chickenligaya
Biography
With multiple roots in Visayan islands, Ligaya Villablanca is a media practitioner, a descendant of a pre-colonial buang, and a believer of regional cinema. As an alumna of BFA Cinema from University of San Carlos, they were an officer of CINEMATA for three consecutive years; Founded the regional film initiative, Moving Eyelands PH; and was a participant of Cinema Without Borders Southeast Asia Workshop, DAKILA Heroes Hub 2023, and QCinema Critics Lab 2024. They have served as Jury in multiple film festivals since 2021 and have received the Alexis Tioseco and Nika Bohinc Award from QCinema International Film Festival 2024. Their directorial works are all manifestations of their inter-island wandering mind that explores the themes of ethnolinguistic identity and collective grief in their own humorous flavor. Currently based in Quezon City pursuing UPD’s MS Media Arts (Film) and daydreaming about Shrek.
Known For & Full Filmography2 Titles
Movie - 2025, 2h 15m • as Self
Based on a SINEGANG.ph article of the same name, this meta-documentary follows two aspiring Leyteño filmmakers as they set out to explore and document the film scene in Leyte (or the lack thereof). As their project unfolds, the region’s cinematic void begins to weigh on them, testing their passion and leading them down a path of growing frustration and disillusionment.
Movie - 2021, 2h 15m • as Daughter (Segment: Ñawa, Mauli-uli na)
In Age of Blight, 12 Asian filmmakers capture and imagine life under the pandemic, from the hospital corridors of Marawi to protest rallies in the streets of Bangkok. The film mirrors light amidst the chaos and darkness, life in the face of death. Participating filmmakers are Mervine Aquino (Philippines), Bagane Fiola (Philippines), Daniel Rudi Haryanto (Indonesia), Hassanodden Hashim (Philippines), Gladys Ng (Singapore), Nontawat Numbenchapol (Thailand), Carla Pulido Ocampo (Philippines), Edmund Telmo (Philippines), Mark Lester Valle (Philippines), Ligaya Villablanca (Philippines), Takayuki Yoshida (Japan), and Abdul Zainidi (Brunei). Edited and assembled by John Torres (Philippines).