QCinema’s lineup is insanely good, and it’s coming to you on the big screen
QCinema’s lineup is insanely good, and it’s coming to you on the big screen
QCinema returns with an outstanding lineup.
The Philippines had the longest cinema lockdown in the world. When it finally came to pass, it felt like QCinema was hibernating during that time, carefully collecting infinity stones and waiting for this exact moment to arrive so they could flex their new muscles.
The QCinema International Film Festival lineup is insane. It features eight different programs containing both feature-length and short films. In addition, the festival will serve as the harbinger of sought-after international films that have yet to release in the country.
The infinity stones that QCinema has collected are no joke. They include films from this year’s Cannes Film Festival, Berlin International Film Festival, Venice Film Festival, and the Locarno Film Festival.
On the local side, the QCShorts Competition will spotlight six new local releases from a talented array of filmmakers, both veteran and new.
QCShort films will serve as the main competition selections.
QCShorts Competition
CITY OF FLOWERS by Xeph Suarez
‘City of Flowers’ is set in 2013, when the City of Zamboanga is celebrating the Feast of the Nativity of Mary, just before the Zamboanga siege. It tells the story of a pregnant couple trying to survive a drought wreaking havoc on their flower farm and raising enough money for the childbirth.
HENRY by Kaj Palanca
‘Henry’ is about a teenager longing for another life when he visits a mansion's construction site to seek compensation for his older brother's work injury.
i get so sad sometimes by Trishtan Perez
‘i get so sad sometimes’ is about a gay teenager eagerly waiting for a mature man to finally reveal his face after developing an anonymous sexual relationship with him online.
IT’S RAINING FROGS OUTSIDE by Maria Estela Paiso
Also titled ‘Ampangabagat Nin Talakba Ha Likol,’ the film follows Maya who is forced to go home to Zambales and confront a house that terrorizes her as frogs rain outside.
MIGHTY ROBO V by Miko Livelo, Mihk Vergara
‘Mighty Robo V’ is a wacky mockumentary that imagines what happens when a documentary crew covering the Philippine Giant Monster Defense Institute’s Mighty Robo V program learns that the wrong people were hired for the job.
SKYLAB by Chuck Escasa
‘Skylab’ tells the story following two troubled boys, a satellite falling to the earth, and dark forces threatening the world.
A still from How to Die Young in Manila (2021).
Asian Shorts Lineup
DEAR TO ME by Monica Vanesa Tedja (Indonesia)
Junior Jury Award Special Mention – Locarno Open Door Shorts 2021
FILIPIÑIANA by Rafael Manuel (Philippines)
Silver Berlin Bear Award – Berlin International Film Festival 2021
HOW TO DIE YOUNG IN MANILA by Petersen Vargas (Philippines)
Asian Short Film Competition Selection – Busan International Film Festival 2020
LIVE IN CLOUD-CUCKOO LAND by Vu Minh Nghia, Pham Hoang Minh Thy (Vietnam)
Orizzonti Award for Best Short Film Selection – Venice Film Festival 2020
NEW ABNORMAL by Sorayos Prapapan (Thailand | South Korea | Singapore)
Orizzonti Award for Best Short Film Selection – Venice Film Festival 2021
SUNRISE IN MY MIND by Danech San (Cambodia)
Asian Short Film Competition Selection – Busan International Film Festival 2020
QCinema Special Screenings
HISTORYA NI HA by Lav Diaz (Philippines)
Official Selection – BFI London Film Festival 2021
ONODA: 10,000 NIGHTS IN THE JUNGLE by Arthur Harari (France | Japan | Germany)
Un Certain Regard Nominee – Cannes Film Festival 2021
A WILL TO DREAM by Patrick Alcedo (Philippines)
Official Entry – Chicago Indie Film Awards 2021
AM I BEING SELFISH by Patrick Alcedo (Philippines)
Best Short Inspirational Documentary – Silk Road Film Festival 2021
THEY CALL ME DAX by Patrick Alcedo (Philippines)
Best Short Documentary – Cannes Indies Cinema Awards 2021
RainbowQC Lineup
GREAT FREEDOM by Sebastian Meise (Austria | Germany)
Un Certain Regard Jury Prize – Cannes Film Festival 2021
THE GIRL AND THE SPIDER by Ramon Zürcher, Silvan Zürcher (Switzerland)
FIPRESCI Prize (Encounters) – Berlin International Film Festival 2021
NETPAC Reloaded
BABOY HALAS by Bagane Fiola (Philippines)
NETPAC Award (Circle Competition) – QCinema International Film Festival 2016
SUBURBAN BIRDS by Sheng Qiu (China | Taiwan)
NETPAC Award (Asian Next Wave Competition) – QCinema International Film Festival 2019
Asian Voices
ISLANDS by Martin Edralin (Canada)
Special Jury Award – SXSW Film Festival 2021
YUNI by Kamila Andini (Indonesia)
Platform Prize – Toronto International Film Festival 2021
New Horizons
APPLES by Christos Nikou (Greece)
Silver Hugo Winner – Chicago International Film Festival 2020
EL PLANETA by Amalia Ulman (USA)
Grand Jury Prize Nominee – Sundance Film Festival 2021
PLAYGROUND by Laura Wendel (Belgium)
Un Certain Regard (FIPRESCI Prize) – Cannes Film Festival 2021
LAMB by Valdimar Jóhannsson (Iceland | Sweden | Poland)
Un Certain Regard (Prize of Originality) – Cannes Film Festival 2021
MAGNETIC BEATS by Vincent Maël Cardona (France | Germany)
SACD Prize (Directors' Fortnight) – Cannes Film Festival 2021
Screen International
DRIVE MY CAR by Ryûsuke Hamaguchi (Japan)
Best Screenplay – Cannes Film Festival 2021
HAPPENING by Audrey Diwan (France)
Golden Lion Winner – Venice Film Festival 2021
MEMORIA by Apichatpong Weerasethakul (Colombia | Thailand | France)
Jury Prize Winner – Cannes Film Festival 2021
MIRACLE by Bogdan George Apetri (Romania | Czech Republic | Latvia)
International Competition Winner – Warsaw International Film Festival 2021
MY SALINGER YEAR by Philippe Falaradeau (Canada | Ireland)
Grand Prix du Jury Nominee – La Roche-sur-Yon International Film Festival 2021
THE BOX by Lorenzo Vigas (Mexico | USA)
Leoncino d'Oro Agiscuola Award – Venice Film Festival 2021
THE GREAT MOVEMENT by Kiro Russo (Bolivia | Qatar | France | Switzerland | United Kingdom)
Special Jury Prize – Venice Film Festival 2021
THE WORST PERSON IN THE WORLD by Joachim Trier (Norway | France | Sweden)
Palme d’Or Nominee – Cannes Film Festival 2021
VENGEANCE IS MINE, ALL OTHERS PAY CASH by Edwin (Singapore | Germany | Indonesia)
Golden Leopard Winner – Locarno International Film Festival 2021
WHEEL OF FORTUNE AND FANTASY by Ryûsuke Hamaguchi (Japan)
Jury Grand Prix Winner – Berlin International Film Festival 2021
This year's festival will incorporate a ‘hybrid’ setup with online and in-person screenings.
Select films will be screened at Gateway Cineplex 10 while others will be available on demand via ktx.ph from November 26 to December 5, 2021.
For more information, visit QCinema’s website.
