The short form series INA shines at CANNESERIES 2026 as the first project in festival history to center the Filipino diaspora, marking its world premiere in the Short Form Competition ahead of its June 12 global launch.
Set over one chaotic day inside a bustling TV studio, Ina follows ambitious producer Madeline, who is forced to cast her estranged mother as the guest chef on her struggling cooking show – triggering a collision of personal history, cultural identity, and professional pressure.
In this immersive series, shot in near-real-time, creator Rachel Maxine Anderson blurs the lines between workplace comedy and behind-the-scenes drama to explore a mother-daughter relationship, while unpacking cultural confusion and the commodification of diversity within the screen industry.
Trailer Available HERE
Across the week, the Ina team – including creator, writer and director Rachel Maxine-Anderson, producer Rae Choi, and cast members Lena Cruz and Triona Calimbayan-Giles – attended screenings, press events and industry sessions at Canneseries.
The premiere marked a milestone moment for the team as the series made its international debut. The series will launch globally on YouTube on June 12th 2026.
A personal story on a global stage
Creator, writer and director Rachel Maxine-Anderson said:
“It was my first time watching it in a cinema, and our first time watching it with an audience. It was just amazing to feel these characters on screen and for real, beating hearts to experience it, and to hear them laugh or to hear them react to something that you made.”
Producer Rae Choi added:
“What’s been really special about making Ina is witnessing Rachel’s bravery in telling this story and at the core of that is a confronting, deeply personal question: “Am I Filipino enough?” That she dares to ask herself this question, rooted in internalised racism and insecurities around connection to culture, spoke to me powerfully and moved me in a really profound way.”
Full interviews with Rachel Maxine-Anderson, Rae Choi, Lena Cruz and Triona Calimbayan-Giles are available HERE
