iAcademy is positioning its industry-based mentorship model as a key factor behind the international recognition earned by some of its students in film and design competitions.
The school said its “Dual-Engine Mentorship Model” combines academic instruction with guidance from active industry practitioners, including filmmakers and cinematographers with local and international credentials.
Among the mentors cited by the institution are filmmaker and Directors Guild of the Philippines president Keith Sicat, cinematographer Rain Yamson II, filmmaker Tim Rone Villanueva, and director Kenneth Peterson Leviste.
Sicat is known for films such as “Cinemartyrs” and “Rigodon,” and previously served as story consultant for the animated film “RPG: Metanoia.”
The school said his works and art installations have also been featured in institutions including the Smithsonian Institution and the Museum of Modern Art.
Yamson, a two-time FAMAS Best Cinematography awardee, has worked on more than 90 film and television productions with networks and studios such as ABS-CBN, GMA Network, Star Cinema, Regal Entertainment, and Viva Films.
Villanueva, meanwhile, was cited for works recognized at Cinemalaya 2025, while Leviste received the National Outstanding Young Film Director of the Year award at the Saludo Excellence Awards in April 2025.
“Our faculty members do not just teach from a curriculum, they actively shape the global cultural landscape,” said Raquel Perez Wong, president and COO of iAcademy.
“When our educators return from platforms like Cannes or receive national and international accolades, they bring that exact, high-stakes energy directly into our labs.”
The school also pointed to achievements by its students and mentees, including recognition of two iNDIEGENIUS mentees among Asia’s Top 10 Best Films of 2025 by Asian Movie Pulse.
Outside film, iAcademy said students Laurence Obona and Joan Mesia placed third in the DOST-PTRI Stitch-Off: Filipiniana-Coded Design Competition in October 2025 for a project combining wearable technology and Filipino cultural design.
“True mentorship isn’t about teaching students how to pass an exam; it’s about building confidence and guiding students towards success,” Wong said. “We are not just graduating students; we are preparing innovators and leaders who will make a real impact on the world.”
