Paris, France: Six-part series Ina, created by writer/director Rachel Maxine Anderson, has been selected to world premiere in Official Competition at CANNESERIES this April before launching online June 12.
One of only six short form series selected worldwide to compete at the prestigious international event on the French Riviera, Ina is the only Australian series to be selected in 2026, and is the festival’s first project to centre the Filipino diaspora.
A Filipino-Australian comedy-drama, Ina explores the complexities of family, culture, and identity. The Brisbane-made series follows Madeline, an ambitious 29-year-old Filipino-Australian television producer whose daytime cooking show is in freefall.
When she loses her guest chef on the morning of a critical shoot, Madeline makes the risky decision to cast the mother she normally keeps at a distance, Gloria – who also happens to be the studio’s cleaner, unbeknownst to the rest of the crew.
Set over the course of a single chaotic shoot day, the series blends high-stakes workplace comedy with a deeply personal story of cultural reconnection and familial healing, as family tensions collide under the pressure of television production.
Starring Lena Cruz (In Limbo, Wellmania, The Unusual Suspects) and introducing Triona Calimbayan-Giles in her debut leading role, Ina is produced by Rae Choi of Limina Pictures and Danielle Redford of Contra Stories, with Kerrin McNeil as Executive Producer and celebrated Filipino actress Ruby Ruiz (Expats, First Light) also attached as Executive Producer.
A four-person Ina team, all Asian Australian women creatives, are confirmed to travel to France for the event: Writer/director Rachel Maxine Anderson, stars Lena Cruz, Triona Calimbayan-Giles and producer Rae Choi.
