“PelikulAgraryo 2025” - A Cinematic Salute to Farmers’ Untold Stories

TUGUEGARAO CITY, June 13, 2025 - Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries (ARBs) in Cagayan Valley are stepping out of the fields and onto the screen, as DAR Region 02 unveils PelikulAgraryo 2025, a short-film competition that puts farmers at the heart of the story.

Lights, Camera, Agraryo! This year’s DAR Central and Regional Film Festival (DARCRFF) challenges tertiary-level students, especially from Cagayan State University-Carig Campus, to direct and produce short films that give voice to real experiences of land reform beneficiaries, cooperatives, and ARBO-led initiatives.

According to DAR Cagayan Valley Regional Director Primo C. Lara, the event is more than a creative showcase: it’s a platform to bridge generational divides, making agrarian reform issues relatable and emotionally resonant, especially for the youth.

Fresh Voices Illuminate Rural Realities. Past editions in Cagayan, Isabela, Quirino, and Nueva Vizcaya provinces have shown the power of story: student filmmakers crafted narratives that blended legal battles, multigenerational wisdom, and the triumph of securing land titles.

One such film depicts a beneficiary’s journey from landlessness to cultivating ownership through Project SPLIT. Others highlight challenges, like protecting ancestral land or preserving agrarian legacy. These stories have captivated both judges and audiences.

Youth + Roots = Rural Renaissance. “Students are often unaware of agrarian reform’s impact,” DAR-Cagayan’s campaign explains. By having young creatives collaborate with ARBs, the festival fosters empathy, historical awareness, and even calls students to become future champions of rural development.

In Cagayan Valley, representatives from DAR and local universities have teamed up to mentor entries and urged filmmakers to dig deep into ARB communities for authentic, powerful stories.

On the Road to National Finals. PelikulAgraryo 2025 kicked off its call for entries in February. Regional judging will took place on June 11, 2025 - the Awarding will be on June 28, 2025 and the best films will move forward to the national finals under the theme “Pag‑ani sa mga Pangarap: Mga Kwento ng Pag‑asa at Tagumpay sa Agraryo” (“Harvest of Dreams: Stories of Agrarian Hope and Success”).

Judges are looking for originality, strong storytelling, technical skill and most importantly, narratives that humanize land reform, going beyond policies and statistics.