On October 22, 2024, the QCinema International Film Festival announced its much-anticipated lineup for this year, with The Gaze as its central theme. With 76 titles—22 short films and 55 full-length features—spanning across 11 distinct sections, the festival invites audiences to explore diverse perspectives through film. The Gaze seeks to challenge and expand how we view the world, from traditional masculine and feminine perspectives to new and transformative ways of seeing.
Quezon City Mayor Maria Josefina Belmonte officially opened the occasion, emphasizing QCinema’s vital role in advancing the city government’s cultural policies. She highlighted the festival’s contribution to Quezon City’s vision for sustainability and environmental friendliness, underscoring the partnership between the city and the festival to fulfill these goals.
The 12th edition of QCinema will open with Directors’ Factory Philippines, an omnibus film project in collaboration with Cannes Directors’ Fortnight. The project features four films created by Filipino directors alongside filmmakers from neighboring countries. This year’s lineup includes Walay Balay by Eve Baswel (Philippines) and Gogularaajan Rajendran (Malaysia); Nightbirds by Maria Estela Paiso (Philippines) and Ashok Vish (India); Silig by Arvin Alindogan Belarmino (Philippines) and Lomorpich Rithy (Cambodia); and Cold Cut by Don Eblahan (Philippines) and Tan Siyou (Singapore).
Closing the festival is Cloud, the latest work by acclaimed Japanese filmmaker Kiyoshi Kurosawa, which premiered at the 81st Venice International Film Festival and has been selected as Japan’s entry for the Best International Feature Film at the 97th Academy Awards.
Competition Sections
The festival’s competition sections were introduced by QCinema’s artistic director, Ed Lejano. The Asian Next Wave and QCShorts International sections offer a vibrant showcase of emerging talents from the region. This year, QCShorts has expanded to include works from across Southeast Asia, with six Filipino short films competing alongside talents from neighboring countries.
The Asian Next Wave Competition presents a dynamic selection of films from up-and-coming Asian filmmakers, featuring the debuts of three female directors: Don’t Cry Butterfly by Duong Dieu Linh (Vietnam, Indonesia, Philippines, Singapore), winner of the Grand Prize at Venice Critics’ Week; Pierce by Nelicia Low (Taiwan, Poland, Singapore), awarded Best Director at the Karlovy Vary Crystal Globe Competition; and Mistress Dispeller by Elizabeth Lo (China, USA), which won the NETPAC Award for Best Asian Film at Venice.
Also included are four debut films: Happyend by Neo Sora (Singapore, UK, USA), which premiered at Venice; Tale of the Land by Loeloe Hendra Komara (Indonesia, Philippines, Qatar, Taiwan), winner of the Fipresci Prize at the Busan International Film Festival; Viet and Nam by Truong Minh Quy (Philippines, Vietnam, Singapore, France, Netherlands, Germany, Italy, USA), from Cannes’ Un Certain Regard section; and Moneyslapper by Bor Ocampo (Philippines), which will make its world premiere at QCinema.
The QCShorts International category, introduced by writer and programmer Jason Tan Liwag, features six Filipino entries: Alaga by Nicole Rosacay, Kinakausap ni Celso ang Diyos by Gilb Baldoza, Refrain by Joseph Dominic Cruz, RAMPAGE! (o ang parada) by Kukay Bautista Zinampan, Supermassive Heavenly Body by Sam Villa-Real, and Water Sports by Whammy Alcazaren. These films will compete alongside Southeast Asian shorts such as Are We Still Friends? by Al Ridwan (Indonesia), Here We Are by Chanasorn Chaikitiporn (Thailand), In the Name of Love I Will Punish You by Exsell Rabbani (Indonesia), Peaceland by Ekin Kee Charles (Malaysia), Saigon Kiss by Hồng Anh Nguyễn (Vietnam/Australia/Germany), and WAShhh by Mickey Lai (Malaysia/Ireland).
