Meet The Team

Festival Director

Jennifer Maliwanag

A multi-awarded director, photographer, and entrepreneur, Jenn is the heart behind SMMFF. Driven by passion and a deep love for storytelling, she pushes Filipino creativity forward while creating a festival where every voice, no matter how small, feels welcomed, valued, and celebrated.

She has directed In Time, The Letter, Lovelots, and One Wish films recognized by the New York Film Awards, Top Shorts, Los Angeles Film Award, and the Thessaloniki Film Festival. Her work continues to uplift Filipino stories, making space for every narrative to be seen, heard, and remembered.

Producer & Creative Lead

Rex Lopez

An art-based creative and former multinational Creative Director, Rex brings the sharp eye of a producer and the insight of a film critic to SMMFF. As co-founder of Psyops8 and BlackOps Studios Asia, he has worked on global projects including Netflix’s Maria and Amazon Prime’s SellBlock. He now serves as an SMMFF jury member, championing emerging talent.
Filmography: Binhi a.k.a. Nilalang a.k.a. The Entity (2016) • Darkroom (2017) • Maria (2019) • Biyernes Santo (2021) • SellBlock (in-production)"

Film Creator & Communications Lead

Jerico Maliwanag

Co-owner of World Cup Café at 143 Summit, Jerico brings a sharp creative instinct shaped by years of hands-on storytelling, film creation, and editing. As the Operations Lead at Stories We Tell Agency, he further hones his eye for detail and experience in managing creative projects. He helps shape the festival’s identity from visual cohesion to on-ground experience design, and serves as an SMMFF jury member dedicated to spotlighting the next generation of filmmakers.