Locally and internationally produced films that thrill, raise awareness or spur the imagination compose this year\u2019s entries and exhibition movies in the 7th QCinema International Film Festival (QCinema).<\/p>\n
Considered as the flag-carrying international film festival in the country, QCinema will feature cinematic treasures from October 13 to 22 at the Gateway Mall, Ayala Trinoma, Robinsons Galleria, UPFI Cine Adarna, Cinema 76 Anonas and Cinema Centenario.<\/p>\n
Opening, closing films<\/em><\/p>\n Leading the roster are two much-awaited Asian titles \u2013 Sigrid Bernardo\u2019s \u201cUntrue,\u201d which is the opening film and \u201cWet Season,\u201d by Singaporean director Anthony Chen, as the closing film.<\/p>\n Christine Reyes and Xian Lim topbill the festival opener, Bernardo\u2019s follow-up project after the indie hit, \u201cKita Kita.\u201d The Hooq-produced \u201cWet Season\u201d is Chen\u2019s follow-up to his critically acclaimed film, \u201cIloilo.\u201d<\/p>\n Rising wave<\/em><\/p>\n QCinema 2019 focuses on the strides Asian filmmakers have been making in world cinema, with Asian filmmakers bagging the Palm d\u2019 Or award at the prestigious Cannes Film Festival for two consecutive years.<\/p>\n Furthermore, the theme recognizes the growing number of women filmmakers participating in competitions for documentaries and short films. To add, this year\u2019s QCinema sections have female-centric themes.<\/p>\n As one of the leading festivals in Southeast Asia, QCinema is the launching pad for world premieres, not only for the three Filipino features in the Asian Next Wave competition, but also for new local shorts and documentaries, who all received grants from QCinema, where filmmakers own the rights to their films.<\/p>\n Local film grantees<\/em><\/p>\n QCinema recently relaunched its main competition, AsianNext Wave, to include three Filipino titles which each received a P1.5 million seed grant \u2014 Arnel Barbarona\u2019s \u201cKaaway sa Sulod,\u201d \u201cBabae at Baril\u201d by Rae Red, and \u201cThe Cleaners\u201d by Glenn Barit, which is his debut feature.<\/p>\n The QCShorts lineup features \u201cJudy Free\u201d by Jean Cheryl Tagyamon; \u201cTokwifi\u201d by Carla Pulido Ocampo; \u201cHere, Here\u201d by Joanne Cesario; \u201cSPID\u201d by Alejo Barbaza and Mervine Aquino; \u201cExcuse Me, Miss, Miss, Miss\u201d by Sonny Calvento; and \u201cIsang Daa\u2019t Isang Mariposa\u201d by Norvin De los Santos.<\/p>\n The six filmmakers each received P200,000 production grants in the shorts competition.<\/p>\n Three new Filipino documentary features, recipients of post-production grants of P500,000 each, will premiere in the section, DocQC. They are \u201cFor My Alien Friend\u201d by Jet Leyco, \u201cA is for Agustin\u201d by Grace Pimentel Simbulan and \u201cSpring by the Sea\u201d by Aleia Garcia.<\/p>\n International selections<\/em><\/p>\n Five other films will showcase Asian talents at the Asian Next Wave. These are \u201cNakorn-Sawan\u201d by Puangsoi Aksornsawang of Thailand, \u201cAve Maryam\u201d by Robby Ertanto of Indonesia, \u201cFly By Night by Zahir Omar of Malaysia, \u201cThe Long Walk\u201d by Mattie Do of Laos and \u201cSuburban Birds\u201d by Sheng Qiu of China.<\/p>\n Three critically acclaimed Asian documentaries round up the non-competitive documentary section with \u201cThe Future Cries Beneath Our Soil\u201d by Pham Thu Hang of Vietnam, \u201cTalking About Trees\u201d by Suhaib Gasmelbari of Sudan and \u201cKabul, City in the Wind\u201d by Aboozar Amini of Afghanistan.