08/03/2026
FROM DETENSIYON TO DISTINCTION: HOW DETENSIYON RULED THE SCREEN AT THE GONZALIKHUSAY SINE FEST 2026
DETENSIYON
GRAND WINNER- BEST SHORT FILM
GONZALIKHUSAY SINE FEST 2026
In most schools, detention is a place where time feels like a slow-moving shadow on the wall. But for the young filmmakers of Grade 12 STEM Apolaki, detention became something else entirely—a doorway to imagination, creativity and cinematic triumph.
Their short film Detensiyon did more than tell a story. It captured hearts, stirred laughter, sparked mystery and ultimately reigned as the Best Short Film of the Gonzalikhusay Sine Fest 2026, a prestigious competition among Senior High School students of Gonzaga National High School.
The film’s success shone like a constellation of awards. Joeileri Saribay steered the story with a director’s steady vision, earning Best Director, while Chase Jeremy Antonio painted every scene with light and shadow to win Best Cinematographer. The film also secured Best Original Story and Best Short Film Poster, making Detensiyon one of the most decorated entries among the eleven competing short films.
At the heart of the story are five unlikely companions—students bound together not by friendship but by punishment. Summoned to a detention room by their teacher, Lance Limhuel Cartagena, they represent different shades of youthful flaws: an athlete bully portrayed by Hanz Lee Respicio, a carefree and tactless student played by Faith Nicolas, a smart yet careless environmental offender breathed to life by Haily Lopez and a rich yet mischievous guy played by Gion Hugo Ramos. Each carries a storm of attitude into the quiet room.
Yet inside that room sits someone different.
Rhea Guerrero’s character, a lonely student who finds comfort in detention because she has no friends, becomes the silent gravity that slowly pulls the group together. What begins as a room filled with tension soon unfolds into unexpected moments of humor and curiosity.
Their boredom leads them to a mysterious Ouija board session. As their fingers hover over the board, suspense tiptoes into the room. A cryptic note appears on the table: “Bigyan Niyo ako ng Hustisya!.” For a moment, imagination runs wild—ghosts, secrets and unanswered cries echo through their minds.
But the mystery unravels with a playful twist. The message, it turns out, is not from the supernatural but simply a romantic quote left behind—someone’s quiet confession of love.
As the evening deepens, reality returns when the school guard, Xylo Xyx Xyron Serrano, discovers the students still inside the detention room and sends them home, ending their strange little adventure.
Yet the magic of Detensiyon lies not only in its plot. The film weaves drama, comedy and mystery like threads in a colorful tapestry, creating a story that is both entertaining and reflective. Its originality, paired with striking cinematography, made it shine brighter than the rest.
Guiding the young creators behind the scenes was their mentor, Sir Lesterwin Udarbe, whose dedication to media arts continues to nurture creativity among students of Gonzaga National High School.
In the end, what began as a fictional detention turned into a celebration of talent. The room meant for discipline became a stage for storytelling, and the students of STEM Apolaki proved that sometimes the most unforgettable stories begin in the most unexpected places.
From detention to distinction.
From a quiet classroom to the brightest spotlight of the Gonzaga Likhusay Sine Fest 2026.
Congratulations STEM 12 Apolaki!