MA-AN L. ASUNCION-DAGÑALAN, DGPI FSG
An acclaimed director and screenwriter, recognized for her award-winning work in Philippine cinema. She won Best Director at the 2022 Cinemalaya Film Festival and the 2023 Filipino Academy of Movie Arts and Sciences (FAMAS) Awards. Her film Blue Room received international acclaim, winning Best Foreign Film at the 2023 LA Femme International Film Festival which was held at the Regal Cinema in downtown Los Angeles and a Senate commendation as an Awardee of the 16th Ani ng Dangal Awards.
Pro Online Delegate at the 74th Locarno International Film Festival. Philippine Delegate to the IFFR: Rotterdam Lab 2025 (International Film Festival Rotterdam), Producers Network and Marche du Film at the 78th Cannes Film Festival.
Originally from San Fernando, Pampanga, she began her cinematic journey in 2003 at the Mowelfund Film Institute studying cinematography before expanding her expertise in Mexican filmmaking under Gustavo Loza in 2006. She trained under National Artist for Film and Broadcast Arts Ricky Lee, and Found Story founder Armando Lao.
She is a core member of the Filipino Screenwriters Guild (FSG), and Board Secretary of the Directors Guild of the Philippines (DGPI) <<<
MICHAEL ANGELO DAGÑALAN, DGPI FSG
"Walang edad ang Sining dahil ito ay Imortal."
Growing up watching double features made him love the silver screen. At a time when there was only komiks, radio and no TV. Starting out as a news writer/on-cam reporter, he pursued screenwriting and assistant director work. He attended the Screenwriting workshops by Ricky Lee, National Artist for Film and Broadcast Arts.
An opportunity to bring back the audience into the cinemas, Mike is working on his 4th feature the dark comedy/sci-fi "My AI Girlfriend"(DGPI-FDCP Film Pitch 2024) and the children’s drama (trauma/peace) shortfilm SUKLAY (NCCA Production grantee 2025) to contribute in this goal.
As a film lecturer, he believes that sharing means re-learning to develop film-making, its community and its audience. He is a bonafide member of the Filipino Screenwriters Guild (FSG), and Directors Guild of the Philippines (DGPI) <<<
His first three narrative features as Director/Writer/Producer are festival films.
ISNATS won First Prize, Dulang Pampelikula at 52nd Don Carlos Palanca Memorial Awards for Literature and Official Selection at the 1st Cinemalaya Independent Film Festival. Exhibition Film at 7th Cinemanila International Film Festival and Official Selection at New York Filipino Film Festival.
LAYANG BILANGGO won Best Picture, Best Director, Best Screenplay (with Ma-an Asuncion-Dagñalan , Melchor df. Escarcha) and Best Actor(Pen Medina’s first) at 6th Cinema One Originals Film Festival.
PAGLAYA SA TANIKALA was Official Selection at 38th Metro Manila Film Festival, New Wave section. Best Director/Best Actor nominee at 2013 Mirabile Dictu International Catholic Film Festival in Vatican City, Italy. 2nd Prize, 28th International Catholic Film and Multimedia Festival - Niepokalanow 2013 in Warsaw, Poland.
His Children’s drama/Deaf Cinema shortfilm, RIVER OF DREAMS, received a competitive grant from the National Committee on Cinema(NCCinema), under the Subcommission on the Arts(SCA) of the National Commission for Culture and the Arts(NCCA). It won Best Entry for Children and 3rd Prize, Short Feature at 21st Gawad CCP Para sa Alternatibong Pelikula at Video. 2nd Place, International Category at 6th India International Deaf Film Festival in New Delhi, India.