HIGANTE, a student-produced film of the Mariano Marcos State University, won Second Best Film as it represented the Ilocos Region in the PelikulAgraryo 2025 Central Film Festival Awards of the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) held on October 6 at Novotel Manila, Araneta Center, Quezon City.

Competing under the Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries (ARB) category, the film also garnered awards for Best Teaser, Best Music, Best Editing, and Best Screenplay.

The film’s director, Benedict Jay Collado, was hailed as the Best Director, while Miko Jose earned the Best Actor Honorable Mention award.

According to Collado, HIGANTE was inspired by the life of Imelda Comahig of Banna, Ilocos Norte, depicting the different issues that farmers constantly face, including natural calamities and issues of inequity in the agricultural sector.

The production team included Jethro Nicolas, John Paul Valdez, Gian Carlo Corrales, Cherizze Joy Carreon, Jordan Lance Lazaga, Rochelle Ramos, Jeremy Pascual, Andrei Zai Albano, Kenneth Michael Garduque, Clarie Jaen Agustin, and Abigail Jemima Pasion, along with actors Allyza Mae Agustin and Lhourd Steve Catiwa, under the guidance of Dr. Rommel Pascua.

With the theme, "𝘗𝘢𝘨-𝘢𝘯𝘪 𝘴𝘢 𝘮𝘨𝘢 𝘗𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘢𝘳𝘢𝘱: 𝘔𝘨𝘢 𝘒𝘸𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘰 𝘯𝘨 𝘗𝘢𝘨-𝘢𝘴𝘢 𝘢𝘵 𝘛𝘢𝘨𝘶𝘮𝘱𝘢𝘺 𝘴𝘢 𝘈𝘨𝘳𝘢𝘳𝘺𝘰" (Harvest of Dreams: Agrarian Stories of Hope and Success), the festival emphasized the success and transformative stories of Agrarian Reform Beneficiary (ARBs) and Agrarian Reform Beneficiary Organizations (ARBOs) through the cinematic creativity of the youth.

Other winners in the ARB category are Binhi of the Holy Cross of Davao College from Region XI for Best Film and Isagani of Palawan State University from MIMAROPA for Third Best Film. In the ARBO category, winners are Ang Pagtililipon Sang Mga Damgo of Aklan State University from Region VI for Best Film, Ani Nila of Batangas State University Alangilan Campus from CALABARZON for Second Best Film, and Rang-ay of Tarlac State University from Region III for Third Best Film.

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