The Filipino coming-of-age sports drama "Sunshine," led by Maris Racal, has secured a spot in Letterboxd’s 2025 Year in Review, earning recognition in multiple community-voted categories on the global film platform.
Based on the annual ratings roundup released on Tuesday, January 13, Sunshine ranked 5th among the Highest Rated Films by Women Directors, placed 6th on the list of Highest Rated Asian Films, and landed 7th among the Highest Rated Dramas.
Written and directed by Antoinette Jadaone, the film centers on Sunshine (Racal), a promising rhythmic gymnast whose Olympic aspirations are disrupted when she discovers she is pregnant amidst national team tryouts.
Racal marked the film’s achievement by sharing a screenshot of the “Highest Rated Narrative Film by a Female Director” list on her Instagram account.
"Pagmalaki lang kita direk!! Paldo," Racal wrote in her caption, tagging Jadaone and sharing photos alongside the director.
Sunshine tackles themes of reproductive rights and the social stigma surrounding teenage pregnancy in the Philippines. The film also stars Elijah Canlas, Xyriel Manabat, Jennica Garcia, Annika Co, and Meryll Soriano.
The film made its world premiere at the 2024 Toronto International Film Festival before screening at the 75th Berlin International Film Festival, where it received the Crystal Bear for Best Film in the Generation 14plus category, an award decided by a youth jury.
Following its international festival run, Sunshine was released theatrically in the Philippines in July 2025. It went on to perform strongly at the local box office, becoming one of the highest-grossing domestic films within its rating category that year, before arriving on Netflix last November.
Letterboxd is a global social networking platform for film enthusiasts and critics, allowing users to rate, review, and curate movie lists. With an estimated 17 million members worldwide, the platform compiles its Year in Review based on user ratings from around the world.
