Emmanuel Dela Cruz

Emmanuel Dela Cruz is a multi-awarded film, television and theater director, writer, actor, creative head and producer. He hails from Aparri, Cagayan, and a graduate with a film degree in the University of the Philippines.

Amassing quite a filmography, he is credited a co-producer of independent films The Blossoming of Maximo Oliveros, Endo (End of Contract), Remington and the Curse of the Zombadings, and directed Sarong Banggi (One Night), Slumber Party and My Rebound Girl.

He has won the Palanca, Famas and Luna Awards for his writings. His film and television works have won in Cinemalaya, Gawad CCP, Gawad Urian, Young Critic's Circle, Famas, Golden Screen Awards, Pista ng Pelikulang Pilipino, Asian Television Awards, USIFVF, Phuket, Neuchâtel, Berlin, Montreal, Torino, Rotterdam, Las Palmas, ImagiNative and Asian Festival of 1st Films, exhibited in Sundance and other film festivals world-wide.

He has also done diverse featured roles and cameos in films by his director colleagues: OTJ 2: The Missing 8, Melancholia, Manila Skies, KUBOT: The Aswang Chronicles, Dead Kids, Bar Boys, Elise, Jino to Mari, Dahling Nick, Alimuom, Pedicab, Red, Nursery, O, Naked, Kommander Kulas, Bamboo Dogs, Write About Love, Barbi D' Wonder Beki, Mang Jose, Relax: It's Just Love, Now that You're Here, How Long I've been Waiting, Mudrasta and Servando Magdamag just to name a few.

He has served as international film jury in Asia Peace Film Festival in Islamabad, SAARC in Colombo, and has twice served as jury president for IFFM. Locally, he also juried for the inaugural Montañosa, Abreñian Heritage and soon in the 3 Shot, Munato and Pambujan film festivals.

He is a film mentor in several film schools and an acting coach to amateur and mainstream actors in his very own UFO WORKSHOPS MANILA.

He is part of artist collectives Bedbugs, AWPI and 23 Sampaguita Creative Space.

He has recently relaunched his painting career as his artist alter ego: ibonman, and has recently exhibited in Giant by Dwarf, and in Stuart Gallery this November.