Independent entertainment and culture agency Lunchbox is capping off an exceptional 2026 by securing the marketing partnership for Amir, the official 2026 Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF) entry co-produced by GMA Pictures and Columbia Pictures.
Directed by Zig Dulay and starring Dennis Trillo, Glaiza De Castro, and Argus Aspiras, Amir is a fantasy-drama rooted in Muslim Mindanao heritage. The film follows 10-year-old Amir as his family faces a threat to their village. The project reunites Dulay with National Artist Ricky Lee and acclaimed screenwriter Angeli Atienza, the duo behind 2024’s Best Picture winner Green Bones.
The deal marks another milestone in Lunchbox’s first year of operation. In 2026, the agency won top Kidlat prizes for film marketing, secured local distribution rights for A24’s Cannes title Club Kid, and represented Asian cinema at the Asian Contents & Film Market (ACFM) in Busan. Lunchbox has also spearheaded campaigns for Irene Villamor’s box-office hit The Loved One and Rafael Manuel’s Filipiñana (the Philippines’ entry for the 2027 Academy Awards).
GMA Pictures Executive Vice President Nessa Valdellon initiated the partnership after attending a film marketing workshop led by Lunchbox founder Carl Chavez. Valdellon cited the agency’s innovative campaigns for Antoinette Jadaone’s Sunshine and Petersen Vargas’ Some Nights I Feel Like Walking—the latter of which earned the Grand Kidlat award—as the catalyst for bringing Lunchbox onboard.
“For GMA to bring an independent agency like ours into the fold is an exciting opportunity to connect a story as nuanced as Amir to the right audiences,” said Chavez. “With Amir, our campaign focuses on the true essence of cinema: that a great story is best experienced inside a theater.”
Lunchbox managing partner Frankie Primavera added, “Amir tells a story we don’t hear enough about today, and Lunchbox is all about bringing great stories to light. As Lunchbox continues to evolve as a full-fledged entertainment firm, we’re thrilled that industry leaders trust us to amplify their work.”