A Dubai-based Filipino film collective built on volunteerism and shared sacrifice walked away from the Emirates’ biggest independent film showcase with seven trophies and three nominations, spread across three original entries and a roster of actors, crew, and creatives.
The Revival Studios, an independent Filipino production group founded in 2023 by Owrhee Alanes and director Kay Cee Castellano, competed at the 12th Emirates Film Festival with three films and emerged among the night’s standout Filipino winners. The festival held its 12th edition Awards Night on July 26 at the New Covent Garden Theatre inside Mall of the Emirates, celebrating filmmakers from the UAE and the wider international community.
The wins were shared across the entire team. “Yung Tayo Na Hindi Naging Tayo” led the count, taking Emerging Filmmaker for Yasmeen Francisco, Best Makeup and Hairstyling, EFF Most Promising Actress for Charmae Cabrera, and Best Supporting Actor for Chie Choi Bars, with Goldy Fernandez nominated for Best Supporting Actress. “The Guardian” earned Best Child Performance for young actor Aleah Madaine Casa Evangelista and a Best in Production nomination. “LAZO” placed in the Top 3 Psychological Film category and won Best Original Soundtrack for Benjohn Tamayo, with a nomination for Best in Sound.
The result builds on the group’s festival debut a year earlier, when it claimed Best Actor, Best Actress, and Emerging Filmmaker honors at the 11th Emirates Film Festival, along with a Best Editing nomination, in its first international festival appearance.
What began as a partnership between Alanes and Castellano — two friends with no formal filmmaking background, who taught themselves through experience and online platforms — has grown into a filmmaking family of more than 20 artists backed by a 10-member production team. Operating without the resources of a major studio, the group has relied on teamwork and volunteerism to offset limited budgets and personal sacrifices.
In three years, the collective says it has drawn more than 100 million views across digital platforms and built a following of over 786,000 on Facebook, positioning itself as a growing voice for Filipino storytelling abroad.
The latest recognition reinforces the founders’ original belief: that meaningful filmmaking is defined not by budget but by vision, resilience, and the collective passion of artists who refuse to give up.
