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© 2026 The Couch Critic
Browse 247 movies from UP Film Institute
At the height of their relationship, two great friends since junior high school realize a significant life change may come sooner than later.
Mar 2025
Experiencing extreme sleep deprivation for months, a young man tape-records his memories for preservation against sinister, clandestine watchers.
Dec 2024
Three former high school best friends reunite four years later in college. Their short reunion grows tenser as they recall something from their past.
Jan 2024
Disinterested by their video lectures, a college student entertains themself through doodles and illustrations — only to find themself suddenly transported to a mythical forest where they meet another version of themself.
A short thesis film by Karla Garcia.
May 2025
A street dance troupe will discover a dark secret caused by their carelessness that will eventually affect their final performance.
A delayed UP student faces obstacles when enlisting in her final PE class because she is a dinosaur!
Within the walls of a domesticated city, three Filipina PCOS warriors find themselves stuck in a loop of their nightmares from women’s hell. They try to claw their way out violently, only to discover that the sole escape route is to awaken themselves collectively from within.
Aug 2025
On the anniversary of her renowned musician sister's death, a young radio presenter revisits her unreleased demo tapes in the studio for a documentary and finds herself haunted by the guilt of her past sins. Based on 'The Raven' and 'The Tell-tale Heart' by Edgar Allan Poe.
Jun 2026
Across a white void, old documents and items come to life and speak: a cacophony of archival sounds and voices of youth growing up in an elite all-boys' private Catholic high school in the Philippines bursts through as the country undergoes great change and political turmoil. Navigating these systems of influence, power, and control, both the documents and repressed voices seek their own means of liberation, as lines break out of formation and colored ink spills out of the pages.
May 2024
Exploring the memories and experiences he had growing up, a son talks to his parents about how he felt mainly living with his mother while also visiting his father here and there who now had his own separate family.
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An overheard imitative playing of a tarot reading forces Tasha to confront all her suppressed life tensions in an overnight house party—including her admiration for her fond rival Mela.
A film by Macky Esquibel
Jun 2024
A barangay avoids hell through a yearly sacrifice of a child. Desperate to make peace with her friend's death six years ago, Mads takes the matter into her own hands.
Oct 2023
A poetry film that tells the story of a man struggling with his deteriorating mental state and self-destruction.
Dec 2025
In a Pacmanesque system, a P20 coin, Filipino fellowmen, and a family navigate their way through the glitching “mahal” (love), “mahal” (expensive), “mahal kita” (I love you), and “mahal kita” (earning is difficult).
Oct 2024
Two mothers strive to live a life of hope and strength while carrying the unbelievable pain of losing their husband and child to Rodrigo Duterte’s vicious war on drugs.
Aug 2024
Luna, Sol, Kenok, Anna, and Tonton arrive at their usual hangout spot, an abandoned building full of trash and graffiti. They make it a point to enjoy the night and forget about the things that happened before. After a couple of drinks, the five friends play charades, cards and some party games. Luna then suggests that they play bang-sak to reminisce about their childhood, all of them agree. But this game took a dark turn as the night progresses.
Aug 2022
The Slums is a 2019 comedy mockumentary film about an urban poor family terrorized by a documentary crew that promised to help them.
May 2019
A high school campus journalist navigates his now strained relationship with his best friend after the unauthorized publication of his disapproved article.