Kapatid actress Andrea Brillantes represented the Philippines at the Women and the World International Film Festival (WWIFF) 2026 for the world premiere of her new film, “Laya.”
The movie premiered on November 7 at the Rio Cinema in London, competing in the Feature Fiction Competition as the sole Philippine entry alongside films from Ukraine, Kazakhstan, Canada, the United States, and the United Kingdom.
Brillantes also attended the festival’s Opening Gala Night on November 5, delivering a speech alongside the Philippine ambassador and festival jury representatives.
“Thank you for championing women’s stories in cinema. We need more spaces like this film festival; spaces that put women at the center of creativity. Laya means ‘freedom’ in Filipino. And I believe we all deserve to be free: Free to love, free to live, and free to create,” Brillantes said.
Directed by Sigrid Andrea Bernardo—known for “Kita Kita” and the MMFF 2025 Best Picture winner “I’mPerfect”—”Laya” also stars JC Santos and Anthony Jennings. Bernardo shared that the project draws inspiration from deep emotions and nature.
“Laya stayed with me somewhere deep. Between the ocean, whale sharks and the things we keep buried inside us, I kept thinking about freedom,” Bernardo explained.
The film received backing from the Film Development Council of the Philippines via its CreatePH Large Budget Production Grant. Additionally, international co-producer Arleen Cuevas participated in a UK Parliament roundtable with Minister Ian Murray titled “The Role of Women in Cinema in Times of Global Crisis.”
Following its London festival run and Q&A session with viewers, “Laya” is set to hit Philippine cinemas on November 25.