<\/p>\n In Screen International, awarded titles from Cannes and Berlin will receive their Philippine premieres. They are \u201cBeanpole\u201d by Kantemir Balagov, \u201cBy The Grace of God\u201d by Fran\u00e7ois Ozon, \u201cNina Wu\u201d by Midi Z, \u201cBacurau\u201d by Kleber Mendon\u00e7a Filho and Juliano Dornelles, \u201cFrankie\u201d by Ira Sachs, \u201cSynonyms\u201d by Nadav Lapid, \u201cThe Whistlers\u201d by Corneliu Porumboiu, \u201cGod Exists Her Name is Petrunya\u201d by Teona Mitevska, \u201cOn A Magical Night\u201d by Christophe Honore and \u201cHigh Life\u201d by Claire Denis.<\/p>\n The Special Screenings section will showcase \u201cLingua Franca\u201d by Isabel Sandoval, \u201cDogs Don\u2019t Wear Pants\u201d by J.P. Valkeap\u00e4\u00e4, \u201cTop End Wedding\u201d by Wayne Blair, \u201cNo Data Plan\u201d by Miko Revereza, \u201cThe Cave\u201d by Tom Waller, \u201cKrabi, 2562\u201d by Ben Rivers and Anocha Suwichakornpong, \u201cA Girl Missing\u201d by Koji Fukada which is presented by Japan Foundation, and recent Locarno winner, \u201cVitalina Varela,\u201d by Pedro Costa.<\/p>\n A special program of Australian short films, Flickerfest, rounds up this section.<\/p>\n New section<\/em><\/p>\n This year, QCinema introduces a new section \u2014 New Horizons \u2014 a platform for debut films or second features from around the world. It explores a range of genres such as \u201cThe Bare Necessity\u201d by Erwan De Luc, \u201cBuoyancy\u201d by Rodd Rathjen, \u201cHomeward\u201d by Nariman Aliev, \u201cThe Red Phallus\u201d by Tashi Gyeltshen, \u201cChola\u201d by Sanal Kumar Sasidharan and \u201cSystem Crasher\u201d by Nora Fingscheidt.<\/p>\n Top End Wedding, Flickerfest Shortfilms and Buoyancy are sponsored by the Australian Embassy.<\/p>\n LGBTQ spectrum<\/em><\/p>\n Continuing its partnership with the Film Development Council of the Philippines (FDCP) in promoting equality and representation, QCinema will screen six films representing the LGBTQ spectrum in the section, RainbowQC.<\/p>\n These are Venice Queer Lion winner, \u201cJose\u201d by Li Cheng<\/strong>, \u201cSong Lang\u201d by Leon Le, \u201cPort Authority\u201d by Danielle Lessovitz, \u201cWhere We Belong\u201d by Kongdej Jaturanrasamee, \u201cAnd Then We Danced\u201d by Levan Akin, and the Berlinale Teddy awardee, \u201cBrief Story from the Green Planet\u201d by Santiago Loza.<\/p>\n Part of the centennial celebration of Philippine cinema are two QCinema sections reflecting the rich heritage of classic and mainstream works by major directors, including the country\u2019s national artists for film.<\/p>\n Centennial Classics will feature digitally restored films by ABS-CBN Film Restoration Project and FDCP. Part of the list are \u201cBiyaya ng Lupa\u201d by Manuel Silos, \u201cMalvarosa\u201d by Gregorio Fernandez, \u201cInsiang\u201d and \u201cMaynila sa Kuko ng Liwanag\u201d by Lino Brocka, \u201cNoli Me Tangere\u201d by Gerardo de Leon and \u201cTisoy\u201d by Ishmael Bernal.<\/p>\n A Special Life Achievement Award will be presented to Vicente del Rosario Jr., who established Viva Entertainment as one of the main, enduring pillars in the entertainment industry for more than fifty years.<\/p>\n QCinema is presenting the section, Viva Classics, in recognition of his outstanding contributions of \u201cBoss Vic,\u201d as he is fondly called, to the industry.<\/p>\n Three of the previous decades\u2019 well-loved hits will be shown in this section \u2014 \u201cBituing Walang Ningning\u201d by Emmanuel Borlaza, \u201cScorpio Nights 2\u201d by Erik Matti and \u201cWorking Girls\u201d by Ishmael Bernal.<\/p>\n