Team As the Moth Flies
MANILA -- There had been earlier heartbreaks while producing the short film "As The Moth Flies," but young filmmaker Gayle Oblea refused to let them derail the now-first FAMAS short film festival's best picture.
The short film, starring Boo Gabunada, Mina Cruz, and Epy Quizon, was inspired by Oblea's own experiences as a mental health advocate and served as a kind of therapy once she was able to overcome her mental health challenges.
Quizon came to her rescue as a co-producer and filmmaking mentor, for which she is grateful. Happy Manila and Rav Singh, both major supporters of Pinoy storytelling, also helped with the production of the short film.
With all of their hard work and dedication, their short film won big in the first FAMAS short film festival, which took place on May 10 at the Music Museum and was led by FAMAS president Francia Camacho Conrado and festival director Gabby Ramos of REMS Entertainment Production.
As Oblea and her team accepted their awards for best picture, best actress, and best editing, the crowd went wild. Their team was enjoying the moment they had been waiting for while dressed entirely in black.
“This film is not just a story. It’s a bridge. A bridge for those who suffer in silence, and for those who’ve never understood what that silence feels like. Because cinema has the power to do what words alone cannot— it makes people feel,” Oblea said.
"This award is not just a celebration. It’s a responsibility. A reminder that storytelling is a calling — and that films shouldn’t just be made to entertain. It should be a medium to inspire and open topics people fear to talk about.”
“We promise to continue to create films that make people feel. Because feeling is where understanding begins. And understanding is where the stigma ends,” the filmmaker added.
Meanwhile, here's the complete list of winners from the 2025 FAMAS short film festival.
Best Student Film - KIYAW by Jericho Jeriel Bassig
Best Documentary Film - NO MAN LEFT BEHIND by Ella Mage and Emir Kahn Bautista
Best Regional Film - PAGTAGHOY SA HANGIN by Kyle Erika Saycon
Best Advocacy Film - BENEPISYO by Angelito J. De Guzman & Hellow Mr. Jenkins
Best Child Performer/Actor - Earl Quintana (PARAPO Jhonn Bobier)
Best Actress - Mina Cruz (AS THE MOTH FLIES by Gayle Oblea)
Best Actor - Soliman Cruz (ANG HULING LIHAM by Miguel Potestades)
Best Production Design - Harley Alcasid (ONE DAY, THREE AUTUMNS by Bridget Rabo Ng-Ting)
Best Music & Sound Design - Glemuel Rigo and Junelle Tecson (KIYAW by Jericho Jeriel Bassig)
Best Editing - Gayle Oblea and Noah del Rosario (AS THE MOTH FLIES by Gayle Oblea)
Best Cinematography - Jhonn Bobier, Lance Allen, and Justine Mark Uy (PARAPO by Jhonn Bobier)
Best Screenplay - KITA MO ‘TO? by Adam Dominic Dumaguin
Best Director - PARAPO by Jhonn Bobier
Best Picture - AS THE MOTH FLIES by Gayle Oblea