Agapito by Arvin Belarmino & Kyla Romero | PHL | 15'

It's the last day of the month. Bowlers flock to the lanes of a bowling alley that has seen better days. Mira, the manager, decides to close early.
She's awaiting the arrival of a special visitor.

Arvin Belarmino is a Filipino filmmaker and an alumnus of Talents Tokyo, Locarno Filmmakers Academy, Produire Au Sud in Nantes, La Fabrique Cinéma, the Next Step Program by La Semaine de la Critique, and the Cinéfondation Residency by the Festival de Cannes.

In 2020, his short film TARANG won Best Short Film at Interfilm Berlin in Germany.

During the 2024 Cannes Film Festival, Arvin screened and presented two short films — RADIKALS, selected for the Critics' Week Competition, and SILIG, shown at Directors’ Fortnight for Directors' Factory Philippines.

In 2025, his short film AGAPITO was an Official Selection at the 78th Festival de Cannes — Short Film Competition, and at the 50th Toronto International Film Festival.

Kyla Romero is a screenwriter, director, filmmaker, and Psychology graduate from the University of the Philippines.

Her debut short film Dosena won 3rd place at the 34th Gawad Alternatibo and was selected for Spanish Film Festival Manila, Bakunawa Cinema of the Young, and the 2023 Busan International Short Film Festival. It was also nominated for Best Short Film at the FAMAS Awards.

She co‑wrote Hinakdal, winner of Audience Choice, NETPAC, and Best Screenplay at Cinemalaya 2023.

As co‑writer to Arvin Belarmino, she co‑wrote Ria (Cannes La Résidence, Talents Tokyo) and Radikals (63rd Semaine de la Critique, Cannes).

In 2025, she co‑directed Agapito, a Short Film in Competition at the 78th Cannes Film Festival, becoming the first Filipina director in the section.