Philippine animation takes over the 2026 Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival
Filipino short films have taken great strides on the world stage. Just last year, local filmmaker JT Trinidad’s short film “Honey, My Love So Sweet” was selected for the Locarno International Film Festival in Switzerland. Meanwhile, “Agapito,” directed by Arvin Belarmino and Kyla Danelle Romero, also drew special attention at the Cannes Film Festival’s Short Films – In Competition category.
But this year, two film students showed the untapped potential of local animation, with “Runo!,” a 2D animated short film that screened at the 2026 Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival.
All about Runo
The 14-minute short follows Runo, a hungry and caring aspin who loves two things above all else: food and her owner, Aimee. But one day, when her food bowl is empty, and Aimee is nowhere to be found, Runo embarks on a perilous journey across Metro Manila to have her bowl refilled.
The twist? A zombie apocalypse had just begun in the Philippines a few days ago, leading Runo to face great danger while finding (and rescuing) her owner.
At the time of the story, Runo is four years old, while Aimee is a senior high school student. They crossed paths when a seventh-grade Aimee rescued Runo from the streets, creating an unbreakable bond no zombie can break.
The short film’s advisory content includes violence, blood & gore, and emotional pain—the latter, you wouldn’t wish to see in a film with a dog as loving and sweet as Runo.
From the classroom to the world’s stage
“Runo!” was selected in the 2026 Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival’s “Duty Free” program, a free-of-charge or pay-what-you-can screening of five selected short films from all over the world.
The film festival began in 1983 and has presented over 6,000 films, videos, and digital media works by Asian & Pacific Islander artists. It is also notably an Academy Award®-qualifying film festival for Short Film Awards. Meaning, winners of the Golden Reel Award for Narrative/Animated Short Film can submit in the Animated Short Film/Live-Action Short Film category of the Academy Awards®.
Previously, “Runo!” was initially selected in the 2025 QCinema International Film Festival QCShorts program, alongside other local and international entries. More recently, the short film also screened in several cinematheque centres nationwide.
The short film is directed, written, and edited by Jazmine Gin R. Pateña and Lysa Catolico, two animation students who are also mentees from iAcademy’s indiegenius project lab. Meanwhile, Nour Hooshmand plays Aimee, who also notably stars in Belarmino and Romero’s “Agapito.”
Heartwarming films like “Runo!” remind us to care for those closest to us, whether it be our loved ones or a fur baby as food-loving as Runo. But particularly today, when theater attendance continues to be challenged by rising costs and streaming platforms, now more than ever, we should let international victories such as this remind us of the great talents we already have.
We have the capacity for great cinema, and two students just showed that, again.
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