Christian Candelaria works as a director/cinematographer/editor for films and branded content.A graduate of the University of the Philippines Film Institute, Cum Laude, Christian received the Best Thesis award for his film “Saíyang Islá” (2017). In that same year, the film won First Prize at the Gawad CCP Para sa Alternatibong Pelikula at Video as well as various awards including Best Feature and Best Direction at the Indie Un Film Festival. In 2018, it competed in the Cinemalaya Shorts section which earned him Best Screenplay as well as NETPAC Jury awards, and was also nominated for Best Short Film in that year’s Gawad Urian.To this day, “Saíyang Islá” has been featured in various film festivals and other screenings such as in Europe (Watersprite Film Festival, London and Kurtzfilm La Meko, Berlin).Christian aspires to make more films that celebrate gender beyond the binary.