer together," Araneta-Marcos said, highlighting that the screen serves as an invaluable medium for regional empathy. She noted that by discovering the stories of neighboring nations, audiences are given a unique opportunity to rediscover aspects of their own identity, as shared hopes, dreams, and historical experiences inherently connect the region despite its cultural diversity.
The high-profile summit, running from August 13 to 14, is spearheaded by the Film Development Council of the Philippines (FDCP) in close collaboration with the Asian Film Alliance Network (AFAN). Designed to foster dialogue and pave the way for collaborative cross-border initiatives, the gathering aims to significantly strengthen the broader Asian screen ecosystem, with a particular focus on regional film archiving and media education.
During her remarks, the First Lady expressed her heartfelt gratitude to the FDCP for its dedicated efforts in uniting the region's storytellers, directors, and creative visionaries under a singular collaborative platform.
The opening ceremony also drew several prominent figures from the cultural and creative sectors, including acclaimed filmmaker and National Artist Kidlat Tahimik, alongside delegates representing South Korea, France, Japan, Thailand, Cambodia, Indonesia, Mongolia, Malaysia, and Laos.
Highlighting the long-term vision of the gathering, FDCP Chairperson Jose Javier Reyes explained that building mutual understanding through cinema is foundational to regional stability. Reyes shared that the Philippines hopes the summit will serve as a catalyst for establishing a sustainable, unified "Asian bloc of creatives" capable of elevating regional masterpieces onto the global cinematic stage.
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