Biography

Vahn Leinard C. Pascual is a young and talented Filipino film director, writer, and actor. He is the grandson of the late Director Leonardo Pascual. Vahn Pascual studied at De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde, where he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Digital Filmmaking. Pascual's passion for filmmaking started at a young age, and he has been honing his craft ever since. While he was a student, Pascual has already made more than twenty short films that have been officially selected and won numerous awards in different film festivals worldwide. He is known for his unique style and artistic approach, which often explores political and queer themes.

In recognition of his outstanding contributions, Pascual was awarded the prestigious Ani ng Dangal or "Harvest of Honors" for Cinema by the National Commission for Culture and the Arts, an agency under the Office of the President of the Republic of the Philippines. He was also recognized as a Film Ambassador at Film Ambassador's Night by the Film Development Council of the Philippines. In 2022, Pascual was named one of CNN Philippines Life's "Eight emerging Filipino directors to watch out for." And in 2023, Pascual represented the Philippines in the Tokyo International Film Festival's student exchange program, fully funded by the Japan Foundation. Building on his achievements, in 2024, he secured a scholarship for the Niigata International Animation Film Festival Camp in Japan. Additionally, he also became the youngest recipient of the first-ever CREATE Awards in the Audiovisual domain from the Congress, House of Representatives of the Philippines.

One of Pascual's most notable works is his film "Sina Alexa, Xander at ang Universe" (2020), which won several Best Picture awards in different film festivals and was officially part of the Metro Manila Film Festival 2020 and the prestigious Toronto Queer Film Festival 2023. The film received critical acclaim for its unique and compelling storyline, and Pascual's direction was praised for its bold and innovative approach.

Another of Pascual's films, "Silang mga Naligaw sa Limot" (2021), won an international award at the 14th Tbilisi Sunrise International Youth Film Festival, the first and longest-running youth film festival in Georgia. It also won the Jury Prize in Pista ng Pelikulang Pilipino Shorts Sine Isla: LuzViMinda 2022. The film explores themes of loss and grief and was praised for its raw and chilling performances. Pascual was also recognized for his film "Alingasngas ng mga Kuliglig" (2021), which received a co-production grant from the Film Development Council of the Philippines' International Silent Film Festival Manila: Mit Out Sound. The film won the Best Picture award and was nominated for Best Director at the prestigious event. Later on, the film screened and received awards from different film festivals, including the notable QCinema International Film Festival for the Rainbow QC Shorts category. In 2023, his film "Mary Go Round, Mary Round" became part of Cinemalaya's Next Gen Category.

Pascual also creates animations and is known for his films "Blue Is Not My Favorite Color" (2020), which won the Audience Choice Award in QFest: The Houston International LGBTQ Film Festival 2020 in Houston, Texas. It was also screened at the Cultural Center of the Philippines Arthouse Cinema: Pride and Independence 2022 and many other local film festivals. Another animation film that Pascual created was "Ang mga Sisiw sa Kagubatan" (2022), which received an Honorable Mention in Gawad Alternatibo 2022 and Best Film for Animation Category in Manila Student Film Festival 2023.

Aside from his work as a filmmaker, Pascual has also starred in several films. He appeared in the films "Sisa" (2008) directed by CJ Andaluz and Frank Rivera, and "Ante" (2009) directed by Adolfo Alix Jr. Pascual has also acted in several short films.
- IMDb mini biography by: IMDb