Animation adds a touch of tenderness to the stories that shape us, even when the truths surrounding them are best served cold. And when our favorite celebrities lend their voices to the art form, you know you’re in for a heartfelt masterpiece like no other.
Photo: Zaijian Jaranilla, Meryll Soriano, Clister Santos
Take Zaijian Jaranilla and Meryll Soriano, for instance, who are bringing a dose of youth and wonder to this year’s QCinema International Film Festival in their first major roles in an animated project. They’re set to headline Sana’y Nandito Ka, a coming-of-age short that uses three-dimensional (3D) art styles to capture the ebbs and flows of the average Filipino’s life. Teeming with interwoven themes of acceptance, growth, and familial ties, the 21-minute story shows how love can still prevail in all forms, even when the system we abide by attempts to deprive us of it.
View this post on Instagram
In Sana’y Nandito Ka, Zaijian and Meryll breathe life into Kyle and Loren, a mother-and-son duo who spend Election Day together after six years apart. Though distance and resentment still linger between them, they gradually learn that the love in their hearts has never truly run out.
Also starring Harvey Bautista and Jeula Agbayani, Sana’y Nandito Ka puts our beliefs on humanity in a simple yet enduring light that resonates with Filipinos from all walks of life. Here’s why this inspiring animated tale is a worthwhile watch at QCinema 2026:
Real-life Musings on the Big Screen
Reconnecting with estranged loved ones is a Sisyphean task that Filipinos know all too well. Our gripes about sudden changes and uncertainties alone can deeply affect how we treat them (and vice versa), especially when, after years of living without them, we no longer recognize them as caringly as before.
For Sana’y Nandito Ka’s writer and director, Clister Santos, however, these grudges, albeit enduring, can also allow space for the tough conversations and healing journeys we’ve put aside to survive. After growing apart from his own mother at the cusp of young adulthood, he aimed to share his story in hopes of connecting with fellow Filipinos who had to power through the pivotal chapters in their lives alone. Through animation, he thoughtfully reminds today’s generation that our innate independence and desire for human connections can coexist, even in the simplest everyday encounters.
When the demands of reality stretch us too thin, leaving little to no time for us to sit with our innermost feelings, Sana’y Nandito Ka reassures us that there’s no harm in slowing down. Ergo, a little reminiscence about how far we’ve come thus far (and everyone who helped get us there) won’t hurt.
The Power of Memories and Mundane Magic
View this post on Instagram
Rolling with the punches of our responsibilities and obligations will make us realize how much we take the unassuming aspects of our lives for granted. The more eager we become to meet our goals with utmost efficiency, the more our journeys towards them—from people-watching at the bus station to sharing hearty meals at humble kiosks—become distant memories.
Sana’y Nandito Ka turns these simple yet impactful experiences into keepsakes we’ll never lose sight of, no matter where our aspirations take us. Most of us may believe that nothing in life is permanent, but this sentimental ode to hope begs to differ.
Filipino Animation Owns the Spotlight
Clister Santos’s Sana’y Nandito Ka won’t be the only QCinema entry that’ll uplift the country’s emerging animators and visual storytellers this year. The film festival’s opening title, Mervin Malonzo’s Ella Arcangel: Awit ng Pangil at Kuko, will also empower creatives across all generations with its fantastical depictions of Filipino folklore through the eyes and ears of its spunky titular lead (voiced by Bianca Umali).
Mervin brought Ella Arcangel to fruition with ample help from Julius Villanueva, author of the horror-fantasy komiks of the same title from which the film was adapted. The story’s forthcoming participation in QCinema is already opening many doors for aspiring filmmakers, voice actors, and multi-passionate creatives working tirelessly for their big break.
Clister, on the other hand, dabbled in various animation methods before directing Sana’y Nandito Ka. He was a key animator for the upcoming ZsaZsa Zaturnnah cartoon, which made a lasting impression at international film festivals this year. He also practiced rotoscope animation for Carl Joseph Papa’s 58th and Patay Gutom.
The QCinema International Film Festival runs from November 13 to 22, 2026, championing a diverse range of genres and breakthroughs in modern-day cinema. And as Filipino animation continues its undeniable winning streak, we can’t wait for the medium to reach even wider audiences in the years to come.
ALSO READ: The Old Billy Is Gone! Kathryn Bernardo Enters a New Era in “Someone, Someday”
Which titles are you excited to watch at this year’s QCinema International Film Festival? Sound off and share your picks with us in the comments below!
Do you have a story for the WhenInManila.com team? Email us at wheninmanila@gmail.com or send us a direct message on WhenInManila.com’s Facebook Page. Interact with the team, join the WhenInManila.com community at WIM Squad, and join our Viber group to stay updated on the latest from the Philippines and beyond!
