Where to stream Filipino films: 2022 edition
There always seems to be a debate whether Filipino movies are worth watching. Some people apparently have a singular view of local films (a.k.a. the Vice Ganda filmography) or those who think that production studios only churn out rom-coms or unscary horror movies (somewhat true). But there are production studios putting out great work — work so great that before the pandemic, many critics and pundits dubbed the current era as the third golden age of Filipino films (see our Best Filipino Films of the 2010s or our annual Best Filipino Films list as proof). There are plenty of great films that appeal to different kinds of audiences. The pandemic has enabled audiences to discover films they might have skipped in the theaters because of the quick pullout “rule.” Films like “Ang Pangarap Kong Holdap,” “I’m Drunk, I Love You,” and “Smaller and Smaller Circles” are enjoying a second life on Netflix under the streaming platform’s Popular and Trending Now lists.
Here, we list the other movie streaming apps (aside from Netflix) where you can deep dive and discover (or re-discover) that there’s more to Filipino films than you thought.
1. WeTV
Tencent Video’s international version is home to many Pinoy TV shows and movies. The video app is slowly trying out original Filipino shows such as girls’ love series “Betcin” starring Kylie Padilla and Andrea Torres, and the hilarious sex comedy “The Kangks Show” with Angelica Panganiban (it is one of WeTV’s top hits). You can also watch some great old school films on WeTV that are kind of hard to find anywhere else. There’s not a lot to choose from compared to Netflix or other sites but some gems include Jeffery Jeturian’s “Tuhog” and Chito S. Roño’s “Signal Rock,” which is our 2018 entry to the Academy Awards’ International Feature Film Category. Other worthwhile films include “Barber’s Tales” and “Live Show.”
Some content is available for free. A subscription starts at ₱59.
2. VivaMax
One of the most talked about newbies in the film streaming game is VivaMax. Home to the new wave of pito-pito films, the site is a treasure trove of skin flicks and Viva classics. You can mine the app for, well, Viva’s vast catalog — from Lino Brocka classics to JaDine hits. A multi-screen subscription is definitely worth it. Some recommended films include Ishmael Bernal’s “Working Girls,” Antoinette Jadaone’s “Never Not Love You,” Alvin Yapan’s “Ang Sayaw ng Dalawang Kaliwang Paa,” Lawrence Fajardo’s “Reroute,” and Irene Villamor’s “Ikaw at Ako at ang Ending.” I could go on and on.
A subscription starts at ₱149.
3. iWantTFC
The merged version of iWantTV and TFC features films and TV shows from ABS-CBN, so expect a lot of Star Cinema rom-coms and horror movies. Movies are also for rent such as the recent MMFF entry “Whether the Weather is Fine” and the hilarious “Mamu (and a Mother Too).” You can also find some Cinemalaya films such as “I, America,” “Ang Babae sa Septic Tank,” and “John Denver Trending.” iWant previously ventured into original content, producing films such as the horror film “Ma” and the Angel Aquino-Tony Labrusca starrer, “Glorious.”
A subscription starts at ₱119.
4. Cignal Play
CignalPlay is Cignal TV’s streaming venture, which hosts TV channels such as TV5, OneSports, OnePH, A2Z, and PTV4. The selection of films is pretty decent with “Babae at Baril,” “Kalel, 15,” “Gusto Kita with All My Hypothalamus,” and “Born Beautiful.” The platform also features films from the CignalTV and Unitel film festival CineFilipino, such as “Poon,” “Sakaling Hindi Makarating,” “Ang Huling Cha-Cha ni Anita,” which is one of the best Filipino films of the 2010s.
Basic channels are for free. A subscription starts at ₱75.
