Biography

Jacob Alcala (b. 2001) is a Filipino filmmaker, cinematographer, and editor based in Vancouver, Canada. Raised in the Philippines and the UAE, he later trained in the Netherlands, graduating cum laude in Audiovisual Design with a minor in Cultural Diversity from the Willem de Kooning Academy. His work explores themes of identity, migration, belonging, and adolescence, deeply rooted in his upbringing and experiences as a second-generation Filipino immigrant.

His debut short film, Until Then (2023), is a coming-of-age drama about two young strangers, both lost in transition, who find an unlikely connection amidst the backdrop of a restless Manila night. Selected and funded by 3LAB, a talent development initiative of the Dutch television channel NPO 3, it was screened nationally in the Netherlands before premiering internationally at the Vancouver Short Film Festival, San Diego Filipino Film Festival, BINISAYA, and the Jakarta Independent Film Festival, where it won Best International Short Film.

Beyond directing, Alcala has worked extensively in cinematography and post-production. As 1st Assistant Camera, he has contributed to several narrative films, including Rampage! O ang Parada (2024)—which won the Gender Sensitivity Award at QCinema—and Ang Halikan Sa Water Fountain (2024), which received the Special Jury Prize at Sine Kabataan.

He is currently producing JT Trinidad’s upcoming short, Honey, My Love, So Sweet, a portrait of childhood heartbreak and self-discovery.