Inquirer
Maris Racal’s ‘Sunshine’ wins 2 major awards at Austin Asian American Film Fest
The Filipino film "Sunshine," starring Maris Racal, won two major awards at the 2025 Austin Asian American Film Festival (AAAFF) in Texas: the Narrative Feature Jury Award and the Narrative Feature Audience Award.
The jury citation praised the film for its clear storytelling, potent sense of place, and an extraordinary lead performance by Maris Racal.
Directed by Antoinette Jadaone, "Sunshine" tells the story of a young gymnast, played by Racal, who discovers her pregnancy just days before national team tryouts.
The film explores her harrowing journey to terminate her pregnancy amidst the pressures of her athletic dreams and the Philippines' strict anti-abortion laws.
The supporting cast includes Elijah Canlas, Annika Co, Jennica Garcia, Meryll Soriano, Xyriel Manabat, and a special appearance by Piolo Pascual as Padre Jaime.
This achievement follows "Sunshine's" previous win of the Crystal Bear for Best Film at the 75th Berlin International Film Festival in February.
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