The 9th Cinemalaya Independent Film Festival was successfully held from July 26 to August 4, 2013, in Metro Manila, Philippines. This year's theme is "Synergy of the Senses", which makes the entries to deliver mature content and provocative themes. The opening film is Jazz in Love by Baby Ruth Villarama, a documentary about a Filipino gay man who waits for the arrival of his German boyfriend. The closing film is Joel Lamangan's Burgos which stars Lorna Tolentino as Edita Burgos, the crusading mother of missing activist Jonas. The winners were announced on August 4 at the Cultural Center of the Philippines, Jerrold Tarog's Sana Dati and Hannah Espia's Transit won top film honors in the awards night.

Jerrold Viacrucis Tarog is a Filipino film director, screenwriter, producer, editor, and composer. He is best known for directing Heneral Luna (2015), Bliss (2017) and Goyo: The Boy General (2018). His first feature film was the independently-produced Confessional (2007), followed by Mangatyanan (2009) and Sana Dati (2013). He directed segments for the Shake, Rattle & Roll horror series.