Bacolod City opens call for entries for annual film festival

Bacolod City is once again turning its lens toward homegrown talent with the 3rd Bacolod Film Festival, inviting local filmmakers, writers, and artists to capture the city's evolving identity on screen.

The push builds on Bacolod's standing as a UNESCO Creative City of Film, a designation it has held since 2017, which ties the city to a global network working to develop local film industries. Guided by the theme “Pag-angot: Celebrating Heritage, Shaping Our Future,” this year's competition challenges participating teams to bridge history and modern storytelling. To qualify, entries must integrate three to five recognizable local heritage elements, which may include historical landmarks, regional traditions, local cuisine, community figures, or cultural festivals.

The city will select eight to 10 finalist projects, and each chosen team will receive a P100,000 production grant to bring its short film to the festival. The deadline for the submission of entries is Aug. 21. Original live-action short films must be shot primarily within Bacolod City, and the completed works will officially premiere during the main festival run scheduled from Nov. 27 to 29 this year.

Auditions open for Pinoy Big Brother Collab 3.0

GMA Network and ABS-CBN Studios are opening the Pinoy Big Brother house to ordinary Filipinos once again for Pinoy Big Brother Collab 3.0, giving every Filipino around the world aged 18 to 35 the chance to fulfill the dream of becoming a housemate.

The “Collab” editions carry added weight in Philippine broadcasting, pairing two networks that spent decades as fierce competitors on a single franchise, while Pinoy Big Brother itself — the local adaptation of the global Big Brother format — has been a television fixture since it first aired in 2005.

Interested parties can join the auditions by visiting Joinnow.ph/PBBCollab, where the complete mechanics are posted. Aspiring housemates need to upload a one-minute video introducing themselves and explaining why they should become a new housemate for the new season. Entries will be accepted until Aug. 31, 11:59 p.m.

Star Wars: Return of the Jedi in Concert unveils ticket bundles

With less than three weeks remaining until Star Wars: Return of the Jedi in Concert arrives at The Theatre at Solaire on Sept. 5 and 6, Film Concerts PH is unveiling exclusive ticket bundles, official merchandise, and immersive fan experiences around the event.

Like other film-in-concert productions, the show is built on John Williams' score for Return of the Jedi, the 1983 finale of the original trilogy — a format that has brought live orchestral screenings of major franchises to audiences worldwide.

Starting Aug. 20, “three plus one” bundle promotions will be available on TicketWorld, allowing fans to enjoy the show with friends and family. The Sith Lords Bundle offers four Sith seats for the price of three, while the Jedi Order Bundle offers four Jedi seats for the price of three. The promotion is valid for all performances and will be applied automatically at checkout. Tickets are available via Ticketworld.com.ph and participating outlets nationwide.

XONARA named Timezone's newest brand ambassador

Filipino arcade culture and P-pop fandom are colliding with Timezone Philippines' announcement of seven-member girl group XONARA as its newest brand ambassadors.

The pairing mirrors a broader marketing shift in the Philippines, where mainstream brands increasingly tap P-pop acts — a scene propelled by groups such as SB19 and BINI — to reach young consumers.

The one-year partnership includes a buy 250, get 500 credit bonus on the Timezone Fun App with the code XONARA, while official Timezone x XONARA photocards are also dropping on Aug. 25.

Marvel's VisionQuest to premiere on Disney+ in October

Marvel Television's VisionQuest, an all-new original series coming exclusively to Disney+ on Oct. 14, is set to conclude the epic trilogy that began with 2021's award-winning WandaVision and 2024's acclaimed Agatha All Along.

Paul Bettany, the Vision himself, and Ultron's James Spader recently joined executive producer and Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige on the stage of the Honda Center in Anaheim at D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event, where they teased fans with a first look at the series' trailer and poster. The casting reunites the actors with characters they first shared on screen in 2015's Avengers: Age of Ultron — Bettany's debut as Vision and Spader's original turn as the voice of Ultron.

Lukas Graham releases new album Good Times

Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter Lukas Graham has released his new album, Good Times, out now via Virgin Music Group.

Graham remains best known internationally for the 2015 single “7 Years,” the worldwide hit behind his Grammy recognition. Rooted in the Celtic and folk traditions that shaped his upbringing in Copenhagen, the 13-track collection brings Graham full circle, reconnecting him with the storytelling tradition, acoustic instrumentation, and Irish musical heritage at the heart of his earliest relationship with music.

The album was recorded with a collective of musicians in Nashville and New York, many of whom had a personal connection to Eugene and the folk community Lukas grew up around. The players include Michael McGoldrick, one of the world's great uilleann pipe and Irish flute players; bassist Sam Grisman; Tim O'Brien on mandolin and backing vocals; Stuart Duncan on fiddle; and Brian Sutton on guitar.