Biography

Ellen Ongkeko-Marfil is a visionary Filipino filmmaker, director, and producer known for her advocacy-driven storytelling and significant contributions to Philippine cinema. A cum laude graduate in Broadcast Communication from the University of the Philippines Diliman, she began her artistic journey with the Philippine Educational Theater Association (PETA), where she witnessed the power of the arts in community empowerment.

She worked alongside legendary filmmakers Ishmael Bernal, Mike de Leon, and Lino Brocka on iconic films such as Himala, Sister Stella L., and Ora Pronobis, experiences that deeply shaped her social consciousness as a filmmaker.

Her award-winning works have tackled gender, human rights, climate change, and child protection. Early notable films include Is Your Gender an Issue? (Gawad CCP 1st Prize), Angels (Star Cinema), and Walang Bakas (GMA 7), which received honors from the Asian TV Festival and Catholic Mass Media Awards.

In 2006, she founded Erasto Films, through which she produced and directed acclaimed titles such as:

• Mga Pusang Gala - Winner, San Francisco Frameline Film Festival
• Lakbay2Love - Finalist, Green Earth Film Festival
• Boses - A long-running advocacy film endorsed by UNICEF and various institutions

Beyond filmmaking, Ongkeko-Marfil is the founder of Pelikulove, an online platform offering theater and film writing classes in collaboration with Ricky Lee and Rody Vera. She also led the Shout Out Festival (2022) and ShoutPinas 2022, an anthology that won Best Social Message at the 2024 Global India Film Festival.

Her latest film, Lakambini Gregoria de Jesus (2025), further cements her role as a powerful voice in Philippine cinema, consistently using the arts to inspire dialogue and promote social justice.
- IMDb mini biography by: Pelikulove