This year’s Cinemalaya Independent Film Festival welcomes John Lloyd Cruz, but he will not be acting onscreen. He will be the organization’s official portrait photographer.

The festival organizers revealed this today, July 20, through Cinemalaya’s Facebook page, while providing a glimpse of Cruz working behind the scenes. Cruz may be seen photographing filmmakers and posing in an empty auditorium.

“Every year, nag-iimbita ang Cinemalaya ng photographer para kumuha ng portraits ng mga filmmakers na kasali sa kompetisyon. This year, sa pambihirang pagkakataon, isang aktor ang humawak ng camera para kumuha ng larawan ng mga direktor. Yes, it’s the big swap we didn’t see coming!” it said.

Cinemalaya 2022 commemorates the festival’s 18th year and its return to on-site screening after a two-year hiatus due to the COVID-19 epidemic. According to a CCP press statement, 11 feature films and 12 short films are competing.

Meanwhile, Cruz is currently starring as Julian in the GMA sitcom “Happy Together,” opposite Miles Ocampo, Carmella Martin, and Jason Gainza, among others.