The Australian short–form series Ina has been selected for the Official Competition at CANNESERIES 2026, marking a notable moment for Australian and Filipino diaspora storytelling.
Created by writer and director Rachel Maxine Anderson, the six–part comedy–drama is the only Australian project selected for the prestigious festival this year. It also holds the distinction of being the festival’s first project to centre the Filipino diaspora.
A Story of Identity and Family
Produced in Brisbane, Ina follows Madeline (Triona Calimbayan–Giles), an ambitious 29–year–old television producer struggling to save her failing daytime cooking show. When her guest chef drops out on the morning of a high–stakes shoot, Madeline is forced to cast her estranged mother, Gloria (Lena Cruz) – who works as the studio’s cleaner, a fact she has kept from colleagues.
The series unfolds over a single day, balancing workplace humour with the emotional weight of familial reconciliation. Writer and director Rachel Maxine Anderson said the project stems from a personal need to reclaim a cultural identity after a lifetime of “erasure.”
“As that connection to culture began to melt away, my mother – my only bridge to my culture – was becoming ‘Australian.’ I followed her lead, only to find myself in my twenties realising that you cannot deny what is written in your DNA,” she said.
She described the series as “the show I’ve needed to watch my whole life,” intended for mixed–race Australians who rarely see their own journeys reflected on screen.
From Brisbane to the French Riviera
The series brings together a mix of established and emerging talent. Lena Cruz (In Limbo, The Unusual Suspects) stars alongside newcomer Triona Calimbayan–Giles in her debut leading role. The executive leadership includes Kerrin McNeil and Filipino actress Ruby Ruiz (Expats).
Producer Rae Choi of Limina Pictures said the series explores the “space between” cultures and generations.
“We wanted to harness that into something both intimate and expansive – a culturally specific story with the power to travel,” Choi said.
Producer Danielle Redford said the project demonstrates what is possible when “authorial vision is grounded in warm, empathetic storytelling.”
“Ina is both tender and fierce, and we can’t wait for a global audience to experience the specificity of Anderson’s Australian–Filipino storytelling on CANNESERIES’ world stage,” she said.
Industry Support and Global Release
The project received principal production funding from Screen Australia and Screen Queensland. Louise Gough, Screen Australia’s Director of Narrative Content, described the selection as an “outstanding achievement” and a “testament to the power and joy of the story.”
Julie Eckersley of Screen Queensland said online platforms give creators the “freedom to innovate” and bring “distinctly Queensland stories to life.”
Executive producer Kerrin McNeil said the series reflects the kind of storytelling the industry has been seeking.
“It’s a bold, authored story that speaks directly to next–generation audiences who are online first. I’m thrilled to be supporting this team of talented filmmakers now and into the future,” McNeil said.
CANNESERIES will run from 23–28 April 2026 in Cannes, France. Following its premiere, Ina will be released globally on YouTube on 12 June, coinciding with Philippine Independence Day.
The production team shares updates via Instagram @ina.series.