This year’s edition introduces two international competition sections under the Special Critics Prize awards: RainbowQC and New Horizons, each with their respective juries.
RainbowQC continues to celebrate LGBTQIA+ films, presenting diverse stories of identity, love, and community. This year’s lineup includes three Cannes Queer Palm nominees: Baby by Marcelo Caetano from Critics’ Week, The Balconettes by Noémie Merlant from Midnight Screenings, and My Sunshine by Hiroshi Okuyama from Un Certain Regard. Two more films round out the category: Pooja, Sir by Deepak Rauniyar (Venice Orizzonti) and Sebastian by Mikko Mäkelä from Sundance’s World Dramatic Competition.
The New Horizons section presents innovative debut feature films from emerging directors. This includes Blue Sun Palace by Constance Tsang, winner of the French Touch Prize at Cannes Critics’ Week; Cu Li Never Cries by Phạm Ngọc Lân, this year’s Best First Feature winner at the Berlin International Film Festival; Santosh by Sandhya Suri, an entry from Cannes’ Un Certain Regard and the UK’s submission for Best International Feature Film at the 97th Academy Awards; The Major Tones by Ingrid Pokropek, selected for the Generation Kplus section of the Berlin Film Festival; and Toxic by Saulė Bliuvaitė, which won the Locarno Golden Leopard.
Exhibition Sections
The exhibition sections were announced by various industry leaders. QCinema Film Foundation President Manet Dayrit introduced the Rediscovery, Contemporary Italian Cinema, and QC Selects sections. Rediscovery brings classic films back to the big screen, including Delicatessen by Jean-Pierre Jeunet and Marc Caro, Dogtooth by Yorgos Lanthimos, and Ran by Akira Kurosawa. Contemporary Italian Cinema will feature six films, including Diabolik by Antonio and Marco Manetti, Io Capitano by Matteo Garrone, and La Chimera by Alice Rohrwacher. Meanwhile, QC Selects will present standout films from around the globe, such as Ghost Cat Anzu by Yoko Kuno and Nobuhiro Yamashita, and Twilight Of The Warriors: Walled In by Soi Cheang.
The remaining exhibition sections were introduced by Film Academy of the Philippines director general Paolo Villaluna. These include the much-anticipated Screen International section, which presents films by world-renowned directors, such as Afternoons of Solitude by Albert Serra and When Fall is Coming by François Ozon, both of which received critical acclaim at the San Sebastian Film Festival. Other highlights from this section include Phantosmia by Lav Diaz, The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre de la Patellière and Matthieu Delaporte, and Anora by Sean Baker, the Palme d’Or winner.
Another exciting section at QCinema is QCLokal, which highlights Filipino talent. The lineup features Room in a Crowd by John Torres, Makamisa: Phantasm of Revenge by Khavn, and five world premieres in the Shorts Expo: Brownout Capital by Pabelle Manikan, Forgetting Clara by Nicole Matti, May Puso ba ang Manika? by Shiri de Leon, Objects Do Not Randomly Fall from the Sky by Maria Estela Paiso, and Yung Huling Swimming Reunion Before Life Happens by Glenn Barit. The Southeast Asian Premiere of Invisible Labor by Joanne Cesario will also be featured.
Additionally, Before Midnight returns, showcasing thrilling, erotic, and genre-bending films like Motel Destino by Karim Aïnouz and The Wailing by Pedro Martin-Calero. Special Screenings will offer exclusive films such as An Errand by Dominic Baekart, If My Lover Were a Flower by Kaung Zan, and the premiere of Lost Sabungeros by Brian Brazil after it was mysteriously pulled out in this year’s Cinemalaya citing “security reasons.”
The festival runs from November 8 to 17 at key venues, including Gateway Cineplex 18, Ayala Malls Cinema at Trinoma, Red Carpet at Shangri-la Plaza, and Powerplant Mall.
For the full line up information and other programs of QCinema, visit qcinema.ph.
